GirlBoss New Zealand was founded with a single mission:
to close the gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths,
Entrepreneurship and Leadership.
We empower confident, resilient, future-ready,
young women to lead and change the world.
Only 2% of NZX CEOs are women - we're changing that!
A LETTER FROM ALEXIA
What started as a place of isolation has grown into a national movement.
GirlBoss New Zealand was founded in late 2015 as a result of my own experiences as a teenager growing up in Auckland, New Zealand. I was 15 before I meet a female software engineer. At 16, I was the only girl in my digital technology class and at 17 I was the only girl studying Advanced Physics. I started GirlBoss because I knew that something had to change.
From that initial point of isolation, GirlBoss is now a network of 10,500 high school aged members nationwide and our programmes have been implemented in 55 schools across New Zealand, Australia, and The Cook Islands.
The demographic of GirlBoss members is the demographic of our nation. Our members, who are spread across New Zealand, from Northland to Invercargill, are united by their passion to use 21st century skills to solve problems in their day-to-day lives and make a positive impact on the world.
At GirlBoss, we believe the gender gap is an issue we must all come together to solve. With your support, we will continue to build a future where our next generation of girls and boys will have choices, purpose and power.
Thank you for your continued belief in our mission.
- Alexia Hilbertidou
Founder, GirlBoss New Zealand
What we do
WORKSHOPS
GirlBoss runs a range of workshops
to equip and inspire young women.
From full-day leadership workshops
to 1 hour inspiration-packed sessions.
Tech jobs are among
the fastest growing in the country,
yet girls are being left behind.
While interest in computer science ebbs over time, the biggest drop off happens between the
ages of 13-17.
FIRST YEAR
UNIVERSITY
NETWORK
Behind every successful woman, is a tribe of other successful women who have her back. GirlBoss NZ is a community of 8000 young women. Join today - It’s free to become a GirlBoss member or Ambassador.
GIRLBOSS AWARDS
“Young women can’t be what they can’t see.” Through an online campaign, we highlight young women defying stereotypes and creating change.
Why we do it
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In the NZX 50, there are more CEOs named John than CEOS who are women.
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In 2017, women got just 2.19% of global venture capital funding.
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Women make up only 13 percent of New Zealand’s Engineers.
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In 2015, women's participation on New Zealand’s private sector boards was 17 percent.
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On average, women retire with nearly $80,000 less in their KiwiSaver than men.
OUR STORIES
"I am sincerely grateful to GirlBoss for being a big part of my amazing high school journey.
I was the only girl who took Multi-Materials (technology) as a subject in Year 13, and 1 of 3 females who took Programming throughout our senior years of high school. Without the presence of the GirlBoss community and their encouraging spirit, both my female friends and I would have dropped the subject because Programming was such a male dominated subject. Being the minority in the class is often times a struggle.
Now, I am very fortunate to be a recipient of the Vice Chancellors Significant Student Scholarship, an NZQA Technology Scholarship recipient, and a Microsoft Student Partner. During high school, I was also fortunate enough to have been the Head Girl during my final year. All this would not have been possible without the motivation and determination that the GirlBoss community has given me.
GirlBoss has made me who I am today."
- Jackie Chan, Botany Downs Secondary College