PACE Leadership Program

Our innovative PACE leadership program builds migrant women’s capacity to Participate, Advocate, Communicate and Engage.

What is the PACE Leadership program?

Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health runs a leadership program for migrant and refugee women, non-binary and gender diverse people called PACE: Participate, Advocate, Communicate and Engage.

The program aims to build migrant and refugee women’s capacity to:

  • Participate in the workforce, civic and community life
  • Advocate on issues that concern you to make a positive change
  • Communicate leadership qualities and skills, and
  • Engage with issues and others in the community for the purposes of providing ongoing support to other migrant and refugee women

Since PACE began in 2009 we have reached over 350 migrant and refugee people in Victoria to strengthen the way migrant women and gender diverse leaders take the lead within their workplaces, communities and everyday lives.

A group of PACE participants and project staff gather outside the Melbourne Museum.
PACE Leadership participants and program staff gather outside the Melbourne Museum at our 2022 Setting the PACE event.

New Set the PACE  best practice guide

We recently published a Set the PACE  best practice guide for those looking to design leadership programs for migrant women, non-binary and gender diverse people.

Set the PACE supports migrant and refugee women, non-binary and gender diverse leaders to design and implement community-based projects that empower and strengthen our communities. This guide offers five ways community leaders/project designers/workers can improve migrant and refugee women, non-binary and gender diverse people’s leadership by centering their experiences, challenging traditional leadership models, increasing accessibility, collaborating with others, and using an intersectional approach.

Download the Set the PACE best practice guide in PDF format

Download the Set the PACE best practice guide - screen reader friendly version

Set the PACE is informed by the Best Practice Guide for leadership programs for immigrant and refugee women developed in 2010 and by over 14 years of running the PACE Leadership program to Victorians.

Contact us

If you are an organisation, not-for-profit or community group who is interested in hiring our training team to deliver a PACE leadership program please contact our PACE Project Officer, Feifei@mcwh.com.au.

What makes PACE training different?

PACE is based on best practice and evidence

The PACE Program is based on national and international best practice recommendations for women’s leadership programming.

PACE takes an intersectional approach

The program focuses on both individual and structural issues related to gender equality. It aims to build migrant and refugee women’s personal and community-level skills.

PACE is flexible and designed to meet women on their own terms

The PACE program content can be adapted to meet the learning needs of participants.

PACE recognises many forms of leadership

This program acknowledges that leadership can take many different forms. It supports women to recognise and embrace leadership in ways that build on their existing strengths.