Regional West Australians are well versed in dealing with the challenges and opportunities of regional life. In recent years, our West Australian regional leaders have become adept at not only coping with change and disruption, but also finding ways to connect as a community, to learn and to be ready for what may lie ahead.
The Leading Australian Resilient Communities (LARC) intensive leadership Program builds on the existing strength and resilience in regional Western Australia, bringing together diverse regional leaders with experienced leadership development expertise. Set over eight months, participants will expand their capabilities to lead through adaptive and place-based leadership, developing skills in strategic foresight and building resilient local systems.
Delivered by Leadership WA, in collaboration with the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation and the Regional Australia Institute, the LARC Program will involve place-based Future Forums, webinars, data and insights, as well as 5-day intensive Leadership Programs. In 2022 and 2023, we are pleased to deliver the Program in the Mid-West Coastal, the Goldfields and Esperance regions of WA. This initative is fully funded by the Australian Government.
Each regional Program will be specifically tailored for your region and include:
- Future Forums – Community forums to amplify the region’s already resilient leadership
- Webinars – Accessible and engaging webinars on critical regional issues
- Leadership Program – Five-day intensive workshops
- Local Projects – Designed and delivered by Program participants
- Ongoing mentoring and coaching
How can I participate?
Future Forums
These one-day Future Forums will bring in the latest economic and social data compiled by the Regional Australia Institute, and will use scenario planning to discuss the opportunities and future hopes for your region, while also developing skills for resilient and adaptive leadership. Highly interactive group discussions will see you bring your local insights into collective thinking and ideas for future development. You will also be given leadership tools and frameworks to apply in your work and community.
Kalgoorlie Future Forum
Date: Monday 7 November
Time: 10:00am-4:00pm
Venue: Goldfields Arts Centre
Esperance Future Forum
Date: Wednesday 9 November
Time: 10:00am-4:00pm
Venue: Esperance Civic Centre
Carnamah Future Forum
Date: Monday 28 November
Time: 10:00am-4:00pm
Venue: The Exchange – Carnamah
Yuna Future Forum
Date: Tuesday 29 November
Time: 10:00am-4:00pm
Venue: Yuna Multipurpose Community Centre
Mount Magnet Future Forum
Date: Tuesday 6 December
Time: 10:00am-4:00pm
Venue: Anzac Memorial Hall
Leading Australian Resilient Communities Leadership Programs
The Leadership Programs will provide space for 28 diverse participants from each region and will be held over five-day intensive workshops over 4 months, followed by a final Future Forum, enabling participants to engage with the learnings from the Program and each other, and then to have time to absorb and reflect before the next session. This is a most powerful form of learning.
Underpinned with regional specific context, the Leadership Program includes exploration of:
- Adaptive leadership
- System resilience and thinking
- Strategic foresight
- Place-based leadership
- Returning your learning to community
- A personal leadership profiling tool
Local Projects
A key outcome from the Future Forums and Leadership Programs will be the Local Projects, which will be designed and delivered by Program participants for the benefit of your region.
Why should I get involved?
Applying to be part of the LARC Leadership Program means that you will benefit from:
- A scholarship that invests in your development in areas with practical, effective applications
- Access to fresh insights into your region and connection with synergistic individuals and organisations
- Immersion in a place-based residential leadership experience, offering the time and space to examine the resources and development you need to be most effective
- Coaching to equip you to meet challenges unique to your role and sector
- Integration within a powerful national network of leaders
- Access to leadership experts and comprehensive data and insights in your region
This experience will in turn help your regional community through enabling:
- Growth in the number and diversity of leaders available to support and drive development
- An empowered, connected cohort of leaders from across the community
- Initiatives that reflect consultative, informed identification of challenges, solutions, and opportunities
- Cross-pollination from relevant, successful initiatives delivered in other regions
Who should participate?
Participants in the Future Forums and the Leadership Programs will be drawn from the local community and can be volunteers or employees of state or local government, not-for-profit organisations and businesses, elected members, community leaders or business owners. We believe that everyone has leadership potential so whether you are currently in a leadership position or aspire to be, we encourage you to apply!
How do I apply?
Please fill out the Expression of Interest form to the right of this page.
Are there any fees?
This Program is funded by the Australian Government as part of the Building Resilient Regional Leaders Initiative. There is no fee to participate.
Thank you to the City of Greater Geraldton, Our Gems WA and Tourism Western Australia for the imagery of the Midwest Coastal and Kalgoorlie-Goldfields regions.
