The Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI) has commenced the application process for its 2024 ReCALIbrate program, designed to aid women employed as risk advisers within the financial sector.
This year, CALI will award $2,000 grants to five mid-career financial risk advisers, allowing them to attend the Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) Congress, which will be held Nov. 27-29 in Brisbane.
Christine Cupitt, CEO of CALI, said that women in the industry frequently face obstacles when it comes to investing in their professional development, particularly due to time and financial constraints.
“Women in the industry have told me they often don’t have the time or money to invest in themselves,” she said.
Following a successful launch in 2023, the ReCALIbrate program will continue as part of the life insurance sector’s broader initiative to promote the careers of women in financial advice.
Cupitt said that the grants provide women with the flexibility to cover expenses like childcare and other costs related to attending industry events.
“These are the things that can hold women back from participating in important industry discussions and education opportunities,” she said. “Our hope at CALI is that we can play our part to support more women in giving people peace of mind when making important decisions about their life insurance needs.”
Last year, Trish Gregory, a financial adviser with Fox and Hare, was among the grant recipients who attended the FAAA Congress in Adelaide.
Gregory highlighted the significant impact of the program, particularly in addressing financial disparities faced by women.
“The ReCALIbrate program makes a huge impact because women have less money available to them than men, due to the gender pay gap. So, this grant can go a lot further to really help women access opportunities to learn and connect and further their career,” she said.
The theme for this year’s FAAA Congress is “Power Up.”
FAAA CEO Sarah Abood described the event as an invaluable opportunity for networking and professional development.
“I encourage women in the risk advice profession to apply for a ReCALIbrate grant. Congress is an incredible opportunity for networking and personal development,” she said.
She added that this year’s event features speakers, technical workshops, and specialist lessons.
Along with the financial grant, recipients of the ReCALIbrate program will be matched with a mentor from the life insurance sector to provide ongoing guidance and support.
Gregory emphasised the importance of these mentoring relationships.
“Having the opportunity to have time with an industry leader is not something that I would just stumble across,” she said. “The conversations that I’ve had through the program have been invaluable. They’ve really helped to frame up some of the thoughts I’ve had around the way I work and my practice.”
Applications for the 2024 ReCALIbrate grants are open until Sept. 8. Eligible applicants can submit their applications via CALI’s website.
