Future Leaders Program Empowers Youth to Lead, Collaborate and Create Change
- 12 hours ago
- 3 min read
5th June 2026
Students from Greater Shepparton Secondary College and Rushworth P-12 College came together on 21–22 May 2026 to participate in the Future Leaders Program, delivered by Goulburn Murray Community Leadership (GMCL).
Following Greater Shepparton City Council's support of the inaugural program in 2025, Greater Shepparton Secondary College commissioned the Future Leaders Program in 2026 to help young people strengthen their leadership capability, build confidence, develop teamwork and communication skills, and explore how they can contribute positively to their schools and communities. This year, the opportunity was also extended to students from Rushworth P-12 College, creating valuable opportunities for students from different schools to connect, collaborate, and learn from one another.
Throughout the two-day program, participants took part in a range of experiential learning activities focused on leadership, communication, teamwork, community engagement, and project development. Working in mixed teams, students were challenged to step outside their comfort zones, build relationships with peers from different schools, navigate group dynamics, communicate effectively, respond to feedback, and collaborate under time pressure.
Participants worked collaboratively in teams to identify issues affecting young people in their communities, explore different perspectives, and develop potential solutions. Working within tight timeframes, students were challenged to communicate effectively, navigate group dynamics, make decisions collectively, and adapt to new ideas and feedback.
The team project process provided a practical opportunity for participants to apply the leadership, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills they had been developing throughout the program. Through this experience, students strengthened their confidence, learned how to work with people from different backgrounds and schools, and gained valuable experience presenting their ideas to others.
The ideas developed by participants reflected issues they were passionate about and included increasing volunteer opportunities for young people, improving access to youth mental health support, enhancing local sporting facilities, and creating greater employment opportunities for young people.
Participants presented their ideas to a judging panel comprising Greater Shepparton Mayor Cr Shane Sali, Leading Senior Constable and Multicultural Officer Leigh Johnson from Victoria Police, and Jim Gow, Youth Participation Worker (North East Victoria) from The Salvation Army, who provided valuable feedback, encouragement, and insights throughout the process.
A particular highlight of this year's program was seeing some graduates from the inaugural 2025 Future Leaders Program return as Youth Facilitators. Their involvement demonstrated the ongoing impact of the program and the confidence it helped build in young people as they continue their leadership journeys.
The two-day program concluded with a graduation celebration where participants reflected on their journey and received certificates recognising their achievements.
The Future Leaders Program forms part of GMCL's commitment to developing leadership capability across the Goulburn Murray region. We recognise that today's young people are tomorrow's community leaders, decision-makers, volunteers, and changemakers. By investing in their leadership development now, we are helping to build stronger, more connected, and more resilient communities into the future.
GMCL extends its sincere thanks to all participants, Youth Facilitators, judges, partners, and supporters who helped make the program possible. Special thanks to La Trobe University Shepparton Campus for generously providing the training venue and supporting the development of the region's future leaders.
Participant Reflection
The following reflection was provided by Makayla from Rushworth P-12 College following her participation in the 2026 Future Leaders Program.
"I attended the Future Leaders Workshop, where we participated in many fun activities that helped us develop leadership and communication skills. The activities were enjoyable and were designed to highlight the importance of everyone working together as a team and utilising the different skills of the people in your group. This helped us meet new people, get to know each other, and learn about the diverse opinions and skills we each have. We also worked in teams to create a pitch and present to the Mayor of Shepparton, Shane Sali, and several other important guests. It was a great experience because we had the opportunity to share our ideas and build our confidence in public speaking, teamwork, and leadership. One of the best parts of the day was making new friends and meeting people from different schools as well as improving our leadership skills. Overall, it was a great course. Everyone had lots of fun and learned valuable skills that we can use in the future."