South Australia’s City of Salisbury was honoured for its outstanding achievement in advancing women in Local Government at the Local Government Managers Australia (LGMA) SA annual gala awards dinner in April 2010.
The dinner attracted over 310 delegates from councils in South Australia and is widely regarded as one of the State’s preeminent events, recognising individual and council wide initiatives that demonstrate excellence in Local Government.
The Excellence in Advancing the Status of Women award was presented to Salisbury for its Advancement of Women Program, which is driven by a team of five female senior and line managers.
The City of Salisbury’s Advancement of Women Program is a comprehensive, multifaceted approach to the advancement of women within the organisation that celebrates achievement, provides targeted development opportunities, fosters formal and informal support networks and ensures access to flexible working arrangements for all members of staff. It has included the Project Connect Initiative, the incorporation of key organisational development initiatives in the City’s Strategic Plan and a comprehensive program for the Year of Women in Local Government.
Initiated in 2005 by women in leadership roles, the project gained momentum over time and is now a corporate wide approach led by Council’s Corporate Development department. The organisation is focused on building leadership capabilities across all levels and provides opportunities for all staff members to develop their potential, build confidence and gain the skills and competencies to succeed in both current and future desired roles.
Since the introduction of the program there has been a significant increase in the number of management positions occupied by women. The numbers have effectively doubled over the past five years from seven to 14. Women now represent 33 per cent of senior managers in the organisation, which is significantly higher than five years previously (16 per cent).
