Last week I had the pleasure of accompanying two of our women leaders and two students to Federal Member for Maribyrnong Jo Briskey’s inaugural International Women’s Day breakfast at Windy Hill.

The event brought together women and allies from across the local community to reflect on leadership, opportunity and the challenges many women still face. Jo Briskey hosted a thoughtful conversation with two Essendon AFLW players and former Victorian Attorney-General Jill Hennessy. Each speaker shared personal stories about the obstacles they have encountered in their careers and the resilience required to move forward. What stood out most was the practical advice they offered: backing yourself, supporting others along the way, and recognising that leadership takes many different forms.

For our students, it was a powerful opportunity to hear directly from women who have navigated high-profile careers in sport, politics and public life. The honesty with which the speakers spoke about setbacks and persistence made the conversation particularly meaningful.

I was incredibly proud to see our Buckley Park College students and staff engaging so thoughtfully with the discussion and representing the school so well. Events like this remind us how important it is for young people to hear stories of courage, determination and leadership from people in our own community.

We left Windy Hill feeling inspired and grateful for the opportunity to take part in such an important local celebration of International Women’s Day.