Leadership wisdom for women in STEMM
Homeward Bound is a global initiative for women and non-binary people with a STEMM background across all career stages. The online program is the gateway into a global network of leaders who share the same sense of purpose and skills for the kind of leadership our world needs.
Research shows that experiencing awe expands our thinking, resilience, empathy, and creativity. This is why we also offer a once-in-a-lifetime experiential component of the program that will be held in Tanzania with a unique network of global leaders.
Program duration: August/September 2026 – April 2027)
Delivery: online, with global meet-up extension (November/December 2026)
ABOUT THE HOMEWARD BOUND PROGRAM
Many issues concern people about what is happening to our planet. Whether it is climate crisis or poverty, education or gender, biodiversity loss, or the warming of our oceans, at some point, we have to ask: What kind of leadership got us to where we are today? And what kind of leadership will move us into tomorrow?
Mother nature needs her daughters.
Homeward Bound was founded to create a global network of women with a background in STEMM leading and able to solve our world’s greatest challenges. We achieve this through the delivery of a unique leadership development program that seeks to change the current leadership model by equipping global STEMM women with the skills to lead for the greater good, to be inclusive, collaborative, legacy-minded, and trusted with assets.
Each graduating cohort becomes part of a global network of like-minded women and non-binary people committed to demonstrating, as individuals and together, a model of leadership that will influence outcomes for everyone towards a healthier planet, and a sustainable future for us all.
Why leadership?
There is a lack of leadership opportunities for women and non-binary people with a STEMM background
- Science has underpinned much of the progress of living standards in the world and will continue to do so but must also be used to address many of the most challenging consequences of this progress by solving the problems that have arisen.
- We believe women leading in this context are crucial to ensuring the delivery of balanced and equitable long-term decisions.
- Women and non-binary people in all sectors deal with systemic and overt impediments to their leadership, despite repeatedly demonstrating their immense value. Only 29% of senior leaders are women and this varies significantly by region. They are routinely paid significantly less than male counterparts.
There is a lack of visibility for women and non-binary people with a STEMM background
- Women and non-binary people in STEMM experience significant systemic bias to the extent that many women do not stay within the field. i.e. bias in allocation of grants, strategic responsibility, promotion etc.
- Overwhelmingly, research findings demonstrate that women of colour, among other underrepresented groups, do not persist in STEMM at the same rates as their white male counterparts due to social or interpersonal factors.
- Women and non-binary people in STEMM are less visible in science research and in STEMM awards, prizes and grants.
The practice of leadership is in crisis: we need innovative approaches on how to lead for the future of the planet
- The 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals an epidemic of misinformation and widespread mistrust of societal institutions and leaders around the world (Edelman Trust Barometer, 2021).
- Leadership focus has been comparatively short-term, male-dominated, ‘I’ over ‘we’, competitive, acquisitive and aggressive.
- Homeward Bound’s model of leadership is collaborative, inclusive, legacy- minded and trusted with assets.
- By elevating women with a background in STEMM into positions of leadership, we increase opportunities to contribute to global issues such as health crises, plastic pollution, deforestation, loss of biodiversity and the climate crisis.
Homeward Bound is...
A global leadership initiative for women and non-binary people with a STEMM background.
A 12-month online leadership program focusing on self/others/context including visible impact, wellbeing, STEMM, and strategy.
An opportunity for participants to emerge more able to lead, recognising that we are stronger together, and ready to have an impact both individually and collaboratively.
A community. At the end of the 12 month program, participants will have the opportunity to join “The Convergence”, the global network of Homeward Bound women, working on women’s visibility, gender inequality, climate change, and many other global and local collaborations.
Diverse in age and career stages. Participants range in age from 20 to 70, all at varying career stages, and work collaboratively to elevate and enable each other.
We are not...
JUST a leadership program. Our focus goes beyond leadership skills—we empower our participants with strategic thinking, personal goal setting, wellbeing, and collaboration, equipping them to thrive both personally and professionally.
An organisation that manages collaboration. While Homeward Bound supports collaborative initiatives, the direction and actions are led by the alumnae themselves, ensuring that the projects remain deeply rooted in their vision and goals.
A STEMM Program. While we are rooted in STEMM, Homeward Bound is primarily a leadership initiative.
