CALI continues grant program for women risk advisers

The reCALIbrate program run by the Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI) has returned in 2024, with applications now open for eligible women financial risk advisers.

The program aims to support women working in the risk advice space by offering five $2,000 grants to mid-career, financial risk advisers to attend the Financial Advice Association Australia’s (FAAA’s) Congress event in November in Brisbane.

Christine Cupitt, CALI chief executive, confirmed the program would return after a successful run in 2023.

“Women in the industry have told me they often don’t have the time or money to invest in themselves,” she said.

“The ReCALIbrate grants give women the flexibility they need to pay for childcare and other costs associated with leaving their families for a few days. These are the things that can hold
women back from participating in important industry discussions and education opportunities,” said Ms Cupitt.

“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.”

The program aligns with the theme of this year’s FAAA Congress, which is ‘Power Up’. Same as last year, each ReCALIbrate recipient will also have the opportunity to pair with a life insurance industry leader who can provide ongoing mentorship, learning, support and advice.

“There was this memorable moment at the FAAA Congress; I was standing around in a group of about eight women and realised that every single one of us was at the FAAA Congress because of a scholarship and a number of us wouldn’t have come otherwise,” said Financial Adviser at Fox and Hare and Women in Wealth Awards 2024 finalist, Trish Gregory, who was one of five recipients last year.

“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.

“Having the opportunity to have time with an industry leader is not something that I would just stumble across. 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.”

FAAA chief executive, Sarah Abood, encouraged eligible women to apply for the grant, with applications closing on 8 September.

“Congress is an incredible opportunity for networking and personal development. This year’s Congress has something for everyone – inspiring speakers, technical workshops and specialist sessions, all in a beautiful setting where you get face time with your peers,” said FAAA CEO Sarah Abood.