01.08.2011: July 2011, Jobs Australia Foundation - Strategic Planning Workshop
In July 2011 Directors of the Jobs Australia Foundation Board attended a Strategic Planning Workshop, facilitated by Karen Delvin from Building Bridges. The aim of the workshop was to review and define the focus of the Foundation and the IYLP from 2012 to 2014.
To ensure the sustainability and continuous improvement of the IYLP the Board agreed to commit to the following priorities over the next 12 months with the aim of launching a second program at the end of 2012:
Documenting the Foundation’s values and vision for the program and the stories of participants as individuals and a group to promote what has been achieved as a result of participation in the program
Developing and strengthening partnerships with Jobs Australia members, corporations, government and like-minded organisations keen to support the ongoing development and roll out of Phase 2 of the IYLP
Refining the program model, taking into account the knowledge acquired from the pilot and the evaluation findings with the potential to formally accredit the training elements of the program; and
Raising funds for the program for the next 3 years to 2014.
April 2011 Leadership Training
Following the success of the 2010 program 21 participants reunited in Melbourne in April for the second year of the Indigenous Youth Leadership Program (IYLP). The four day event included: the launch of ‘For Our People, For Our Future’, a documentary about the journey of the group as they prepared for, trekked and then made sense of their time on the Kokoda track; and four days of leadership training.
Leadership Training at Melbourne Museum
Key activities held at the Pre-trek Leadership Training included:
Indigenous Cultural sessions with Associate Professor Simon Forrest from Curtain University
Mentor Training, with Dennis Batty from Jobs Australia’s Indigenous Training Network
Daily fitness sessions with Dion Taylor
An Indigenous Cultural walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens; and
Jodie Belyea and Aileen Traynor facilitated sessions that supported participants in understanding the route they have taken to arrive on this leadership journey.
These activities were aimed at supporting participants to continuously develop, through practice and reflection, the seven key leadership skills that underpin the program:
Initiating and leading change
Team Work
Communication skills
Conflict Resolution / Problem solving skills
Delivering positive outcomes
Self awareness and improvement
Knowledge and understanding of Indigenous culture and history.
The highlight for the group over the 4 days was the launch of the documentary with the actual event being planned and orchestrated by the younger members of the IYLP.
Young People speaking at The Documentary Launch
On seeing the documentary George Cops, a member of the 39th Battalion Association, who fought at Kokoda, commented that “the respect and appreciation of battles sites and events that took place was evident amongst the group, this impressed me…It was also evident that the group returned from their Kokoda track experience with a better appreciation of good leadership, the value of teamwork, supporting one another and a more positive outlook for their future.”
The documentary launch was a great success, those that attended commented that it was a very moving and inspirational documentary and they were very proud of all the participants. To top it off, Huawei Technology announced their continuing sponsorship of the program for the next four years to 2014 to the value of $200,000.
Mentors with Peter Rossi from Huawei (2nd from left)