Cr Sally Dover brought the concept to Port Stephens Council where it found wide support on Tuesday night.

It was resolved that council, in recognition of 2018 International Women's Day, contribute $1000 from each ward fund to provide for three scholarships worth $1000 each for women aged 16 and older in Port Stephens.

“With this we’ll have the opportunity next year to highlight the work of women, someone who has been working tirelessly in the community with passion and dedication,” she said.

Cr Dover came up with the idea after she attended an International Women’s Day luncheon with Salamander Bay Rotary Club.

She was among more than 100 people at the lunch designed to showcase the work of women in the community.

“We need to acknowledge these women’s efforts as often as we can and handing out these scholarships on International Women’s Day would be a great way to do it,” Cr Dover said.

“In the following year they will come back to us and share with us how they’ve used these funds.”

The council’s community development and engagement unit will administer the scholarship. Applications are anticipated to open in December and close in February, ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8.

“There’s no criteria around age or the type of involvement in the community,” Cr Dover said.

“It could even be a young woman starting a business or an older woman who’s going to uni.

“It’s an opportunity for women – they might be mothers – to step out and achieve their goals.”

The scholarship is modeled after the mayoral scholarships that help university students but text books for example.

“A lot of women sew their lives into their families and this might be an opportunity for them to step out and doing something important to them,” Cr Dover said.