Be like her

Katie Hunt, Alumni and Community Manager

The BE LIKE HER LIVE initiative is a real-world, modern media project that has students in Australian schools co-hosting radio interviews with female alumni, staff and parents who have excelled in male-dominated industries. The Carey Community Engagement team, in conjunction with teaching staff, were excited to get Carey students involved in this unique project. Through the interviews, our students explored and created their own narrative of the positive and powerful impact Carey women have had on their community and world around them.

Over two consecutive days, 20 students across our Senior and Middle School were given media and radio training along with lessons on how to convey their messages in a powerful way to resonate with their audiences.

Charlie, Emma, Rose and Eliza interview conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Carey alum, Ingrid Martin (2002). Middle and Senior School students Elliott, Sam, Greta and Ben interviewed paramedic and Carey alum Josie Girdlestone (2019).

On the second day, working in media teams, students put their training into action and conducted interviews with female Carey alumni, staff and parents who currently work in professions where men have traditionally dominated, such as construction, health, sports and business.

Sharing stories of women in male-dominated industries is an important way to encourage young people of all genders to pursue their passions and interests, regardless of any perceptions that some work is gender-specific.

Students asked Belinda Coates (1995), Director, Clients & Strategy at property and construction advisory firm Slattery, what inspired her to pursue her line of work. Belinda explains that, in the property industry, ‘we’re all part of a beautiful ecosystem, collaborating to create spaces where people live work and play,’ she says. ‘You can really make an impact on the way that future generations will enjoy their cities and the world.’

But it wasn’t until Belinda completed work experience that she realised there was an opportunity for her in the property industry.

‘Throughout high school we probably thought of property as being one of the boys’ jobs,’ Belinda says. ‘I always had a passion for marketing which is why I followed that pathway – we all hear the term “you can’t be what you can’t see” and I didn’t know any women in property, so marketing was all I could see in front of me.’

Sam, Charlotte, Greta and Emma interview Olympic athlete and current Carey staff member Tamsyn Manou (née Lewis).

Students were also asked to talk about the women in their lives they admire the most. Year 11 student Ben says his mother is an inspiration to him:

‘She currently runs a medical practice with other doctors and runs clinical trials for specialised, new cancer treatments. She has had to fight the biases and ignorance of some male executives and higher-ups in her industry to get where she is. She doesn’t hesitate to stand up for herself and others against sexism or any other prejudices. She sets a great example for me and my siblings, particularly for my younger sisters. I try to follow her example where I can and call out sexism where I see it and I’m not always great at it but I do my best. She is the reason I am sitting here and volunteering for BE LIKE HER.’

Year 8 student Sam is inspired by former Captain of the Australian Women’s Cricket team and 2021 Carey Medallist Meg Lanning (2009): ‘Meg exhibits success traits, like compassion, ambition and leadership, that I inspire to show now and as I grow up. As a 13-year-old boy with a cricket obsession, I emulate her attributes like compassion and leadership as the captain of my cricket team, but I also implement her success traits like ambition to help me prosper in environments like school and my local sports club.’

What’s most exciting about this project is that the interviews will be broadcast to the world on Live FM in October, and podcasts will be made available to listen to soon after.

Through the BE LIKE HER LIVE project, Live FM and Carey aim to engage our community in discussions about gender equity, respect for women and female empowerment. Students involved in the project also gained an appreciation of the responsibility that comes with 21st century media and the role it plays in telling our stories and promoting impactful and life-changing messages.

The students involved in the project should be extremely proud of their role in telling the stories of successful women in the Carey community and providing us with female role models we can all aspire to. We hope many of you will listen in to hear these incredible and inspiring stories – keep an eye on the news on our website for updates: carey.com.au/news-events