Pathways to Politics for Women opens for applications

Applications are now open for the award-winning, non-partisan Pathways to Politics for Women program.

This year marks a decade of the program—an initiative of the Trawalla Foundation, Women’s Leadership Institute Australia, and the University of Melbourne—empowering diverse women to pursue their political ambitions, excel as leaders, and create lasting impact in their communities.

Pathways to Politics has launched a special video celebrating 10 years of impact to mark this milestone anniversary. The video features contributions from more than 20 supporters and alums of the program from a cross-section of Australian political life, including former Prime Minister Julia Gillard AC.

“I'm a huge believer and the evidence shows that to bring more women into politics, we need political parties to make structural changes, but we also need programs like Pathways to Politics, that special energy that happens when women come together to support each other, to learn from each other, to make sure that they're ready to step forward into the political world,” Ms Gillard said.

Reflecting on the program's impact over the past decade, Pathways to Politics founder Carol Schwartz AO said “Over the past ten years, we’ve seen extraordinary momentum build, with diverse women stepping up to shape the future of political leadership in Australia. We look forward to welcoming our next incredible cohorts to the program and supporting them on their journey to elected office.”

The program provides practical training, mentorship and support, equipping aspiring women leaders with the skills and confidence to step into political life. Since its launch in 2015, Pathways to Politics has empowered hundreds of diverse women to run for office – resulting in 84 electoral successes across all levels of government and the political spectrum.

Applications are open from 6 March-1 May 2025. Apply here: www.pathwaystopolitics.org.au