FOCUS GROUP WOMEN IN BUSINESS

30th January 2023

CBCC Women's Committee held the first focus group for Women in Business on 30th January 2023 at Bankstown RSL. More than 40 attendees participated in lively, engaged discussions about the issues facing women today. Attendees discussed how we can all help women in the South-West and each other, to break down the barriers facing women in business and leadership. The CBCC ensured that the room was a welcoming platform where women can support women, network, and connect with other amazing women. The focus group was a safe place to share their voice and stories to the community to inspire others to change the narrative.

The event kicked off with networking opportunities, with opening remarks from our CEO Wally Mehanna and the CBCC Women’s Committee Head and Board Member, Antoinette Khalil. The participants were split up into three round tables to write down and discuss the barriers that exist when it comes to women in business.

Women spoke on the financial burden they face after slowly returning from maternity leave, income disparity, and societal expectations discouraging them to handle work commitment. The main issues identified were access to childcare, improve confidence in women and promote the resources that can help women grow.

As a whole, participants agreed that generational, cultural, and language barriers must be overcome. Discouraging social expectations on a woman’s capacity to handle work must be confronted now and in the future.

Following the discussion, groups were invited to share what they would like the CBCC to advocate for on behalf of them to the government (pre-election), such as removing invisible discrimination in job ads that prevent women from re-entering the workforce.

"Recent experience necessary" discriminates.

There was talk of the value of flexible jobs for healthier work-life balance and schemes for women who are entering/reentering the workplace. We talked about compounding discrimination faced by many in Western Sydney and cultural influences around gender roles.

The CBCC’s first women’s focus group ended with a lunch and further networking opportunities.

We are amazed with positive response and knowledge from the women who attended, and are eager to organise more events to do our part to work towards a better future. The committee will convene, discuss these findings, and work toward solutions that bring real impactful changes for women. Together we can do so much more for women working everywhere, starting from our rich multicultural roots in the Canterbury Bankstown region.

We thank each and every participant who attended our Focus Group. Without you, we would not be able to understand, explore and plan future steps to create change. With this success in our belt, hope to see even more participants in our Focus Groups in the future!