Warrior Woman Foundation

Menu
Menu

Conversations with our very own Wise Warrior Mentor Sam Leith

It’s Warrior Woman Wednesday and today we have the awesome job of highlighting the incredible work that our Wise Warriors are doing in the background to support the Young Warriors. Meet Sam, who is a warrior of many talents, a trailblazer in her field and an inspirational role model. Read on about Sams journey as a mentor so far.

Why did you apply to be a mentor for the Warrior Woman Foundation?

I wanted to give back in a formal, structured way to a group of people that really need support and are unable to access enough of it. To be able to help instigate change from an earlier age, then when I normally work with clients.

What was it like to meet your mentee for the first time?

It was like Perfect Match! Great rapport and I could tell she was a go getter from the minute we spoke. Amazing energy and to hear how she impacts those around her was brilliant.

What goals are you working on with your mentor?

General goals and habit changes like exercise, meditation & journaling – all of which she is doing, and has even had her friends & relatives join her in some things and using a Habit Tracker! Confidence, boundaries, dealing with feelings, and navigating the changes that have happened for her during lockdown. Working on the big goal of her buying property which is so exciting.

Is there anything you have personally gained from the program so far?

So much and we are only a few weeks in. I get such a buzz from hearing about how my mentee impacts those around her. It’s been amazing to connect with the other mentors and to see the range of mentees blows my mind. For such a brief amount of time, we get to take the skills we have developed and our knowledge and help people that would otherwise probably not get it. That breaks my heart. We’ve had an amazing selection of guest speakers, and as a person who devotes much of her life to continual growth & education, this has been fab.

Why do you think supporting young women is so important?

Women can change the world. From starting with themselves to their inner circle and beyond, anything is possible. They should all have the opportunity to see this. To believe in themselves. No trauma, financial limitation or postcode should limit them. Regardless of if you want to discuss the gender code, patriarchy, glass ceiling etc – the world for women is changing and I believe supporting this younger generation in this change is not only a duty, it’s an honour.

Anything else you would like to share?

One of the most inspiring things about this program is the change. Watching women take the limitations of lockdown etc that impacted everything that was so well planned and simply pirouette (I’m over saying pivot) has been incredible. The mentors, mentees and organisers really are Warrior Women. There has been no impact to the depth and connection by having to go online, although I can’t wait till we do get to catch up in person.

We provide a safe and welcoming space for young women to share, learn, heal and grow. Each young woman is connected with a mentor as well as a network of diverse community-minded women who provide ongoing support and share their life experiences, resources and opportunities:

  • Connection to a safe, stable, and socially inclusive network of female role models to turn to for advice and ongoing support for the duration of the six-month program.
  • Connection to a non-judgmental group of young women who are facing similar challenges.
  • Connection to Kindred Warrior Peers, young women who have experienced challenges in life and have gone on to achieve life success.
  • Weekly one-to-one mentoring sessions with a safe mentor.

We teach young women the life skills they need to succeed in everyday life. Our “teach a young woman to fish” approach gives them support and guidance at every step, knowing that true empowerment comes from them learning to do things for themselves. In particular, we focus on financial literacy and job readiness:

  • Life-skills workshops to build self-reliance.
  • A six-week Financial Literacy program (in partnership with MoneyGirl).
  • A four-week Job Readiness program.
  • Assistance in gaining and retaining meaningful employment.
  • Access to a range of vocational skills scholarships (e.g., Code Like a Girl) and internships.

Many young women experience trauma which negatively impacts their confidence, self-esteem and self-worth. We support and nurture the trauma healing process in safe psycho-educational workshops facilitated by experts. In these sessions, young women learn to engage with self-compassion, and to soften and contain threat-based emotions, such as fear and anxiety, anger, shame and self-criticism.