WaiBOP Football

Purpose

WaiBOP Football’s Women’s Leadership programme is aimed for women currently involved, or aspire to be involved, as administrators, volunteers, coaches, referees, team managers, or similar roles in the sport community.
The primary focus of the leadership programme is on personal and professional development. The content covers a range of topics, including understanding yourself and others, wellbeing, values, strengths and passions, communication, and leadership. Integral to the programme is recognising and supporting the mana of the waahine on the course.

The programme uses human-centred leadership frameworks and practices, and focuses on the learning gained through the journey, rather than the outcome. It amplifies the strengths of each individual, offering a safe environment for participants to build their leadership journey while strengthening their confidence, values, and self-belief.

The Programme

WaiBOP Football’s Women’s Leadership Programme is designed to help women beginning their leadership journey to develop a personal understanding of existing experiences, skills, and strengths with the aim of supporting participants personally, as well as benefitting women and girls sport in our clubs and the wider community.
The programme builds towards each participant developing a project focused on women or girls’ sport. The two days focus on personal development, with time set aside to start planning your project.

There is no specific remit for the project, instead participants are encouraged to use human centred design thinking to understand the need of the community. The project is your choice and aimed to be delivered with your community. The project can be ‘on the field’ (e.g. a football festival, coaching workshop, referee workshop) or ‘off the field’ (e.g. developing your club’s women and girls’ strategy or set up a women and girls subcommittee for your club). These are just suggestions, the final decision is yours.

Programme Facilitator

Anna Veale

Anna is a published author and High-Performance Coach (Fresh Coaching) whose career in health spans over two-decades. Anna brings a wealth of experience helping individuals and organisations optimise their physical and mental wellbeing.

After six years in corporate, she founded Fresh Coaching in 2003 and spent over a decade focused on health, before recognising that stress and burnout were the real barriers to performance.

She’s worked with clients from top law firms and tech companies to young athletes, elite athletes, marines, and premiership rugby players, helping them manage pressure and lead with clarity. Anna works at the intersection of mind and body, empowering people to take charge of their health, mindset, and leadership.

Feedback from earlier programmes

The WaiBOP Football Women’s Leadership programme was first run in 2023, where participants gave the programme a satisfaction rating of 92%.

In the feedback survey, 100% of participants felt:

The programme was of value to them.
That it was organised and well prepared.
That the skills covered during the programme will assist participants in being more effective.
Felt confident in applying the skills on the job.
That the programme location, timings etc were clearly communicated.
That the facilitator had a sound knowledge of the subject, clearly communicated ideas and information, and encouraged interaction and conveyed enthusiasm.

Everyone said they would recommend this programme to others!

Programme Facilitator: 2023/2024/2025

Sarah Leberman MNZM

Sarah Leberman delivered our 2023 and 2024 programmes. Sarah is a Professor in Leadership in the School of Management at Massey University and is the co-founder of Women in Sport Aotearoa (WISPA).

She has co-designed and delivered numerous leadership development courses over the past 15 years, including the award-winning Whanake o te Kōpara programme for young women leaders.

Sarah was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to women, sport and the tertiary sector in 2020.

Sarah has been involved in sport all her life, as a participant, coach, administrator, educator, researcher, and board member.