YWCA’s Y Connect Program works alongside women and gender diverse people living with disability to grow their skills and connections that support career and professional development goals in Toowoomba.
Career planning, networking and skill-building often comes with extra barriers for women and gender diverse people living with disability. The Y Connect program aims to create a community; offering workshops, events, social and mentoring opportunities for women and gender diverse people, regardless of their professional experience.
You are able to tailor your involvement as it suits you, by opting into our FREE events and opportunities that you are interested in and support your goals. All Y Connect events create a friendly, safe and empowering environment.
For more information about the Y Connect program, please contact Program Coordinator Francene on 0482 166 154 (call or text) or email at Francene.Bain@ywca.org.au.
The calendar of Y Connect opportunities and events changes frequently! Scroll down to view our current opportunities and events, or sign up to our newsletter at the bottom of the page to receive email updates.
Our events and opportunities are for women and gender diverse people living with disability in the Toowoomba region. You do not have to be a NDIS participant to attend Y Connect opportunities.
Kristy Hornby from the Grosvenor Performance Group will deliver a presentation titled AI 101. This session will provide a snapshot of the current state of play – what is AI, what do you need to know, and how do you manage it effectively within your workplace so that its benefits are realised while its risks are mitigated. This session has a focus on empowering attendees to feel comfortable and capable navigating and using AI-enabled technology in their roles and as food for thought in their careers. The session will provide a 45-minute overview of key concepts followed by audience Q&A time to ensure attendees walk away with information that is useful and relevant to them.
If you have any specific needs or require accommodations to fully participate, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We want to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and supported. Please contact the Y Connect Program Coordinator, Francene Bain on 0482 166 154 or email francene.bain@ywca.org.au
Details: Cost: Free Where: Zoom. The Zoom link will be sent to you after you register via the link below. When: Tuesday 14 October 2025, 11:30am to 1pm
Y Connect events are only for women and gender diverse people living with disability.
Registrations close 5:00pm Monday 13 October 2025.
Are you nervous about doing interviews? Do you want to improve your interview skills?
The Y Connect Program is offering up to 3 free individual appointments per applicant, normally costing $140 per session, with Stacy Nottle at Magnolia House where you can develop and practice your interview skills. Stacy will provide you with an insight into what employers and HR professionals are looking for and tips on how to do well despite your nerves.
Details: When: by appointment. Stacy is available Tuesdays, and every second Saturday. If these times are not suitable, alternative times may be available Where: In-person at Magnolia House, 66 Lindsay Street, East Toowoomba.
Please note, Y Connect activities and events are only for women and gender diverse people living with disability.
Do you need help finding and applying for work or study? Are you facing an important life transition? Do you feel dissatisfied, restless, or bored with your current position? Are you thinking about a change in career? Are you plagued with anxiety and uncertainty in relation to work and study options? Do you simply have no idea what you want to do?
The Y Connect Program is offering applicants up to three free individual career counselling sessions, normally costing $140 per session, with Stacy Nottle at Magnolia House. Stacy will assist you to:
In her practice, for all clients, Stacy will
For more information about Stacy, visit the Magnolia House website.
DETAILS:
When:by appointment with Magnolia House. Stacy is available every second Monday, every Tuesday, and every second Saturday. If these times are not suitable, alternative times may be available Where: In-person at Magnolia House, 66 Lindsay Street, East Toowoomba.
The Y Connect Program is offering a limited number of FREE individual computer skills sessions. You can select topics such as introduction to email, organising your computer and managing files/documents, introduction to Microsoft Word and Excel, or you can let us know what computer topic you would like help with, and we may be able to develop a session for you.
Each topic is an independent 1 or 2 hour session. In your registration form, please select all the topics you would like help with. Spots are limited so be QUICK!
Once you have submitted your registration form, a Y Connect facilitator will contact you to organise a time and location for your session. Sessions can also be held online.
For face-to-face sessions, a computer is supplied however you’re more than welcome to bring your own laptop.
To attend these workshops, you must identify as a woman or gender diverse person living with a disability.
If you have any further questions, please contact the Y Connect Program Coordinator, Francene Bain, on 0482 166 154 or email francene.bain@ywca.org.au
DETAILS: Cost: FREE When: by appointment Where: online or in-person. Location to be determined by you and the facilitator.
