10 inspiring online communities for women
It’s always a good time to celebrate achievements and highlight positive spaces for women. Here are ten inspirational Australian online communities for women.
The whole world is a playground to the passionate members of Adventurous Women. Together they lay plans to trek the Kokoda Track, discuss female-friendly accommodations and share the best way to pack a rucksack. Upon joining, travellers receive a personalised email from the founding members with a warm welcome and links to threads of interest. Communities looking to convert visitors into the membership funnel, take note!
Inspired by the rather uninspiring gender bias in literary reviews, Elizabeth Lhuede set a challenge for her peers: to read and critique more books by Australian women. The Australian Women Writers Challenge now boasts over 1500 volunteer reviews submitted each year, raising the profiles of local authors, and sparking a healthy amount of discussion in the process.
You’ve started a blog, but you want to take it to the next level. How do you do that? Join Blog Chicks! Now entering its eighth year, Blog Chicks offers a closed forum for over 3,800 Australian bloggers to connect, lend advice, and promote their wares, all with a strict “no bullshit” policy towards negativity and gossip. Take advantage of their free webinars, meet-ups and tech resources and you could find yourself on the homepage as a featured blogger.
Business Chicks are a self-proclaimed tribe of explorers and band of big-thinkers. Over 35,000 Aussie women connect online to collaborate and pick each other’s brains whilst rubbing shoulders at offline events with high profile entrepreneurs like Ita Buttrose and Arianna Huffington. Although they offer fantastic competitions, Business Chicks know the real prize comes when we stop competing and start lending a hand.
The Fabulous Ladies Wine Society
When your book club is more like a wine club, ditch the pretence and make it official! Launched in 2012, The Fabulous Ladies Wine Society provides a fun space for women in what is traditionally a male-dominated social sphere.
“We’re sick of the testosterone fuelled, high falutin’ and (let’s face it) downright yawn-inducing way in which this most deliciously wonderful bevergage is communicated – especially to women.”
Aficionados and novices alike mingle to review the tipple of the month, recommend wineries, and deliberate over pairings. If exclusive discounts aren’t enough to entice you to join, the sleek and user-friendly website will get you over the line.
Inspired to take your community to the next level? Why not follow our 5 Days to Community Greatness course.
What began as a series of offline networking events for Australian entrepreneurs is now a dynamic online community expanding across the world. Established for the exclusive use of female entrepreneurs, The League offers members the opportunity to access webinars, download podcasts, browse all-female business directories, and share resources via the business forums. Their website might be heavy on the pink, but it’s also heavy on the inspiration. The name alone makes me want to join this one. I’m certain that a network of superheroes lays beneath the veneer of business.
Women, equity, and architecture is the tagline for Parlour: a space for active exchange and discussion amongst female architects. Browse the impressive collections of essay submissions and you’ll find reflections on everything from maintaining a work/life balance to unconscious bias. It’s a smart, slick community for anyone with an interest in structural design.
13 years ago, Liz James started a dating website with a purpose to improve the lives of women who are into women by helping them to connect with each other for love, friendship and community. Pink Sofa places a high value on maintaining safe, friendly and authentic forums where women can chat about a variety of topics without the predatory meat-market vibe. It’s little wonder it’s one of the longest-running lesbian communities in Australia today.
The brainchild of Corporal Elena Rowland, Women of the ADF provides a supportive online space for the 10,000+ women serving in the Australian Defence Force. With an emphasis on strength and compassion, members motivate each other with poetry, sports results, and profiles of remarkable women from across the three services. It’s a shining example of how a community can thrive without an expensive platform.
Did you know that there are now more 33-45-year-old women running businesses than men? Women’s Network Australia does, and for over 25 years, they’ve been one of the country’s leading networking organisations for women in small business. Members are encouraged to share information and referrals, and have access to valuable online resources and events.
What are your favourite communities for women?