The first ever Cultural Leadership Program for Shepparton has been developed over the last year with consultation from local services, young people and Elders.
Greater Shepparton City Council, headspace Shepparton and Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-Operative are committed to working with local young people for local young people, to develop programs that will engage and inspire future cultural leaders. This program hopes to reflect what young Aboriginal people of Greater Shepparton want to gain from a leadership program focusing heavily on the importance on their culture and what leadership means within their culture.
headspace Shepparton Community Awareness Leah Farnham officer said “this is a fantastic partnership between three core agency’s within Greater Shepparton. headspace is looking forward to seeing young people grow as leaders through-out the program and become ambassadors for positive mental health within their community.”
This 6 week program offers 20 students aged 12 to 18 years, the opportunity to gain local cultural knowledge, language, sharing of stories, the ability to lead and affect change through community development, learning of community issues, and the opportunity to hear and gain knowledge from different guest speakers, and to learn and grow as a leader within the community through art and storytelling.
Speakers in the program will include Uncle Leon Saunders, Aunty Sharon Atkinson, and AFL Port Adelaide player Jarmen Impey. Jarman Impey is a local Indigenous Australian footballer for the Port Adelaide Football Club in the AFL. Originally from Shepparton, Impey will be an integral part of the program, as he looks to inspire, engage and empower local young people from his home town to be kind and courageous leaders.
Impey will be hosting the 5th session of the Cultural Leadership Program, titled Food and Mood being heald on Wednesdday 24 May 9.00am – 12.30pm at Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-Operative. Impey will spend his time with the young people sharing his story and journey whilst exploring the relationship between what you eat and how you feel and how this can impact your ability to making healthy choices in leadership, including tips on how to incorporate healthy eating into your everyday life.
Greater Shepparton City Council Youth Development Officer Jessica Kirwin said “Having a local cultural leadership program will be able to build the skills and provide a voice for our already strong and passionate young Aboriginal people to become the next leaders for Shepparton, and we are very excited that this program enables their culture to continue to be an integral part of their lives/futures and a part of our community.”
Program information: This program is a joint venture between headspace, Greater Shepparton City Council and Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-Operative LTD.
