Developing Women Leaders in Northern Communities: A Key Resource for Northern Economic Development

In partnership with women in the northern communities of La Loche (SK), Thompson (MB), Norway House (MB), Happy Valley-Goose Bay (NL), and Labrador West (NL), the women of the FemNorthNet project developed and implemented various models for women’s leadership development. These models were adapted to the communities, evolved over time, and were able to bring diverse women together to form bonds, engage in discussion about community issues, develop leadership skills, and to begin to understand the many forms leadership can take. We learned that developing northern women leaders takes time but can be supported through networking, building partnerships with other organizations, reviving tradition, providing mentorship, and tailoring models for northern women. Based on our experiences, we were able to develop a list of recommendations for others interested in engaging women and developing women leaders in northern contexts.