ASEAN-Australia Young Women Entrepreneurs' Exchange Program

Overview

For this grant opportunity, the ASEAN-Australia Centre welcomes applications to design and deliver a four-year ASEAN-Australia Young Women Entrepreneurs’ Exchange Program (‘the Program’). The Program will be required to support at least one cohort of at least 27 participants (from all ASEAN Member States,Timor-Leste and Australia) per annum for four years (from 2024-25 to 2027-28) to participate in a 12-week mentoring and leadership program. The program will include at least a one week visit to Australia by participants to participate in networking and workshop events. The grant funding will need to cover the travel costs of participants (including flight, accommodation and any per diems). The program will prioritise participants working in sectors of mutual cooperation, agreed between DFAT and the successful applicant, including decarbonisation, green energy transition, the blue economy and other areas identified as priorities under Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040. The focus sector is expected to change for each cohort.  The objectives of the program are to: bring together young (aged between 18 years and less than 40 years) female social entrepreneurs from Australia, all ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste for online and in-person leadership development, business and creative skills building and collaboration, and strengthen connections, deepen learning and provide networking opportunities for young female social entrepreneurs. The intended outcomes of the program are: support women Entrepreneurs to scale-up and expand into international markets increased Women economic participation increased business, trade, tourism and investment between Australia and ASEAN and Timor-Leste increased cross-cultural connections between Australian and Southeast Asian business, and increased, positive, awareness of ASEAN-Australia relations among Australian and Southeast Asian business communities.