Case Study: City of Greater Bendigo
Decreasing Gender Segregation through the Women in Non-Traditional Roles (WINTR) Network
Why it is important - The Women in Non-Traditional Roles (WINTR) Network is an initiative that aims to decrease gender segregation by promoting female-focused networking and mentoring to women in typically male-dominated roles across Greater Bendigo.
The workplace gender audit conducted as part of obligations under the Gender Equality Act revealed that Council has several units that are highly gender segregated. These units contain roles that are traditionally associated with a particular gender such as engineering or nursing. To address gender segregation within these units, Council researched best practice approaches by the private sector. Council learned that female-focused networking and mentoring was critical in retaining women in workforces where they are under-represented. Council also recognised that the Coffee Roulette initiative it was running for its Women in Leadership Network was well-received by women who were under-represented in their units as it facilitated much-needed connection, belonging and mentoring. It also recognised that Council plays an important role as a connector in the region.
As a result, Council developed the Women in Non-Traditional Roles (WINTR) Network which facilitates female-focused networking and mentoring for women in typically male-dominated roles, across Greater Bendigo to support their retention and wellbeing in the workplace. 70 women from a wide range of organisations came together with Council employees in September 2024 for the WINTR Network Launch to hear from Guest speaker Lieutenant Colonel Sylvia Anstee.
The WINTR Network is a simple concept with two primary initiatives; WINTR Lunch and Learn: The WINTR Network gathers half-yearly for a Lunch-and-Learn to hear from a female senior leader in a male-dominated role or industry and build interpersonal networks. WINTR Coffee Roulette, The WINTR Coffee Roulette initiative promotes female-focused networking and mentoring by pairing members from different organisations together on a bi-monthly basis for an informal coffee catch up.
The WINTR Network is part of a broader ‘Decreasing Gender Segregation Pilot’ that is being rolled out at the City of Greater Bendigo to increase the gender balance of staff at Council.
Call to action - Consider ways to promote female-focused networking and mentoring opportunities to women in non-traditional roles in your region to decrease gender segregation.
