Are you a college student? A young-professional? Or a woman who wants to expand job opportunities joining a non-conventional career networking community? Or maybe you are already part of a sorority and you want to try out some different group formats. Well check out these badass alternative networking groups for getting ladies together:
Ellevate Network (www.ellevatenetwork.com) is a global professional women’s network created for women who create, inspire and lead. Created by the brilliant Sally Krawcheck of Wall Street fame, Ellevate connects you to other professional women from big name companies and varying career stages to help you develop your professional profile and contacts. If everything from start-ups to Fortune 500s light your fire, then these are the ladies to mingle with. Many smashed through the glass ceiling at megalith finance, tech, advertising, legal and medical companies then went on to start their own ventures, often tackling the issues they faced as women in male dominated corporate fields. For example, members Anna Auerbach and Annie Dean recently launched Werk, a platform to help women find work flexibility through PT Senior positions, maternity leave work shares and more. Ellevate makes good on their inspiring mission to “to close the gender achievement gap in business by providing women with a community to lean on and learn” from with their recently attained B-Corp status (awarded to companies who have proven social interest directives) and their sister company Ellevest, which runs a Pax index fund comprised of female lead companies and an investment platform catering to women’s unique goals. Members can stay active through online webinars two times a week, called “Jam Sessions”, by submitting articles to their blog which boasts syndication on top tier publishers like Forbes Women, the Huffington Post and BUST, by listening in to their podcast called “Ellevate Essentials” and in-person meetings.
If you are interested in joining them, Ellevate offers different levels of memberships that vary from basic to partnership with them. With code “investinyourself” women get 20% off the price of membership September 1- 30.
The Lady Project (www.ladyproject.org) has been in our world since 2012 and today they count 1,200 members strong. Founders Sierra Barter and Julie Sygiel describe The Lady Project as “an economic development non profit and membership organization that connects, inspires and showcases awesome women doing amazing things though membership, events and community engagement”
Everything that you can find on their websites is truly inspiring and if you watch the video “My Lady Project Story” you will immediately notice that all of these girls speak from the bottom of their hearts.
The Lady project has chapters all over the U.S where their team members are really committed to their local community. They have partnership with other organizations like Girl Scouts, The United Ways, Girls on the Run and more.
As Ellevate, they also have in person meetings and events.
The Alliance for Women in Media (www.allwomeninmedia.org) was formed in 1951 under the name of American Women in Radio and Television until the organization renames itself in 2010. They are committed to support women across all media segments, to expand network, educate, celebrate accomplishments.
In 1975, they began an annual award program recognizing people in the media that brought visibility to the changing roles, issues, and concerns of women. Those awards are The Gracies, named in honor to the popular actress and comedian Grace Allen.
They also host several annual events and an awesome Career Center.
Girls Who Code (www.girlswhocode.com) is a non profit organization dedicated to closing the gap gender in technology. They started with 20 girls in New York and now they have grown to 10,000 girls all over the U.S. During the school year they offer free after-school programs for girls between 6th and 12th grade with the mission to teach girls to use computer science in ways that will powerfully impact their communities. For the summer time, they have a super cool free 7-week program for 10th-11th grade girls where they learn how to code and to get exposure to developing technologies. Their program accepts mentors who want to share their smarts with likeminded youth. So if you know your way around at least one programming language, have a few hours a week to spare and shine in a teaching environment, then check out their volunteering program.
Get Bullish (www.getbullish.com) started in 2010, they provide career (and life) advice for people (mostly women) who want to do their own thing. Like their name implies, Get Bullish is a great organization for ladies who live life with attitude. They debuted on The Gloss as a column that promised to “take on issues related to the workplace, money and entrepreneurship” and have grown bigger and better ever since.
AAUW (www.aauw.org) has been empowering women for more than 130 years; they provide different networking programs for varying interests in Research, Campus Leadership, STEM Education, Public Policy and more. The AAUW is definitely one of the oldest and most respected groups on this list, often being tapped by government organizations to conduct research and advise on national policy change.
You can get involved with AAUW through membership or join them as a volunteer.
Wheels Collective (www.wheelscollective) is the short word for Women’s Hands Establishing Entrepreneurial Leadership Skills. Is a Brooklyn based solidarity economy organization that develops women-owned and operated cooperatives of automotive repair shops. WHEELS doesn’t just have an entrepreneurial spirit, it’s a social movement and they can prove it to you. They offer an alternative development framework that is directly connected to the way they work and to their very strong principles.
On their website you can apply to the bi-monthly two-hour training “Women & Girls Auto Basis” or to a free 8-session job-skills training program “Works for Women”.
Did we miss any? What other rad lady orgs have you been involved with?
