Girls Who Lead

Girls Who Lead Navigating leadership skills in a rapidly evolving Europe

🌍 The traditional career path is changing.For previous generations, success often meant:One company.One position.One pro...
20/09/2026

🌍 The traditional career path is changing.

For previous generations, success often meant:

One company.
One position.
One professional identity.

But younger generations are increasingly building what experts call portfolio careers:

A combination of different professional activities:

💼 employment
🚀 entrepreneurship
🎓 learning
🌍 international projects
🤝 social impact work

For young women, this shift creates opportunities.

It allows people to combine different interests:

Technology + creativity.
Business + social impact.
Research + entrepreneurship.

But it also requires new skills:

Adaptability.
Self-management.
Communication.
Learning continuously.

At Girls Who Lead, we believe future leaders will not necessarily follow one predefined path.

They will design their own.

✨ The question is no longer only:

“What career do I want?”

It is:

“What kind of impact do I want to create?”






Girls Who Lead: Navigating Leadership Skills in a Rapid Evolving Europe is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, European
Commission or Agency for International Programs for Youth. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Project number: 2025-1-LV02-KA220-YOU-000361417

Published in 2013, Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg became one of the most influential books on women, ambition and leadership...
17/09/2026

Published in 2013, Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg became one of the most influential books on women, ambition and leadership.

Its central idea:

Women should not underestimate themselves or step away from opportunities before they even arrive.

But more than ten years later, the conversation has evolved.

Today, many researchers and leaders highlight that personal ambition is only one part of the equation.

Women also need:

⚖️ fair systems
🤝 supportive environments
💼 access to opportunities
🌱 inclusive cultures

The lesson?
Leadership is both personal and structural.

Girls should learn to believe in themselves.
But society must also create spaces where that belief can become reality.

At Girls Who Lead, we believe empowerment means both:
Helping girls develop their voice.
And making sure someone listens when they use it.

💬 What book has changed the way you see leadership?






Girls Who Lead: Navigating Leadership Skills in a Rapid Evolving Europe is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, European
Commission or Agency for International Programs for Youth. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Project number: 2025-1-LV02-KA220-YOU-000361417

Where are women more likely to become entrepreneurs in Europe?(And why the answer is more complicated than you think.)Wo...
10/09/2026

Where are women more likely to become entrepreneurs in Europe?
(And why the answer is more complicated than you think.)

Women’s entrepreneurship looks different across Europe. 🌍
Some countries have higher rates of women working as self-employed.
But higher numbers do not always mean better opportunities.

Countries with traditionally higher levels of self-employment include:

🇬🇷 Greece
🇮🇹 Italy
🇵🇱 Poland

But this raises an important question:

Are women choosing entrepreneurship because they see an opportunity…
or because other employment options are limited?

Not all entrepreneurship starts from the same place.
There is:

🚀 Opportunity entrepreneurship
→ creating a business because you identify a possibility.

⚠️ Necessity entrepreneurship
→ creating a business because alternatives are limited.

A high number of women entrepreneurs is not the final goal.
A strong ecosystem means women can:

💶 access finance
📈 scale their businesses
🤝 find support networks
🌱 create sustainable companies

Europe shows very different realities.
Some countries perform better in:

⚖️ gender equality
💡 innovation ecosystems
🚀 startup support
👩‍💻 digital opportunities

Countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands often rank among Europe’s strongest environments for gender equality and innovation.

The goal is not only more women entrepreneurs.
The goal is:
✨ More women entrepreneurs with the opportunity to grow.

💬 What European country do you think offers the best environment for female founders?

Source
European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) — Gender Equality Index
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) – Women’s Entrepreneurship Report
Atomico - State of European Tech






Girls Who Lead: Navigating Leadership Skills in a Rapid Evolving Europe is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, European
Commission or Agency for International Programs for Youth. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Project number: 2025-1-LV02-KA220-YOU-000361417

What does working abroad actually change?Research from Erasmus+ has shown that international experiences can strengthen ...
02/09/2026

What does working abroad actually change?

