Ten girls from various schools across Northern Ireland are responsible for delivering a large-scale SistersIN celebration event at ICC Belfast on March 24. The SistersIN girls have also secured local Olympian, world finalist and three time European medallist Ciara Mageean as keynote speaker. The event is expected to be attended by 1000 delegates.
The SistersIN Leadership Programme originated in Assumption Grammar School under the leadership of Peter Dobbin, Principal. The initial 2019 programme pilot proved to be so successful that it inspired the foundation of a charity to help broaden the impact and reach of the programme to more schools and pupils.
SistersIn
The SistersIN Charity was established in 2022 and is now currently in the inaugural year of its programme that aims to enable, empower, and develop female pupils in education to become the leaders of tomorrow.
Throughout the past seven months over 180 pupils in sixth form from ten partnering schools across Northern Ireland have been participating in the programme which has given each student the opportunity to gain work experience, explore real life career options and connect with inspiring female leaders within Northern Ireland.
One girl from each school has been assigned the task of organising the SistersIN Celebration event at which over 30 of Northern Ireland’s top companies across the digital, pharmaceutical, and financial service sectors will attend. Danske Bank and EY are among those who have committed to exhibiting at the event.
The ten schoolgirls will get the opportunity to showcase the leadership skills they have learnt throughout the year by taking over ICC Belfast for the day of the event.
Peter Dobbin, Founder of SistersIN said, “The concept of SistersIN is simple but powerful and has the potential to become a positive impact on the lives of so many aspiring female leaders of the future. The support we have received from partners and organisations across Northern Ireland this year has been incredible. It is so inspiring to see the girls step up and take the reins at ICC Belfast and I am so excited to attend the event, network with the businesses involved and work with them to see how far the SistersIN journey can go.”
Ciara Mageean, the County Down middle-distance runner who broke Sonia O’Sullivan’s 27-year-old 1500 meters Irish record at the Diamond League in Brussels last year, has been announced as keynote speaker. Assumption Grammar school pupil and participant of the programme, Farah Oliver-McAuley, will also speak at the event, ahead of her speech at a Women in Business NI event marking the 25th Anniversary of The Good Friday Agreement.
Ciara, originally from Portaferry said, “I was delighted to be asked to make an address at the celebration event. As a past pupil of Assumption Grammar School and as a board member of the SistersIN charity, the programme is very close to my own heart. My inspiration and love for athletics began as a young schoolgirl when I competed in my first cross country race and that is why I love coming back to my roots to reinforce to girls everywhere that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. I want to show that you can be from a small town in Northern Ireland, and you can take on the world. My advice would be to find something that you enjoy doing and use that passion to strive and discover your full potential.”
The ten girls running the event will take to the stage to introduce all 180 pupils taking part in this year’s programme, manage exhibition stands and finish off by hosting panel discussions with a number of female leaders from Northern Ireland including Aisling Press Managing Director of Danske Bank, Julia Corkey Chief Executive of ICC Belfast, and Sara Long Chief Executive of Education Authority Northern Ireland.
