Close to 150 of tomorrow’s leaders from across Australia gathered at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra last month to continue their academic and leadership journey at the 2012 indigenous youth leadership program’s (IYLP) year 10 national student gathering.
The Year 10 Gathering happens annually as part of the IYLP Scholarship funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). The Year 10 Gathering aims to bring students together over a four-day period to develop knowledge about culture, leadership and how to use these skills back at school and in their home communities.
At this year’s Year 10 Gathering the students took part in a series of workshops, guided discussions and team building activities run by leading organisations. These organisations included the Reach Foundation; The Foundation for Young Australians, which runs the National Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy program; and Corporate Challenge Australia. The event facilitated the students’ understanding of their place in society and how important it is to take on a leadership role. The students also enjoyed staying at the AIS where they participated in activities with some of the Institute’s athletes at the home of Australian sport.
To connect the Gathering’s strong focus on culture, students learned about the importance of cultural history at a presentation at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIASTIS) and toured the National Museum of Australia to see the Gallery of First Australians and contemporary Indigenous sculpture at the Menagerie.
Perhaps most importantly, the students got to enjoy each other’s company and build valuable friendships to guide them through their education and leadership journeys.
The 2012 Year 10 National Student Gathering provided a rich opportunity for students to come together to recognise their achievements and be inspired to follow their dreams for the future.
For more information about the Indigenous Youth Leadership Program visit www.deewr.gov.au/iylp
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