Research from Erasmus+ has shown that international experiences can strengthen skills that employers increasingly value:

🌍 Adaptability
🗣️ Communication across cultures
🤝 Collaboration
🧠 Problem-solving
💪 Independence

Working or studying in another European country means learning how to:

Navigate unfamiliar environments.
Build relationships with people from different backgrounds.
Communicate beyond your comfort zone.
Make decisions without having all the answers.

These are not just “soft skills”.

They are leadership skills.

For young women, international mobility can be especially transformative because it creates spaces where they can challenge their own assumptions:

“Maybe I can do this.”
“Maybe I belong here.”
“Maybe I can lead.”

At Girls Who Lead, we believe leadership is developed through experience.

Sometimes the most important step is not climbing higher.

It is stepping somewhere new.

🌍 Because every new environment teaches you something about yourself.





Girls Who Lead: Navigating Leadership Skills in a Rapid Evolving Europe is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, European Commission or Agency for International Programs for Youth. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Project number: 2025-1-LV02-KA220-YOU-000361417

🤝 Many young people think entrepreneurship starts with an idea.But successful entrepreneurs know something else:Ideas gr...
28/08/2026

🤝 Many young people think entrepreneurship starts with an idea.

But successful entrepreneurs know something else:
Ideas grow through relationships.

Networks provide:

✨ knowledge
✨ opportunities
✨ feedback
✨ partnerships
✨ confidence

And yet, networking is often described as something you either “have” or “don’t have”.

That is a myth.

Networking is a skill. It can be learned.

It starts with:

- asking questions
- sharing ideas
- building genuine relationships
- learning from others
- offering value before expecting something in return

For young women, networks are especially important.
Because leadership opportunities are often connected to who knows you, who supports you and who opens the next door.

At Girls Who Lead, we believe mentoring and peer communities are not extras.
They are part of the infrastructure that helps girls lead.

💜 Sometimes the first opportunity comes from a conversation.






Girls Who Lead: Navigating Leadership Skills in a Rapid Evolving Europe is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, European
Commission or Agency for International Programs for Youth. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Project number: 2025-1-LV02-KA220-YOU-000361417

Did you know that Europe is actively investing millions into the next generation of women innovators? 🚀The ecosystem is ...
26/08/2026

Did you know that Europe is actively investing millions into the next generation of women innovators? 🚀

The ecosystem is expanding rapidly, but many young women and institutions are not fully aware of the pathways waiting to be unlocked.

🇪🇺 Right now, the EU is heavily investing in female talent.
Swipe through to discover the concrete European pathways!

From deep-tech grants to circular economy programs, designed to fund and support young women in business.

The opportunities are out there, but seizing them requires a specific set of skills: digital literacy, green competencies, and strategic leadership.

That is the mission behind Girls Who Lead. We aren't just talking about leadership, we are building the hands-on tools needed to train girls to become tomorrow's social entrepreneurs and leaders.

The ecosystem is ready. We are making sure the next generation is ready, too.

📌 Save this post to keep these EU entrepreneurial resources on your radar!





Girls Who Lead: Navigating Leadership Skills in a Rapid Evolving Europe is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, European Commission or Agency for International Programs for Youth. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Project number: 2025-1-LV02-KA220-YOU-000361417

🧠 We talk a lot about teaching girls to succeed. Maybe we should also teach them that they are allowed to fail.Research ...
21/08/2026

🧠 We talk a lot about teaching girls to succeed. Maybe we should also teach them that they are allowed to fail.

Research across OECD countries has consistently found that adolescent girls report a greater fear of failure than boys, including among high-performing students. And that matters because fear of failure can influence whether young people take risks, pursue difficult opportunities, or step into unfamiliar spaces.

Leadership requires exactly those things.

Trying before knowing.
Speaking before being completely sure.
Making decisions without having every answer.
Getting something wrong and trying again.

So perhaps the question is not simply whether girls are capable of leading.

🧩 Perhaps we should ask whether we are creating environments where girls feel they can be imperfect and still belong in leadership spaces.

