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Koori Youth Achiever Program Develops Tomorrow's Leaders
Thursday, 11 May 2006

Participants with Mayor Jenny Houlihan, State Member Jeanette Powell and Federal Member Hon Dr. Sharman Stone.

The program is a joint initiative of Ganbina, the Universityof Melbourne, Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative, Worktrainers Ltd and the Academyof Sports Healthand Education. The program is being coordinated by Ganbina Koori Economic Employment and Training Agency, and aims to invest in the next generation of Indigenous leaders and allow young Indigenous people to learn and engage in leadership in the community.

2006 Koori Youth Achiever Program participants Kurtis Atkinson, Aleasha Appo and Kristine Mahy have already commenced their leadership development. This has included weekend training sessions through out March and a tour through the March school break to Melbourne, Canberraand Sydney.

In this tour they met and spoke with industry and community leaders such as Ian Renard (Chancellor – University of Melbourne), Peter Maher (Director of Melbourne Storm Rugby League Club), Tony Berg (former CEO of Macquarie Bank) and Executive Management of Coles Myer Ltd.

“The project’s aim of enhancing the leadership skills of individual participants while also providing immediate and long-term benefits for the local and wider Indigenous community is synonymous with our indigenous and health objectives in the Goulburn Valley,” Mrs Simson (University of Melbourne).

Three Indigenous high school students from year 11 will each year participate in the Koori Youth Achiever Program. The key program activities they will undertake during their 10 month involvement will include:

  • Developing an understanding of the expectations and anticipated outcomes of the project;
  • Focus discussion groups and locality tours operating in the context of existing leadership programs such as the nationally recognised Williamson Community Leadership Program and the GoulburnValley’s own Fairley Leadership Program;
  • Generating a community project – developed from the participants’ perspective and understanding of a perceived community need – that must deliver a demonstrated community benefit.

Leah Lindrea-Morrison, the Project Coordinator for Ganbina Koori Economic Employment and Training Agency, said the agency was pleased to have the support of the Universityof Melbourne for the project.

“Without support from the education, government and other industry sectors, this program could not succeed. Their involvement ensures participants have access to a broad range of leadership styles including community, business and financial leaders and innovators. The unique opportunity to engage with the Mayor Jenny Houlihan, State Member Jeanette Powell and Federal Member Hon Dr. Sharman Stone builds on the participants local knowledge and will allow them to relate to indigenous issues from a local to international scale (tours to Cape York and New Zealand as part of the process),” Ms Lindrea-Morrison said.