Woman Advocate Tanya Rutherford Encourages Women and Learners to Flourish and Succeed
Tanya Rutherford, a prominent educator and founder of Learn Grow Become and Queen Be, is on a mission to empower individuals through education and support. With initiatives encompassing the tailored needs of adult learners and menopausal women, Rutherford tirelessly strives to create opportunities for growth and well-being.
In an exclusive interview, Rutherford discusses her inspiring journey, the challenges faced, and the impact she's made on people's lives.
Addressing the reason behind her focus on adult education, Rutherford shares her enlightening discovery of her life's mission in 2010, while studying and coaching. Subsequently, she delved into the leadership development space and found her way into the University sector, where she developed a world-class Student Leadership program for CQUniversity.
Recounting her interactions with students and student-mentors, Rutherford realized that many struggled with managing studies as part of their busy lives, with families and full-time jobs. Identifying a need for understanding individual learning styles, Rutherford created Learn2Learn as a means to empower students to succeed.
Two main obstacles cited by Rutherford are assumptions within the tertiary sector about the traditional "university student" and the issue of mindset and confidence. The former overlooks the reality that study is not always the top priority for many students, who balance personal and professional responsibilities. The latter concerns students who, after a long break from education, find themselves lacking confidence in their abilities to adapt to the new learning environment.
Dedicated to mitigating these hurdles, Learn2Learn focuses on helping students to better understand their learning styles, enabling them to structure their studying and lives symbiotically. Rutherford's ultimate ambition is to have universities collaborate with her program, ensuring support is provided to those students most in need.
Transitioning to Queen Be, Rutherford's menopause initiative, she candidly shares her own personal journey with perimenopause. Struggling with crippling anxiety and hormonal challenges, Rutherford discovered the impact of menopause on mental health, leading her to create resources to help everyday women navigate the changes they face.
With her goal of creating relatable, easy-to-understand resources for women, she drives to create a safe space in an online community, where women can share their experiences, ask questions, and explore available options. By emphasizing understanding, support, and respect, Rutherford empowers women to conquer the challenges of menopause.
Self-awareness and self-confidence form the foundation for both Rutherford's education and menopause initiatives. To encourage growth in these areas, she prioritizes maintaining genuine interest and belief in an individual's potential, asking thoughtful questions, and providing positive feedback when appropriate.
Rutherford highlights some notable success stories achieved through Learn2Learn, such as improved grades, increased confidence, and the reinvention of aspirations in students who have faced various challenges. By supporting the development of essential life skills, her programs help individuals thrive in their studies and beyond.
In addressing the stigma and misunderstanding around menopause, Queen Be breaks down barriers by providing accessible, relatable resources to combat misinformation, and fostering a supportive community for women. To further promote open dialogue, Rutherford facilitates online group presentations, transformational programs, and coaching. Upcoming plans for Queen Be include hosting the first annual "Navigating the Change" online menopause summit, designed to empower women while addressing their unique needs and experiences.
Based in Darumbal Country, the connection to her local community and land plays a crucial role in Rutherford's mission. With a deep respect for Indigenous culture, she collaborates with Indigenous educators to develop tailored resources and programs for underrepresented groups.
Balancing her thriving empowerment ventures with her personal well-being, Rutherford practices daily habits that keep her focused and energized. Recognizing the importance of self-care and social interaction, she prioritizes time for self-reflection, creative pursuits, family, and close relationships. Through her dedication to personal growth and the betterment of others, Tanya Rutherford continues to make a lasting impact on the lives of countless individuals.
- Tanya Rutherford's education initiative, Learn2Learn, focuses on providing support for adult learners who face challenges such as balancing studies, families, and full-time jobs, by enabling them to better understand their learning styles and structure their studies and lives symbiotically.
- In her menopause initiative, Queen Be, Rutherford creates resources aimed at helping everyday women navigate the changes they face during menopause, particularly focusing on mental health, by offering a safe online community where women can share their experiences, ask questions, and explore available options.
- Rutherford's education and self-development ventures, Learn2Learn and Queen Be, are grounded in promoting self-awareness and self-confidence, and they achieve notable success stories by supporting the development of essential life skills and personal growth, including improved grades, increased confidence, and reinvented aspirations for students facing various challenges.
