Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has accepted a six-week leaders fellowship which will take her to the United States towards the end of the year.The Eisenhower Fellowship for the Women's Leadership Programme 2010 was awarded to 20 women around th
Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has accepted a six-week leaders fellowship which will take her to the United States towards the end of the year.
The Eisenhower Fellowship for the Women's Leadership Programme 2010 was awarded to 20 women around the world identified as outstanding leaders and Ms Bennett has chosen to study successful US examples of the social corporate responsibility model.
An individually tailored programme will grant her access to leading business people, high level politicians and successful community leaders.
Ms Bennett said she believed New Zealand had much to learn from the way the US harnessed the innovations and entrepreneurship of corporate leaders to work with communities and government to create gains for the social sector.
"I want to identify what works and bring those ideas home," she said.
The fellowship nomination was supported by Prime Minister John Key, who was pleased with the placement.
Former Eisenhower fellow and chairwoman of the New Zealand nominating committee, Susan Baragwanath, won a placement in 1994 and said her experience inspired her decision to open a special school, He Huarahi Tamariki, in Wellington on her return.
The programme starts in October and Ms Bennett will be the 17th New Zealander since its inception in 1953 to be a part of it.
