NORTHERN Wheatbelt residents have been invited to become part of a national network of people equipped to meet future challenges and contribute to the growing resilience of local communities, by participating in the Drought Resilience Leaders Development Program (DRLP).
Western Australia's Northern Wheatbelt - which includes communities between Southern Cross, Jurien Bay, Northampton and Dalwallinu - is one of 12 regions across Australia selected to take part in the fully funded program.
The program will run over eight days in March and April next year, with anyone 18 or over encouraged to apply.
The Australian Rural Leadership Foundation has been appointed by the Federal government, along with key partners, to deliver the DRLP through the government's Future Drought Fund.
The program is designed to strengthen the future of regional communities through capacity building and collaboration.
It is already underway in the Goulburn Valley region, in Victoria, with participants from Central West Queensland about to commence their first leadership development session.
ARLF chief executive officer Matt Linnegar said the program would be tailored to address the current and future challenges of the Northern Wheatbelt.
"The effects of drought can last for years and Australians who live and work in drought-affected communities are the best people to help contribute to how we can strengthen our communities, so that we can be even more prepared for the next drought," Mr Linnegar said.
"Experiencing drought and how resilience is established in our regions differs for many of us, however the Drought Resilience Leaders Development Program will help to create leadership networks committed to further strengthening these agriculture-dependent communities."
Elizabeth Brennan - well known for her work on the board of Wide Open Agriculture - will lead the program in the Northern Wheatbelt and says the program offers many benefits that participants can take away from the experience.
"We often look to honing business skills and how we might be able to manage risk in a changing environment, but we don't often stop to invest in ourselves and our personal resilience," Ms Brennan said.
"The DRLP will bring together people from small Northern Wheatbelt communities with big ideas, invest in their leadership capacity and support them to build resilient communities - come rain, hail or shine."
The program will be delivered over three sessions:
p Session one: self-awareness, adaptive leadership, change theory, personal and community resilience.
p Session two: climate science problem solving, creativity and problem solving.
p Session three: scenario planning, influence, network and leadership.
"A year ago, I was involved in facilitating a similar program for the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation in the South West and what amazed me was the types of ideas and projects that proactive, forward-thinking individuals from diverse communities came up with," Ms Brennan said.
"What's great about this program is that seed funding is available via the Community Extension Grants and this will help get these grassroots ideas off the ground."
Participants also have the opportunity to apply for a community extension grant on completion of the sessions.
Applications for the Drought Resilience Leaders Development Program close on November 21.
- To apply: go to rural-leaders. org.au/programs/drought-resilience-leaders-program/
Want weekly news highlights delivered to your inbox? Sign up to the Farm Weekly newsletter.
iframe src="https://farmweekly.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=f821a3c0f9ebb195a03cb86d4&id=946d00523b" width="100%" height="550px" /iframe
