Via this project we sought to achieve the following objectives: Develop and implement a cross-sectoral, cross- border, intergenerational and intercultural training and mentoring program for aspiring female leaders Create opportunities for female intra/entrepreneurship in project countries and transnationally Encourage digital transformation by promoting intergenerational digital knowledge exchange between mentors and mentees Enhance mentors’ skills and abilities to successfully develop other leaders Make employers and broader society more aware of gender gaps in employment and of the opportunities stemming from investing in women.
We applied for this project because, following a successful pilot of the core project idea in Malta, we saw the potential to scale it up. We thus developed a larger project for application in both Italy and Malta, two countries in Southern Europe facing similar gender equality issues. In both countries, women are under-represented in senior leadership as a result of ingrained gender stereotypes and social norms which create barriers to women’s career progress. In addition, the majority of talented female professionals find themselves facing the so-called ‘leadership labyrinth’ alone without any external support from more experienced colleagues. The project addressed these needs via the creation and roll-out of an innovative, transnational and cross-cultural training and mentoring program for talented female professionals wishing to step up their careers. The program was complemented by awareness-raising events targeting potential employers and the general public.