This guide provides evidence for use in the design and delivery of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Leadership and Coaching Programs (hereafter Women’s Leadership and Coaching Programs).

The purpose of the guide is to develop a comprehensive evidentiary foundation to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s cultural responsibilities, leadership aspirations and links to economic empowerment. It will also assist us in formulating topics and lists of guest speakers for a community of practice in which our women can continue their leadership growth and opportunities.

The guide explores the following key areas and questions:

• Defining Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s leadership: How does Australia define their leadership (in policies, strategies or programs)? How does this compare to other approaches and international literature?
• Accessing quality data: Are there adequate data (in Australia and other contexts) to assess the effectiveness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s leadership programs on gender equality and broader development outcomes? What is the quality of these data?
• Linking leadership with empowerment: is there evidence to link Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s economic empowerment with improved leadership outcomes? What does the evidence say and what is the quality of this evidence?