Young Community Leaders attend Rabobank Summit

Students from CEFA communities across the country recently attended the 2010 Rabobank Young Rural Leaders Summit in the Tharwa National Park near Canberra – an opportunity made possible by their local CEFA Education Foundations.

Thirty-five students from CEFA communities as far away as Kangaroo Island in South Australia and Clermont in Queensland received generous scholarships through CEFA’s partnership with Rabobank Australia and the Thyne Reid Foundation. Attending a week-long Summit for rural youth aged between 16 and 18, the participants were selected for their leadership potential and for their commitment to their local community.

The Rabobank Young Rural Leaders Summit is now in its third year. The aim of the program is to encourage leadership in rural youth and to help participants build self-awareness and confidence, with a view to the students applying these leadership capabilities and determination to their local community. Over the seven intensive days which the Summit runs, the young people learn about their key personal values, working effectively with other people and core attributes of great leadership.

The Summit provides a unique opportunity for rural students to fulfil their leadership potential. While at the camp, they develop individual community-based projects that will directly benefit members of their local regions. On their return students set about implementing their project plans. Doing this gives them the chance to put their Summit knowledge into practice and realise their effectiveness as leaders.

The students discussed and developed their community projects with the assistance of instructors at the Summit throughout the week and then presented their proposals to a review panel comprising CEFA, Rabobank and Outward Bound staff at the closing ceremony. “We were so impressed with the calibre of the students’ presentations and the lofty ambitions of the projects they plan to implement within their communities – there are going to be some great community success stories come from this and many young people with even greater leadership potential!” Jocellin Jansson, Executive Director of CEFA said.

Instructors from the camp and those who visited all commented on the impeccable behaviour displayed by the students at this year’s Summit. “The group collectively demonstrated maturity and enthusiasm throughout the program and for this they are to be congratulated and thanked,” said Susan Howe, National Sponsorship Manager of Rabobank Australia. The participants formed strong friendships and bonds with their fellow Summit students. “The camaraderie between the students this year was unprecedented and we are so encouraged by the support they provided one another and hopefully will continue to provide over the coming months,” Susan said.

Jocellin concluded “We cannot wait to follow-up with all of our young leaders and see how they are getting on with their community projects!”