ARLF building influential and courageous leadership for rural, regional and remote Australia
The Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF) recently announced the names of leaders from across Australia who will make up the 28th cohort of its prestigious Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP), commencing in July 2021. Two of these leaders, Andrew Bryant from Gayndah, Queensland, and Niki Ford from Brisbane, Queensland, have received scholarships sponsored by the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation (TFFF).
The ARLP is Australia’s longest and most in-depth experiential leadership program designed to build leadership capability in people in rural, regional and remote Australia. Participants attend 50 days of experiential learning and mentoring across four sessions over a 15-month period. The program gives participants valuable opportunities to enhance their capacity and create a network of like-minded leaders to positively influence their organisations, industries and communities.
Matt Linnegar, Chief Executive of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, congratulates the 29 participants from across Australia on their success in being selected for the ARLP.
“We are thrilled to announce the ARLP Course 28, 2021-22 cohort, at a time when courageous and influential leadership has never been more important to support recovery from drought, bushfires, floods and Covid-19, and build resilience to face future opportunities and challenges in rural, regional and remote Australia.
This program would not be possible without the support of our scholarship partners; organisations who understand the value of investing in people assets and share in our mission to exercise leadership for positive impact in rural, regional and remote Australia,” said Mr Linnegar.
Since 2015, TFFF has supported scholarships for emerging leaders in regional Queensland to participate in the ARLP program. In doing so, TFFF continues its longstanding commitment to building the capacity of rural communities to improve their connectedness, resilience and sustainability.
On 23 April, TFFF Chair Tim Fairfax AC and Trustee Gina Fairfax were invited as guests of honour to attend a luncheon in Brisbane where they met and heard from several alumni about their experiences of the program and resulting opportunities. On this occasion, ARLF Chair, Mike Carroll, presented Mr Fairfax with the Governor-General Medallion in recognition of his contribution to the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation in 2020 during the COVID pandemic.
Tim and Gina Fairfax with five of the 13 TFFF ARLP scholarship recipients since 2015, (l to r): Michelle Deshong (ARLP15); Tiani Cook (ARLP25); Gina Fairfax; Tim Fairfax AC; Kevin Mulvahil (ARLP19); Jennifer Wainwright (ARLP21); Fiona Gaske (ARLP25). (Absent: Donna Digby (ARLP27); Trudi Bartlett (ARLP27); Catherine Cummins (ARLP20); Michael Underwood (ARLP18); Lockie McDonald (ARLP17); Scott Gorringe (ARLP16).
Applications for the next ARLP Course 29 will open on 4 July and close on 29 August with expressions of interest being accepted via the ARLF website.