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A Leadership Immersion Program to address the under-representation of young women from refugee and migrant backgrounds in leadership roles.


CMY recognises the enormous leadership experience and potential in the young women we work with. However, while people from refugee and migrant backgrounds make up almost half of all university graduates, the Human Rights Commission reports that only 5% of these graduates will eventually be appointed to leadership roles in Australia.

The Seat at the Table program aims to address the under representation of young women in governance and leadership positions. Young women are placed with a Board/Committee to observe governance structures and are provided with Leadership and Governance Training to support their observership. This program offers young women real-life experience in and exposure to the world of leadership, strategic planning and decision making in business.

Past Programs
Seat at the Table: National Program 2022/2023
Funded by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Office for Women, CMY successfully delivered a pilot Seat at the Table program to young women in Victoria in 2022. In 2023, we expanded the program nationally to work with young women across four states and territories – Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania and Western Australia. We currently have 60 young women in the program observing on Boards/Committees and undergoing Leadership and Governance Training. We are very grateful to our program partners at MYAN and our funders for making this program possible.

Seat at the Table – Victorian Expansion Program 2023
Through the success of the National Seat at the Table program, we have been fortunate to receive additional funding from the Victorian Department of Families, Fairness and Housing to expand the Seat at the Table program in Victoria. The Victorian Expansion program provided young women with Board observership placements on Victorian Government Boards/Committees. This program was be delivered from July to December 2023 to an additional 40 young women in Victoria.

“Having two young multicultural women join our various global Boards has been an exciting and positive experience, particularly reflecting on their own journeys and how that interrelates with beneficiaries, staff and partners of our programs. We have felt inspired by the young women’s enthusiasm and drive to be involved and understand the operations, challenges and successes of Same Skies. The addition of the women enriches our board conversations and helps the teams remain focussed on our goals, by reinstating them to women with open ears. If you are an organisation with a board considering joining this program in 2023, I strongly encourage you to welcome young women aboard. You won’t regret it.”

Laura O’Neil, Co-Founder and Treasurer (AU) at Same Skies

All Seat at the Table programs have now concluded and the project team is currently looking for future funding partners. To get in touch email sat@cmy.net.au.