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18 September, 2026

Empowering the next generation of changemakers to step into their leadership potential.

Tickets SOLD OUT

She Leads High Conference

YWCA Canberra is a feminist not-for profit organisation dedicated to empowering young women and non-binary individuals through education, leadership opportunities, and advocacy.  
 
Our She Leads High Conference is an annual one-day leadership event that brings together young leaders across diverse fields to educate and inspire women and non-binary students in Years 9 and 10. Through discussions and interactive workshops, the Conference aims to foster leadership skills and promote gender equity.

View Teacher’s Pack

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She Leads Advocate Sponsor

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She Leads Merchandise Sponsors

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She Leads Merchandise Sponsors

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She Leads High Conference at a Glance

Laura Johnston

she/her

Award-Winning Comedian | Roadside Safety Reform Advocate 

5 years ago Laura quit her job to chase her dream of being a stand up comedian despite struggling with stage fright and never having actually tried stand up comedy before. Since then Laura has: been a semi finalist of the BBC Funny Women Awards, recorded her own comedy special in front of 426 people and taken her solo hour to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it was listed as one of the 'top show picks' (TheatreVillage). Alongside comedy, Laura has also fought for (and successfully achieved) policy change across Australia, making roadside assistance safer for everyone. 

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Meet your MC!

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Keynote

Molly Croft

she/her

Founder of The Tie Dye Project | Youth Advocate | Cancer Survivor 

Molly Croft is a youth advocate, keynote speaker and co-founder of The Tie Dye Project, a charity raising awareness and funds for sarcoma research. Diagnosed with osteosarcoma at just 12 years old, Molly has transformed her personal experience into a mission to improve outcomes for children and young people affected by cancer. Through her advocacy, public speaking and community leadership, she has helped raise more than $1.6 million for research while championing the voices of young people. Molly is passionate about creating meaningful change through storytelling, resilience and collaboration, inspiring audiences to find purpose through adversity and community.

Isha Singhal

she/her

Economist | Women's Sports Advocate | Youth Leader 

Isha Singhal is an economist, sports presenter, journalist and digital creator paving the way in women’s sports media. She is the founder of IshaOnTheField, - a women’s football platform that reaches more than 50 million people globally each year -and the curator of Australia's first dedicated women’s football newsletter.   
 
Alongside her media work with the likes of the ABC, Missing Perspectives and The Roar, Isha works in economic policy and brings a strong governance and advocacy lens to gender equity in sports media. Passionate about social impact, Isha has previously worked with the Australian Government and UN Women, serving as serving as the President of the Youth Coalition of the ACT. 

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Keynote

What does it take to design systems that serve everyone? How do we open the doors of innovation to young people, ensuring they have the power, tools and confidence to forge their way and lead boldly? And when innovation first ignites, how do we keep the flame alive? This conversation brings together the thinkers, builders and boundary‑pushers redefining what it means to lead. Join us as we explore the diverse paths young people are choosing to reshape the world with intention, courage, and imagination. 

Meet our diverse group of panellists who are leading from the front in their respective industries:

Molly Jeffery

Isabel Richards

Christonia Charlandy  

Molly Jeffery

she/her

Panel facilitator

Gender Equality Advocate | Policy Officer | Youth Advisory Committee Member 

Molly is a Policy Officer at the Working with Women Alliance, providing advice to federal Government on economic equality and gender-based violence. She is a youth advocate and leads research on the most pressing issues affecting young women, and also sits on Sexual and Reproductive Health Australia’s Youth Advisory Committee. She holds a Bachelor in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the Australian National University. 

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Isabel Richards

she/her

Panellist

Co-Founder and Science Communicator, Sci_Burst 

Isabel Richards is a Science Communicator and Co-Founder of Sci_Burst, a podcast and startup that communicates science for non-experts through popular culture like movies, video games, books, tv shows, music, and more. She explores science themes and science representations in popular fictional media, the history of women in science communication, and the interconnected relationships between humans, the environment, and technologies. She is passionate about making science accessible in creative and 21st-century ways, sparking curiosity in people from all walks of life, and inspiring hopeful, sustainable futures through solarpunk media. 