The Y Connect Program is offering individual Money wYse sessions designed to help participants build skills, knowledge and confidence in money management. Each session utilises the MoneyMinded resources which were developed in 2002 by ANZ in collaboration with the NSW Department of Education and Training, Financial Counselling Australia, the Financial Counsellors Association of NSW, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and community sector representatives. There are a wide variety of topics available and sessions can be tailored to meet the needs of participants. Some examples of topics include: Goal Setting; Saving and Spending (budgeting); Everyday Banking; and, Superannuation & Everyday Paperwork.
Please note sessions are held online, they are one to two hours each, and there is a maximum of five sessions per participant. In your registration form, please select the topics you would like help with. Spots are limited so be QUICK!
Money wYse sessions are designed to provide information and ideas. The session facilitator is not a financial counsellor and does not provide financial services or advice.
Once you have submitted your registration form, a Y Connect facilitator will contact you to organise a time and location for your session. Sessions are held online.
DETAILS: Cost: Free When: by appointment Where: online. The time will be determined by you and the facilitator.
Whether you’re just starting your own business or you’ve been running your business for years, having a business plan is essential for your business to succeed.
Y Connect is delivering a free six session program where you will get to create your own business plan. You will have support from two amazing local businesswomen, Laura Scurr and Alyce Nelligan, who will walk you through the key sections of a business plan such as strategy, the market and your customers, risk management, legals and licences, marketing, operations and finances.
DETAILS: Cost: Free Where: KindHer Threads 416 Ruthven Street Toowoomba. This is an accessible venue. When: This is a 6-session program. Sessions will run every second Thursday from 2 October, 4:30pm to 6:30pm. See the following dates:
Parking: street parking is available
Light refreshments will be provided.
This is a free event. Please note, Y Connect events are only for women and gender diverse people living with disability.
Registrations close 5pm Monday 29 September 2025.
YWCA Australia and the Y Connect Program would like to help you build your skills and networks to support you with your employment and career goals. The Y Connect Mentoring Program will support women and gender diverse people living with disability to develop strengths and work towards their employment and/or career aspirations.
The Y Connect Program will match you with a mentor that will help you realise your potential. To ensure that you are matched with someone who will understand you, the Y Connect Program will take into account your abilities, employment goals, skills, previous work experience and your personal attributes and preferences.
There is no cost to participate in this program and all mentors identify as women.
Limited places are available.
All applicants will be contacted for an informal interview to determine suitability for the mentoring program.
If you have any questions or would like assistance completing the application form, please call or email the Y Connect Program Coordinator, Francene Bain, on 0482 166 154 or francene.bain@ywca.org.au.
Are you wanting help to write or update your resume?
The Y Connect Program is offering up to three free individual appointments per applicant, normally costing $140 per session, with Stacy Nottle at Magnolia House where you will be supported to write or update your resume. Stacy will work with you to determine your individual needs, explore your skills and abilities and write a resume that is relevant and targets your intended audience. She will explain resume trends, how to use AI effectively and give you skills to market yourself successfully to potential employers.
The Y Connect Program has created a Facebook group for women and gender diverse people living with disability in the Darling Downs region. The purpose of this group is to create a safe and supportive space to share information and resources that support group members leadership and employment aspirations. It is a closed group so if you would like to become a member, please hit the below button to send a request join.
Please note the Y Connect Facebook group is only for women and gender diverse people living with disability.
Is anxiety and burnout holding you back in the workplace? The Y Connect Program is offering a limited number of free individual one-on-one mental wellness sessions with Inclusive Counselling Collective. These sessions are designed to help you with either your resilience, understanding of anxiety and potential burn out. The three topics in this series are independent sessions that you can book separately. You can book one or multiple sessions however each session will focus on a different topic.
Please click here to see what each session covers.
If you are interested in booking more than one topic/session, please rank your preference from 1 to 3 (1=first preference and so on) and the Y Connect Program Coordinator will contact you to confirm availability and advise you about your session.
DETAILS: Cost: Free When: by appointment Where: online or in-person. Location to be determined by you
The Y Connect Program offers professional development bursaries to support women and gender diverse people living with disability in their chosen field. The bursaries are valued at up to $1000 and will contribute up to 80% towards a professional development opportunity or event, training or education, or required resources to support individual career aspirations. If applicants are experiencing financial hardship, the Y Connect program may waive the 20% applicant contribution, however this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Applications are currently closed – keep an eye out on this website or join our facebook group to find out when applications open.
To stay up to date on the latest news, workshops and bursary application rounds, sign up to our newsletter using the form below.
Accessibility Tools