"Silver Sirens supports the well-being of young women and acknowledges our role as mentors and positive role models for the next generation of women"
One of the reasons I was moved to start Silver Sirens was because of the young women I met in the fashion industry and my private practice who were already struggling with ageing in their 20s and 30s.
I detest and reject the media's depiction of the older woman who is bitter about her lost youth and is jealous of young women, seeing her as a competition for the male gaze.
The idea we're fed is that we desperately want to go back to our 20s. This is sexist and misogynistic and distracts women from our role as mentors and role models for the women coming behind us.
Every stage has its purpose, challenges and opportunities. Instead of worrying about the onset of grey hairs, wrinkles and sagging skin, I hope younger women can let go of the pressure of having to stay young looking to be successful.
We must stop treating ageing as a failure for women and embrace it for what it is, a natural part of the human condition.
By doing this work to change the negative narrative that surrounds women and ageing, I hope that young women can get on with building their lives and focus on enjoying the wonders of youth.
In this issue, Jody Webster will be sharing on this principle.
WHY WE SHOULD MENTOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF WOMEN
by Jody Webster
In a world where youth is valued over ageing and the young women of today seem to have so many more opportunities than the ‘Silver Siren’ generation, it may seem redundant to offer our wisdom and guidance to help them find their way. But mentorship, especially coming from other women, may make all the difference for our future generations of female leaders.
Recent studies have shown that women are underrepresented in key decision-making roles across almost all industries in the Australian workforce. While women make up half of the employees in the 2020-21 WGEA dataset (51%), women comprise only:
19.4% of CEOs
32.5% of key management positions
33% of board members
18% of board chairs.
In 2022, there were just 14 female chief executives among Australia’s top 200 companies – up from 11 in 2017, with women comprising 28% of all senior roles.
Looking at other studies, it seems that in 2020, companies with female leaders had year-over-year profit changes that were 138% greater than average, companies with women CEO’s saw a 20% better stock performance, and those with female CFOs saw a 6% increase in profitability.
So, it seems that when women are mentored in leadership skills and then given the chance to lead, they do it very well. However, the hard task is getting them into those leadership positions to start with.
Although many companies are now offering mentorship programs, studies have shown that most executives tend to pick ‘mini-me’ mentees, and as most CEOs and executives are still men….
This cycle will continue to perpetuate unless more female executives mentor other women. Speak to women in your organisation to see if there is any mentoring happening, either formally or informally. If there isn’t, advocate with your senior company members to start a structured mentoring program. We all know that women mentoring other women is one of the best ways to help to equalise the leadership balance, but there is nothing stopping the men getting onboard to mentor their female workmates.
No longer in the workforce? There are still plenty of opportunities to get out there and mentor our younger sisters. Volunteer at one of the many women’s mentoring groups that are in desperate need of your expertise.
A few years ago, while my youngest daughter was attending an agricultural boarding school in NSW, I volunteered to become a mentor for a couple of the girls who were finding being away from home and their families a challenge.
One girl in particular, was struggling with her studies because she had been diagnosed with Dyslexia and felt that she would never be able to have a meaningful career. With her parents’ consent, she spent many hours with my daughter and I, and became like a member of our family. Today, this same girl has graduated as a Special Ed teacher and is working with children in disadvantaged communities in the outback.
It is not only the mentees that gain from mentorship. I found a great sense of purpose and pride, watching this young girl start to achieve the milestones she believed were beyond her reach.
Every one of us has gifts to offer, skills we can share, and support we can give. By mentoring the next generation of women, in whatever way we can, we are not only helping to smash the ‘glass ceilings’ in business, but we are also helping to break down generational and societal barriers and helping to change the future for all women.