Beacon Echuca Moama Foundation welcomed a new student cohort for its Leadership Development Day.
Photo by
Ryan Bellingham
The Echuca-Moama Beacon Foundation’s annual leadership development day was held at the Bendigo TAFE Echuca campus on Friday, February 14.
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The day marks the beginning of Beacon’s year-long program, which encourages students to pursue further education, training or employment after high school.
Activities and workshops on the day included a program introduction, meeting the leaders from other schools and developing leadership skills.
Nineteen Year 9 students from Echuca College, St Joseph’s College, Australian Christian College, Moama Anglican Grammar School and Echuca Twin Rivers Specialist School attended.
Echuca College careers and pathways co-ordinator Lorelle Pearse said seven students from the school were selected following an open-call and interview process.
Ms Pearse said the program helps students consider their post-school options, and gives them assurance in pursuing their goals.
“The development over the year is incredible. It builds their confidence and their leadership skills, but it’s also their self-development,” she said.
“It’s about making sure that when they do leave us ... that they’re going to transition into something sustainable.”
Participating students also become ambassadors for their schools and encourage their peers to think about future aspirations.
Ms Pearse said that Year 9 was a good time for students to start considering what they want to do in life and to begin gaining work experience.
St Joseph’s College students Ella Reyne and Zahli Palmer are among this year's group of leaders.
Photo by
Ryan Bellingham
Ella Reyne and Zahli Palmer, two of the leaders from St Joseph’s College, said the day had spurred them to think about becoming more involved around town.
“I moved here about a year ago, so I haven’t had much to do with the community yet,” Zahli said.
“This is a really good opportunity for me to put myself out there.”
Both students are interested in volunteering to gain work experience and to network.
“Echuca-Moama is the kind of town where, if someone knows you, then everyone ends up knowing you,” Ella said.
“I think volunteering, meeting different people from different businesses and learning from their experiences, I can take that on board to shape the type of person I want to be, and the type of leader I want to be in the future.”
Zali said she aimed to work in healthcare, either in research, as a GP, or possibly a surgeon.
“I really like helping out people and I want to have a job where you can take on leadership,” she said.
“Leadership is definitely a big part — you have to make sure you know how to problem-solve and everything like that when you’re working with patients.”
Ella said she was interested in studying and working in criminal law.
“I think leadership will be a big part of that, and the public speaking skills we learn through being a Beacon leader will definitely be something I’ll have to use in the future,” she said.
The day wrapped up with a reflection session, where the leaders were asked to review their goals for the day.
The next Beacon event is the Business Breakfast, where leaders are directly involved in its organisation and are given the opportunity to network with those involved.
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