FACT SHEET
The Institute of Women and Leadership (iWIL) was launched in October 2007.
Background
Brescia’s Learn Live Lead strategic plan envisioned the College playing a more active role in the promotion of women’s leadership. In 2006, a working group from all sectors of the College and community members assessed the feasibility of establishing a Brescia Institute for Women Leaders. The group defined a vision of leadership consonant with the mission and values of Brescia, and attuned to the needs of today’s world.
iWIL’s Vision
Brescia University College’s Institute for Women in Leadership (iWIL) supports the development of authentic leaders who choose to practice a sustainable, collective, and socially responsible form of leadership. We envisage leadership as facilitating the creative exchange of multiple perspectives by fostering a deep commitment to mutually empowering, respectful relationships.
iWIL is committed to the promotion of a new vision of leadership that cultivates collaborative action and collective responsibility. This new leadership seeks to foster strength, courage and passion within individuals while promoting a culture of creativity, and respect for diversity of expression.
Purpose
iWIL’s mandate is to provide information on leadership and opportunities for women to receive the experience, encouragement, coaching, and knowledge to enhance their leadership capabilities.
Why is their a need for an Institute for Women in Leadership?
The potential for women to contribute to decision-making is under utilized. As Canada’s women’s university, we are ideally suited to inspire women to find confidence in their unique abilities, and to equip them with the skills to provide leadership at all levels of society. iWIL does not embrace a single model of leadership as best or most appropriate. We consider leadership to be contextual.
Desired Outcome
iWIL encourages participants to recognize themselves as leaders and to develop their abilities to coach, mentor and inspire others based on exposure to a full range of individual expressions of effective leadership practices. By developing this leadership capacity, each woman will improve her own life and the lives of those around her.
Current Activities related to iWIL
iWIL promotes women’s leadership through a wide range of activities, events and initiatives that encourage individual women to be world-changers.
Student Programming
Through Student Services, Brescia students can take courses in leadership to obtain a Certificate in Leadership through the Student Services Department.
Scholar’s Elective students at Brescia have opportunities to dialogue on diverse topics relating to women in leadership to enhance their academic studies. The inaugural Exploring Dimensions in Leadership course ran at Brescia in the 2009-2010 academic year.
Community Connections
The iWIL Community Circle's intention is to reach out to all women in the London area who wish to explore, develop and offer leadership in response to those concerns most affecting their lives and our community. We envision circles of women gathering together to redefine what leadership looks like from the hearts and experiences of women, while inspiring and supporting each other as they discover where and how they can most meaningfully offer their unique contributions. iWIL hopes to foster links with women in the local community and share knowledge of women’s leadership with community groups.
iWIL Lecture of The Sophia Series
The Sophia Series aims to inform the students of Brescia and women and men in the London community of the depth and richness of women's wisdom in its many forms. The fall installment of this series is hosted by iWIL and provides our campus and the London community with the opportunity to hear prominent women to talk about leadership and their personal experiences. iWIL speakers have included Maude Barlow, Sheila Watt-Cloutier, Christina Baldwin and Ann Linnea.
Women Making Change Conference
iWIL works in collaboration with The Circle Women’s Centre at Brescia and the Departments of Education and Women’s Studies at Western to host this nationally attended conference. The first Women Making Change Conference, held at Brescia University College on March 7, 2008, provided undergraduate and graduate women students with a venue to deliver academic papers that explored the many ways women work as leaders for change locally, nationally and internationally. The successful conference was held again in 2009 and 2010.
Leadership Conference
When Opportunity Knocks…Are You Ready was held at Brescia on June 19, 2008. This conference explored leadership in two different streams as a way to reach women at various stages of their careers: 1) for young women interested in gaining skills in marketing themselves, negotiation, and networking; 2) for mid-career women who are seeking to further develop their leadership abilities, and will look at areas such as building successful teams and creating a vision for an organization.
Girls LEAD Camp – Day Camp for Girls
In summer 2007, Brescia University College piloted “Get Real” Camp for girls between the ages of eight and eleven. In a partnership with Sport Western, "Get Real" took advantage of Brescia's scenic campus and explored “Real Me, Real Friends, and Real Life” through outdoor activities, active games, discussion, and more. Other topics covered included healthy lifestyle choices; campers had the opportunity to prepare lunches each day in Brescia’s Food and Nutrition labs! The camp, with its new name, returns this summer with added weeks to accommodate the vast interest, and an exciting new Girls LEAD camp has been initiated in Barbados – starting in July 2010!
Young Leaders of Tomorrow – new initiative
In April 2009, the first Take the Lead public speaking contest was held at Brescia. The second annual contest is being held on April 10, 2010. The competition is open to female students in Grades 11 and 12 who will speak about women and leadership.
Communications
iWIL has a website that can be accessed through the Brescia site and at a separate url www.iwil.ca.
To download a copy of the fact sheet, please click here.