THE JCG Foundation is hoping to “shape the next generation of female leaders” with the 2025 edition of its Leadership and Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme.
The charity will invite 60 local and international girls aged between 14 and 18 to an eight-day learning and networking experience in Jersey.
Students will be tasked with developing their own ideas into a pitch that they will present to business and industry experts, from which they can obtain real-life funding.
The JCG Foundation said LEAP aimed to “develop business, entrepreneurial and leadership skills”, among the students, with a focus on “female empowerment”.
Gaëlle Deschamps, fundraising and leadership curriculum for LEAP, said the programme was a “unique asset for Jersey”.
“It’s rare to have a female leadership and entrepreneurship programme and LEAP puts Jersey on the map, positioning it as somewhere with a leading female founder and entrepreneur hot house,” she said.
Local businesses and individuals were invited to a breakfast briefing last week to learn more about the programme and the sponsorship opportunities available. At the event, Sarah Nicholls, LEAP co-ordinator, highlighted that this year’s programme would be “LEAP 2.0”, as the initiative entered its seventh year.
“We’re looking to dig into inner development goals and make it much more personal to the students,” she said. “There will be a real focus on one-to-one mentorship.”
Ms Deschamps said she believed that programmes such as LEAP were needed because of the current gender diversity landscape.
“It would take 134 years to close the gender pay gap. We are 45 generations away from gender parity,” she said. “It’s not acceptable.”
She also noted that “39% of girls drop out of leadership roles” before they reached adulthood.
“Something happens in their teenage years where they opt out,” she said. “We can train women in their adult lives, but we will never close the gap without starting young and changing mindsets.”
Ms Deschamps described leadership around the world as “in crisis” and lacking in female role models.
“We need to expose girls to a diverse range of female leaders who lead from the heart and with kindness,” she added.
“We want to take the shackles off and encourage them to think big in tasks,” Ms Nicholls said. “We want to get them thinking about what they want to help solve in the world and how they can make the future better.”
“If we change the trajectory for just one girl, we’ve done a good job,” Ms Deschamps added. “Not only does it feel good, but it’s the right thing to do.”
Businesses and individuals interested in sponsoring a student, funding elements of the programme or being a speaker, coach or mentor are encouraged to get in touch at leap@jcgfoundation.com.