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Christonia Charlandy

she/her

Panellist

TEDxCanberra Event and Production Lead | Community Builder 

Christonia (Tonia) Charlandy is a people-centric leader blending 7+ years of hospitality management with a passion for community building. At the University of Canberra, she champions student belonging and mental health through UC Thrive mentorship and wellbeing outreach. Tonia embraces lifelong learning through giving back. She loves sharing about Canberra through social media (@thetravellingcanberran), she mentors for Fearless Women and is currently leading TEDxCanberra's Event and Production team. From managing large-scale events to hosting Open Mic Nights, Tonia is dedicated to amplifying Canberra's local ideas and changemakers. 

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Interactive Workshops

At She Leads High Conference, two engaging workshops will be held to provide students with hands-on experiences that foster growth.  
These workshops will focus on key skills such as effective contemporary communication, resilience, and teamwork, offering students practical tools to apply in their personal and upcoming professional lives. Through interactive activities and group discussions, students will have the opportunity to engage with their peers, learn from experienced youth facilitators, and walk away with valuable insights that will help shape their future. These workshops are designed to inspire, challenge, and empower them. 

Forged, not Finished

Han Worsley (they/them) is a passionate educator, advocate, and proud non-binary person who grew up on a tiny farm near Nullamanna, NSW, population 40. Their love for rural communities has shaped everything they do. Han previously worked as the Education Coordinator at the Country Universities Centre in Cooma and now works across the national CUC network to help more students in regional areas access uni and training. They are also doing a PhD to understand how primary school kids in country towns dream about their futures, building on their original career as a primary school teacher. Han has been CEO of Country to Canberra, done a TEDx Talk, been named an ABC Community Champion and one of Out For Australia’s 30 under 30, but they’re proudest when helping country kids believe they belong in education. 
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Han Worsley

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Isabel Richards of Sci_Burst


Solarpunk Leadership: Forging your super-empowered future self

How can you harness your imagination to build and lead us into a hopeful, sustainable future? What if you DO have the power to create a world that directly counters those dystopian visions you keep seeing in the media?

These questions are at the core of this hands-on introduction to solarpunk skills and positive future thinking and creating. 
 
In this workshop you will learn how to:

• Identify your unique skillsets and use them to drive systemic change
• Turn a crisis into an opportunity and bring others with you
• Lead with urgent optimism, foresight, and collective strength

Brace yourselves, it’s about to get radical!

Additional Information

Information for teachers and schools

Click here to download the 2026 She Leads High Teacher's Pack.

YWCA Canberra understands the importance of facilitating an event where each student feels safe, valued and supported. Our She Leads High Conference will give them the opportunity to meet and have fun with other young women and non-binary people their age who can understand what they might be going through, as well as listen to diverse leaders and learn from their leadership journeys. 

By encouraging students’ attendance, you will provide them with the opportunity to develop their leadership potential, view different career journeys, and increase their capacity to take on leadership roles within their environment and beyond. You will also help them build awareness of structural biases that create barriers to women and non-binary people’s leadership and learn how to critically reflect on social norms, power, and privilege. 

IMPORTANT: This is a school excursion. All students must attend with their teachers/school supervisors or get permission from both their school and guardian to attend the event by themself.
It is vital that teachers attend the event, provide appropriate supervision and care, and ensure that each student arrives and departs safely. 

YWCA Canberra staff will not provide supervision of students and will not be responsible for the arrival or departure of students, or for their behaviour on the day.  
Schools need to independently organise all necessary permission slips and transportation (if required).