At Girls Who Lead, leadership is not about producing fearless girls.

It is about helping girls understand that fear does not have to make the decision for them.

💜 Confidence does not always come before action. Sometimes, confidence is what action leaves behind.





Girls Who Lead: Navigating Leadership Skills in a Rapid Evolving Europe is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, European Commission or Agency for International Programs for Youth. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Project number: 2025-1-LV02-KA220-YOU-000361417

🎬 One of the biggest mistakes we make is assuming people are only what we first see.Hedy Lamarr was internationally know...
17/08/2026

🎬 One of the biggest mistakes we make is assuming people are only what we first see.

Hedy Lamarr was internationally known as a Hollywood actress. But she was also an inventor.🔬

Together with composer George Antheil, she co-invented a frequency-hopping communication system, later recognised as an important development in wireless communications. She was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014.

Her story is a reminder that talent is often hidden behind stereotypes!

Girls are still too often placed into narrow categories: creative or technical, emotional or rational, caring or ambitious, visible or intelligent...

But leadership does not grow inside boxes.⛓️‍💥

A girl can be artistic and technical.
Sensitive and strategic.
Quiet and powerful.
Curious and determined.
A learner and a leader.

At Girls Who Lead, we believe girls need opportunities to explore the full range of who they are, not only the parts society expects from them.

Because when we stop reducing girls to one label, we start seeing everything they can build.⚒️

🗯️ What label should girls never be limited by?





Girls Who Lead: Navigating Leadership Skills in a Rapid Evolving Europe is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, European
Commission or Agency for International Programs for Youth. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Project number: 2025-1-LV02-KA220-YOU-000361417

💜 Some of the strongest leadership lessons do not happen in boardrooms.They happen at home.In the way a mother organises...
16/08/2026

💜 Some of the strongest leadership lessons do not happen in boardrooms.

They happen at home.

In the way a mother organises, listens, negotiates, protects, decides, adapts, encourages, and keeps going - often without recognition, visibility, or rest.

But let’s be honest, recognising mothers as leaders should not mean romanticising the unequal burden of care. Around the world, women and girls still spend more than 2.5 times as many hours a day on unpaid care work as men. That reality is not only personal. It is structural. 🏛️

🔎 And yet, within that reality, many girls see leadership for the first time: not as a position, but as responsibility, emotional intelligence, resilience, and commitment.

At Girls Who Lead, we believe girls need visible role models in many spaces: schools, communities, technology, entrepreneurship, politics and also in everyday life.

📢 Because leadership is not only about being seen on a stage.

Sometimes, it starts with watching someone lead quietly, every day.

👇Who was the first woman who taught you what leadership looks like?


Girls Who Lead: Navigating Leadership Skills in a Rapid Evolving Europe is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, European Commission or Agency for International Programs for Youth. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Project number: 2025-1-LV02-KA220-YOU-000361417

🧬 Leadership is not always loud. Sometimes, it looks like persistence.Katalin Karikó spent years working on mRNA researc...
10/08/2026

🧬 Leadership is not always loud. Sometimes, it looks like persistence.

Katalin Karikó spent years working on mRNA research at a time when many people did not yet see its potential. Her scientific journey was not built on instant recognition, but on patience, focus, and the courage to keep asking difficult questions.

📍 In 2023, she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, together with Drew Weissman, for discoveries that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.

Her story matters for girls because it challenges a very common idea: that leadership is only about being naturally confident, visible, or successful from the beginning.

It is not.🙅‍♀️

Leadership can also be the ability to continue learning when your work is not understood yet.
To stay curious when the answer is not immediate.
To believe that a difficult idea may still be worth exploring.

🌟At Girls Who Lead, we want girls to know that leadership is not perfection.

It is courage, patience, resilience, and purpose.

✨ Sometimes, the world changes because someone refused to give up on a question.✨


Girls Who Lead: Navigating Leadership Skills in a Rapid Evolving Europe is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, European Commission or Agency for International Programs for Youth. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Project number: 2025-1-LV02-KA220-YOU-000361417

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