In 2023, the International Women’s Day campaign is titled #EmbraceEquity focussing on the importance of forging harmony amongst diversity and inclusion with equality being the ultimate goal.
A more recent addition to the Melbourne Storm administration staff, but definitely not the Storm family, Nicole Cameron is the People and Culture Coordinator for the Storm Group, looking after both Storm and Sunshine Coast Lightning in all aspects of human resources.
Since joining the Storm Group nine months ago, Nicole has been a part of a handful of impactful projects among staff with her most notable being partnering with Our Watch, providing our managers and staff with essential training on Equality and Respect in Sport.
She shares “as someone who has played sport their whole life and has been able to witness first-hand the inequity women face in sport, as well as understanding the impact and influence sporting clubs have on the wider society, this is something that is something I am passionate and excited about.”
When she’s not in the office, Nicole is not only making a difference in sports off-field but also makes an impression on the court as an explosive women’s basketballer.
Nicole shares her insight on the importance of promoting equality, particularly within sports.
What does International Women's Day mean to you, and can you speak to how important it is for sporting organisations (in particular) to honour these days?
“Although this topic should be a focus all year round, for me International Women’s Day is a day that promotes awareness and educates society on the barriers and issues women face on a day-to-day basis in all areas of life,”
“Sporting organisations have a strong influence on the wider society. Sporting teams can reach millions of people across the globe on any given day.
“Because of this, I think it is so important for sporting organisations to speak up and educate their supporters on many different issues, equality being one of those.
“Being a part of sport, whether that be as an athlete or as a spectator, provides a sense of support and community and it is such a special thing to be a part of.
“We still have a long way to go in terms of equity within sport but we are on the right track.”
Have you faced any barriers in your career due to being a woman? If so, how did you overcome them?
“Thankfully, thus far, I have not experienced many barriers within my professional career but I know that is not the case for most women,”
“In terms of barriers within the sporting world, as a woman, I have experienced a lot of inequity.
“When I was younger, playing basketball professionally was definitely a dream of mine however, as I got older and closer to that level, I came to realise that I would not be able to make enough money just to live by choosing to play basketball professionally.
“Some progress has been made but still to this day, majority of women within the WNBL (and most other industries for women) need to find a second job in order to make a living.
“Aside from money, there is also a lack of support for women’s sport in every aspect including, viewership, sponsorships, airtime and venues to name a few. All of these things influence the salary women are paid for their sporting careers.”
What is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?
“Be confident in your abilities and don't be afraid of a challenge, making a mistake is a learning opportunity!”
“I recently heard someone say that women typically need to feel 100 percent certain they can do something before committing to do it, while men only need to feel about 60 percent certain.
“That uncertainty plays out as women missing more career-building or career-defining opportunities than men, when they're just as, if not more capable. At worst, you miss the mark or totally fail and those experiences are valuable to learn from.”