According to The ACT Education Directorate’s Excursions Policy, in situations where a student feels unwell or uncomfortable and wishes to leave an event, it is the school’s responsibility to manage the student’s welfare. This involves coordinating with the parent/s or guardian/s to arrange for the student’s safe return home. The event organiser YWCA Canberra is not responsible for individual student supervision or transportation during such circumstances. 

Schools must ensure they have adequate supervision and contingency plans to address any issues that may arise during an excursion, in line with the Directorate’s policies and procedures. 

Information for students

If you are a young woman or non-binary person in Year 9 or 10, and want to attend the She Leads High Conference, you will need to let your teacher, year coordinator or principal know as soon as you can! Your school may be sending other students too, or they may not yet know about this event. 

As this is a school excursion, you cannot attend without a teacher/s or school supervisor with you.
You will need a signed permission slip from your guardian/s and should organise transportation to and from the event through your school. 

You and your guardian/s will also need to complete the photography consent form and return it to your teacher, who will then provide the form to us. 

Do you have any limit on student numbers for each school?

Each school can send up to 50 students to the event.  

By encouraging students’ attendance, you will provide them with the opportunity to develop their leadership potential, view different career journeys, and increase their capacity to take on leadership roles within their environment and beyond. You will also help them build awareness of structural biases that create barriers to women and non-binary people’s leadership and learn how to critically reflect on social norms, power, and privilege. 

Schools are required to adhere to the ACT Education Directorate’s Excursion Policy, which outlines the necessary procedures and supervision requirements for student excursions, including risk assessments, parental consent, and appropriate supervision ratios. 

By following these guidelines, a safe and enriching experience for all participants can be ensured. 

I've registered for a group of students, but I don't have all their details. When do I have to provide them?

All student details are essential to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone attending the conference. It is required that schools provide all student details, including names, dietary requirements, and accessibility requirements, by Friday, 11 September 2026.

This information is crucial for us to accommodate the needs of all participants and to ensure their safety and comfort throughout the event. 

How do I book tickets for my students?

There are two ways to book tickets: 

Tickets can be booked directly through our event page. Alternatively, contact us directly to request an invoice for the booking. 

Please note, the booking is not confirmed until payment is received, so ensure that payment is made on time. For any additional information or assistance, please contact us. 

What's the cost and inclusions of the ticket?

YWCA Canberra is committed to hosting inclusive and affordable events. Conference tickets are priced at $50 per student, which covers a full day of engaging activities, catering, and an activity booklet.
 
Teacher attendance is FREE with a limit of two free teachers per school. For larger excursions, any additional teachers beyond the two free attendees will be charged $25 per teacher to cover the catering costs. Teachers will be responsible for supervising students throughout the day and ensuring that each student arrives and departs safely. 

What's your refund policy?

In the event of your inability to attend an engagement, kindly notify us promptly by contacting sheleads@ywca-canberra.org.au. Full reimbursement shall be facilitated for cancellations communicated no less than seven (7) days preceding the scheduled event. Subsequent to this stipulated period, refund requests shall not be permitted.

However, the option to transfer your registration to a substitute individual is permissible, provided such a request is conveyed no later than 48 hours (about 2 days) prior to the event.

Please note that specific dietary requirements cannot be accommodated within the 48 hours (about 2 days) and the regular menu will be served.

No refunds or transfers shall be granted for cancellations within seven days of the day of the event.

Please refer to our Terms and Conditions for full details. 

Photography

Download Photography Consent Form HERE. We will be taking photos at this event.
Schools MUST make sure each registered student completes a photography consent form and that these are emailed to the She Leads team before the event, or take the signed forms to the event.

Accessibility

Canberra Rex Hotel is wheelchair accessible. Fully accessible restrooms are located in a central location.

We are committed to accessibility inclusion and encourage teachers to let us know the needs of their students before the event.

Further information

For further details relating to the event, or for any queries, please contact the She Leads team at sheleads@ywca-canberra.org.au or call 02 6185 2029.