UK initiates a contest titled "High Commissioner for a Day" in Australia, offering participants a brief opportunity to experience the duties and responsibilities of a British High Commissioner.
The British High Commissioner to Australia, Vicki Treadell, has announced an exciting new initiative aimed at empowering young women to take a leading role in advancing gender equality. The competition, named "#ChooseToChallenge", invites young women aged 16 to 22 to submit a short video outlining their ideas for improving gender equality if they were High Commissioner for a day.
Deputy Consul-General Melbourne, Catriona Boyd, expressed her excitement about launching the competition and welcomed the opportunity to welcome a new generation of young women to the team for a day. Catriona Boyd emphasized the importance of providing a platform for young women to outline what changes they would make to improve gender equality, stating that it was not until a move to London in her early-20s that she discovered roles like hers were available and accessible.
The competition aims to encourage young women to think creatively about how they can contribute to gender equality in diplomatic and community contexts. A panel from the UKinAustralia team will select two winners per location (Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Sydney) from all entries. Winners will be announced on UKinAustralia social media channels on Monday 1 March 2021.
The competition is part of the UK Government's efforts to increase its engagement with future leaders and to mark International Women's Day 2021, supporting the #ChooseToChallenge theme. Vicki Treadell encourages all young women, including trans+, to enter the competition and start a conversation with her UK in Australia team.
To enter, applicants must upload their videos to Vimeo at
The competition builds on the Young Leader's Network which The High Commissioner launched in November 2020. For exact details, requirements, deadlines, and how to enter, it is best to check official announcements from the British High Commission in Australia or their official website and social media.
- Catriona Boyd, the Deputy Consul-General Melbourne, underlined the significance of the "#ChooseToChallenge" competition, stating that it aligns with her personal growth and career development, as it was not until she moved to London in her early-20s that she discovered similar roles were available and accessible in the fashion-and-beauty, education-and-self-development, and lifestyle realms.
- The winners of the "#ChooseToChallenge" competition, once announced on UKinAustralia social media channels on Monday 1 March 2021, will embark on a journey of personal growth and career development, gaining insights into diplomacy, politics, trade, and cultural exchange by working alongside heads of office at the UK missions in Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, or Sydney, thereby promoting the lifestyle, education-and-self-development, and career-development of young women.