Solely about individual career advancement; the program is purpose-driven to create a globally diverse leadership network where the collective impact is just as important as individual achievements.
A climate advocacy organisation. While climate action is important, Homeward Bound’s core mission is to elevate the leadership skills of women and non-binary individuals, enabling them to drive change through both individual and collective action.
Limited by age or career stage. We engage women and non-binary individuals across all stages of their careers and lives, reflecting the diversity of experience, perspectives, and talents that are essential for addressing the complex challenges of our world.
About the program
Your Homeward Bound experience starts with a 12-month online leadership program. The program is designed to enhance the leadership, strategic understanding, and connections of a unique group of participants.
Every aspect of the program is geared towards ensuring that participants are equipped with the leadership skills to affect positive outcomes in their sphere of influence, as well as in the wider world. Participants emerge with courage to lead, recognising strength in unity, and ready to have an impact both individually and collaboratively.
Program Aims
- To significantly enhance participants’ leadership, strategic, individual and collective capability so that they are better equipped to effect change for positive outcomes in their sphere of influence, as well as in the wider world.
- To deepen participants’ relationship to community and the world as it informs what is happening to our planet.
- To build a global and exponentially expanding network of deeply skilled women and non-binary individuals with a background in STEMM.
Program Phases
The online program comprises five key phases: Connecting, Leading Self, Leading Others, Leading The Collective, Completion and Transition.
Phase 1: CONNECTING
PURPOSE: Prepare for your program, develop the foundations and frameworks and create our learning culture. Includes:
- Welcome, orientation to program and community, getting connected
- Introduction to program framework, leadership and legacy strategy
- Setting norms and expectations
Phase 2: LEADING SELF
PURPOSE: Develop self-awareness of the impact of your narrative, explore your STEMM identity and reflect on your practice. Includes:
- Introduction to the Life Styles Inventory™ (LSI – supplied by Human Synergistics® Australia-New Zealand and your Coaching Community)
- Hands-on, practical application of your personal LSI insights, key leadership frameworks and mindset tools to develop strategic thinking and evolve constructive thinking and behaviour.
- Identifying and articulating priorities for personal self-leadership.
OUTCOME STATEMENT: “I am willing and able to lead.”
CORE VALUE: Trusted with Assets
Phase 3: LEADING OTHERS
PURPOSE: Build your credibility and connectivity to lead and influence effectively, explore adaptive leadership and how to communicate with intention and impact.
- Leading and influencing – the power of developing your personal brand.
- Learning and applying Adaptive leadership, impact mapping and team building practices
- Defining and implementing intentional and influential communication that builds credibility and creates impact
OUTCOME STATEMENT: “We are stronger together.”
CORE VALUES: Inclusive and Collaborative
Phase 4: LEADING THE COLLECTIVE
PURPOSE: Apply your leadership learning to navigate the wider contexts in which we operate for a sustainable future.
- Understanding purpose-led strategy, the link to organisational governance and strategy implementation
- Building communities for social and collective impact.
- Navigating ethics, tensions and power dynamics for sustained leadership.
OUTCOME STATEMENT: “We are visible leaders having an impact.”
CORE VALUE: Legacy-minded
Phase 5: COMPLETION & TRANSITION
PURPOSE: Review and celebrate our journey and consider our collective impact together.
- Developing your strategic choices for impact on your life, leadership and legacy
- Acknowledging program completion as a milestone in your overall journey
- Transitioning curated immersive experience, Homeward Bound alumnae and commitment to amplifying impact.
The thing that I am most impressed by is that commonality we have in that space. You meet people from all over the world who sign up for Homeward Bound, and you realise that those same concerns that I might have about the future of the planet are shared by these women across the globe.
“HB is an amazing program and an amazing opportunity
to connect with other women. I thought Antarctica would
be the major draw card, and while its still important, it is not the main reason I would recommend the
program to others.”
“Homeward Bound’s Online Leadership program is an incredible opportunity to learn more about myself and network with incredible people around the world; learning more about the roles we fill, the roles we want to fill, and the importance of looking after our planet during the process.”
“Homeward Bound has changed my view of leadership and my approach to every aspect of my life, including leadership.”