Gina Chick brings resilience, honesty and wild wisdom to Canberra this IWD

Posted on 16 February, 2026

Author, survivalist, and advocate for feminine resilience, Gina Chick is coming to Canberra for an unforgettable evening this International Women’s Day.

When choosing someone to speak at Fearless Women’s very first International Women’s Day event, Chief Executive Officer Glenda Stevens says that Gina was the perfect pick. For her, Gina embodies the same fearless, non-traditional strength that the organisation works to nurture in girls and young women across the ACT.

“What an amazing woman to listen to and hear tell her story – the challenges she’s faced, the resilience she’s built and the way she continues to grow,” Glenda gushes.

“She wasn’t always this amazing woman. She’s grown through her life experiences and her connections with others and learning from her challenges… She shows what’s possible. She shows her resilience. She shows her growth. And she’s very, very honest.”

The collaboration with the “rewilding” facilitator, writer and Alone Australia winner is a milestone moment for Fearless Women.

 

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Fearless Women was established in 2019 to meet the ever-increasing needs of girls, young women, and their families within the community. It was inspired by the release of ANU research, which revealed that teenage girls in Canberra were experiencing the poorest mental health of any group in the country.

The organisation provides education, mentoring, and counselling to young women in the ACT. Perhaps best known for its mentoring program – which pairs girls and young women with mentors who share similar lived experiences – Glenda says that the organisation has grown rapidly.

What began with just 12 girls has now expanded to support 93.

“There’s so much happening in their world, and so many conflicting pieces of information…it’s very hard. It’s hard as an adult to do it, let alone when you’re a teenager with all the other pressures of school and friends,” she says.

“Life is confusing and challenging. We’re there to help our girls grow and thrive, to understand who they are, who they want to be, so they can fiercely face the challenges.”

For mentor Charvi Handa, the draw of the program is that she can directly support young people in her own community without having to “go far” to make an impact.

“There’s so much you can do just with the people around you,” she says.

“It’s incredibly rewarding…you are making a commitment to be there and to have regular catch-ups with this person over the next two years. It gives you that amount of time that young people usually need to open up, feel comfortable, and for you to feel like you are making a difference in someone’s life.”

Open for ages 10 to 25, Fearless Women is designed for girls from any background who are seeking support to thrive, not survive.

As she approaches the two-year mark of mentoring, Charvi says that free initiatives like Fearless Women are important because they boost confidence and help young women build a resilient community – particularly in a city known for its transient population.

“You need a village to raise a child,” she explains.

“If we put more money towards preventative mental health programs, the benefits outweigh the cost, but it’s just not something that’s prioritised enough…that’s why these not-for-profit initiatives are really important; to fill the gap and to support young women who could be feeling isolated within their schools and families.”

Charvi boxing with her mentee

That shared philosophy is another reason Glenda reached out to Gina for the Fearless Women International Women’s Day event.

Believing Gina’s honesty and non-conventional path make her an ideal role model for women, Glenda hopes attendees will leave feeling inspired and empowered.

“If you’re going to start, you must start with the right person and the right messages,” she says.

“She’s very, very honest. Things don’t always go how you want, and you have to figure it out. A lot of the time, she did it without wearing shoes. I love that – the path to success is not always a corporate suit and high heels.”

Taking place from 5 pm at the Rex Hotel on Monday 2 March, Gina will be sharing her extraordinary journey of wildness, healing, and connection.

Taking place just before International Women’s Day, the event will allow plenty of time for reflection and celebration ahead of the day itself.

“It’s an opportunity to pause and think about where we are now as women, and where we want to be – as individuals and as a society,” says Glenda.

“So we can all have the opportunity to be the best version of ourselves.

Images supplied.