What Is a Z Club — and Why Your School Should Start One.

At its heart, a Z Club is a student-led group inspired by the global mission of Zonta International — a worldwide service and advocacy organisation dedicated to building a better world for women and girls. Z Clubs give high school students a structured way to lead, serve, and advocate for gender equality in their school, community and beyond.

From Buffalo to the World: How Zonta’s Student Clubs Began

The story begins with Zonta International, founded in 1919 in Buffalo, New York, by a group of visionary women led by Marian de Forest, who wanted to create a network of professionals committed to empowering women through service and advocacy. Since then Zonta has grown into a global force with tens of thousands of members in more than 60 countries working to promote women’s rights, education, health, leadership, and an end to gender-based violence.

In 1948, Zonta launched one of its longest-running programmes: the Z Club and Golden Z Club initiative—a formal youth-focused extension of Zonta International’s mission. These clubs help high school, college and university students develop leadership skills, engage in meaningful service projects, explore career paths, and contribute to community and international advocacy — all grounded in Zonta’s core values.

The very first Z Club started at Burbank High School in California as a response to a simple question: why not start a club for girls that supports them like the Key Club (for boys) did? That sparked a movement to help young women and men engage in service, leadership and social justice work — and it continues today.

What a Z Club Does

A Z Club isn’t just “another school club.” It’s a platform for young people to:

Lead service and advocacy campaigns that align with Zonta’s mission. For example, students might organise fundraising to support women’s health projects, awareness campaigns on gender-based violence, or local community service activities.
Develop leadership and professional skills that set them up for life after school — from teamwork and project planning to public speaking and advocacy.
Connect with a global network of like-minded peers and mentors committed to equality, justice and community service.

Each Z Club is sponsored by a local Zonta Club, which provides guidance, links to resources, mentorship, and connections with the broader Zonta International network.

Z Clubs in Australia and NSW

Across Australia and New Zealand there are around 22 Z Clubs and 1 Golden Z Club that are part of the Zonta International family — reflecting both the reach of the programme and the interest young leaders have in making a difference.

Within Zonta District 24 (which covers New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory), there are currently about 10 student clubs operating, including high school Z Clubs and one Golden Z Club at university, supported by dedicated Zonta Clubs in the region.

These include Z Clubs at schools like:

Abbotsleigh College, Wahroonga
Hornsby Girls High School
St Ursula’s Catholic College, Kingsgrove
… and more — each putting youth leadership into action on issues they care about.

A Historic Moment for the Central Coast — and a Call to Action

We’re absolutely thrilled to announce that the first Z Club on the Central Coast is at Lake Munmorah High School, NSW! 🎉 This is an exciting milestone — not just for the students involved, but for all local schools who see leadership, service and gender equality as essential parts of education and community life. Pictured below participating in the “16 days of activism” yarn bomb at Toukley, NSW.

Whether your school has students eager to raise awareness about gender-based violence, organise community service projects, or champion equality in their classrooms — a Z Club offers them a true vehicle for impact.

How to Start a Z Club

If you’re a student, teacher, parent or Zonta supporter reading this and thinking “We want one of those too!”, it’s easier than you might think:

Connect with a local Zonta Club — Zonta Clubs sponsor and mentor Z Clubs, helping them with start-up, resources and connection to Zonta International.
Build a student leadership team — Z Clubs are student-led, so having a core group of motivated young people makes all the difference.
Link the club to school priorities — service learning, leadership development, community engagement — all fit beautifully with school curricula and values.
**Reach out to Zonta Central Coast for support, materials and guidance on how to charter your Z Club.

Starting a Z Club means empowering the next generation of changemakers — students who are ready to stand up for what’s right, speak up for equality, and make service part of who they are.

What is a Z Club?