Regional Australian communities are no strangers to the complex work of transition and innovation when disruption and new opportunities are presented. We've all taken a masterclass in disruption and adaption thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. True resilience though is not merely about ‘coping’ or ‘surviving’, but about change, readiness and opportunity.
The Australia Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF) and the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) have been awarded funding through the Building Resilient Regional Leaders Initiative (Pilot) grant. From this funding, the consortia in partnership with state-based leadership organisations such as the Leaders Institute of South Australia, will deliver a place-based leadership development program for ten locations across Australia.
This program, known as the Leading Australian Resilient Communities (LARC) program will be delivered in the Yorke/Mid-North region of South Australia and is about supporting Australia’s regional communities to meet challenges and collectively drive the positive changes they want to see.
The LARC program will develop skills, knowledge and provide space for 26 diverse participants to consider possible futures for their communities and the leadership required of them. Over three-months, participants will gather together to expand their understanding of regional development, the role of place-based leadership, and develop skills in strategic foresight, adaptive leadership and resilience.
Content will be delivered by the Leaders Institute of South Australia's professional facilitators with plenty of opportunity to engage with local and national experts giving participants access to:
Despite South Australia weathering the public health risk of Covid-19 relatively well, the economic and social impacts of the pandemic continue to be felt, particularly in our regions. Disruptions, whether pandemic or climate-related, challenge our resilience but also provide opportunity. The LARC program has been developed to build the capacity for resilient and adaptive leaders and has been uniquely tailored to regions across Australia.
The Yorke/Mid-North region has been significantly impacted by Covid-19, in addition to significant impact from drought and climate change. Ongoing drought in parts of the region has caused many farmers financial stress and social dislocation. There are no other like comprehensive leadership programs in the region which aim to develop a core cohort of leaders from across the region to help them to understand themselves better, to adapt their thinking to the dynamic unfolding of complex problems and to learn to mobilise others in the pursuit of community good.
This is a place-based program specifically for the residents of the Yorke/Mid-North region of South Australia so you must be a resident and over 18 years old. We want to see the diversity of the region represented in the cohort. So whether you are currently in leadership positions or aspire to be, we encourage you to apply!
During the program participants will also receive coaching.
