About Leadership Great South Coast
OUR PURPOSE
Fostering Regional Leadership for Community Impact
OUR VALUES
Agility, Growth, Leadership, Diversity & Inclusion, Community
OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
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- Leadership
- Alumni
- Impact
EXPERIENTIAL PROGRAM
Leadership Great South Coast Inc. (LGSC) provides an annual flagship Community Leadership Program for aspiring and emerging leaders drawn from all sectors of the Great South Coast region.
The LGSC program builds relationships and networks between the business, community and government sectors.
LGSC participants are drawn from all three sectors, allowing participants to benefit from a variety of perspectives when considering the nature of leadership and the future of our community and its economic prosperity.
This program is experiential, designed to develop the skills and knowledge of aspiring and emerging leaders through contact with regional community leaders in the context of community issues.
Objectives of the program:
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- Develop the skills and confidence to make a positive difference in community.
- Increase knowledge and understanding of the social, economic and environmental challenges and opportunities across the Great South Coast.
- Establish a lasting set of personal and professional networks.
- Understand the importance of volunteerism within their community.
GOVERNANCE – Leadership Great South Coast Board Members
JESSICA FISHBURN Chair, Director Gen Health, LGSC Alumni
TRUDY MARR Deputy Chair, Chief Operating Officer, Mpower
MELISSA MAHER Treasurer, Management Accountant, Wannon Water
JACOB TAYLOR Director of Finance, South West Healthcare, LGSC Alumni
AILICHE GODDARD-CLEGG Communication & Engagement Coordinator, Hycel
DARBY LEE Manager Economic Development and Customer Experience, Moyne Shire Council
RONDA HELD Community Member
ANGELA HEWETT Employment Facilitator-Workforce Australia Local Jobs
RACHAEL HOULIHAN Deputy Editor, The Standard – Australian Community Media
KATE ROACHE Executive Officer, Board Secretary
LEADERSHIP TEAM
KATE ROACHE Executive Officer
CATHERINE DARKIN Program Manager
HELGA SVENDSEN Immersion Facilitator
BACKGROUND
In 1989 the Hugh Williamson Trustees established and funded the Williamson Community Leadership Program (WCLP) based in Melbourne. Re-named in 2000 to Leadership Victoria the Program continues to evolve fostering and developing a new generation of leaders.
The WCLP was originally modelled on a Chicago based program. Leadership Greater Chicago has been operating on a proven model for 30 years, cultivating Chicago’s business, public and civic leaders through a deeper understanding of the issues facing their community and each other, building a better Chicago.
In 1996 the first regional Community Leadership Program commenced in the Gippsland. Victorian now has 10 Regional Community Leadership Programs with Leadership Great South Coast established in 2012.
OUR HISTORY
LGSC is an example of an inspiring community leader supporting the development of our future leaders.
In 2008, work commenced on establishing a community leadership program for the Great South Coast region.
Led by Josie Black, OAM, passionate regional leaders joined forces to assess our region’s appetite for a community leadership development program, research program models and instigate state funding discussions.
This original work was informed by research completed by Josie Black which highlighted the need for a regional Community Fund and the growing need for developing our community leader’s skills, knowledge and ability.
This initial work documented that leadership is about the process of initiating and coping with change. Effective leaders anticipate problems and opportunities, develop strategic responses and actively motivate people to take action, while managers react and respond to problems when they arise.
Good leadership involves leading by example while earning the respect of the team, making prompt and confident decisions, communicating clearly while providing motivation, influence and inspiration.
Qualities and attributes of good leaders include but are not limited to: conviction; vision; fortitude; integrity; passion; commitment; perception; resilience; courage; tolerance and tact.
Most people obtain leadership skills over time from experience and from observing good, ineffective and poor leadership.
In 2009 to support the development of our aspiring community leaders and following a community consolation process a Steering Committee was established.
The aim of the committee was to establish a program that allowed leadership development to occur via a supportive, structured, experiential program tailored to our region’s needs.
Later in 2009 a business plan was established, and a lobbying strategy initiated to attract state government funding.
The task of attracting funding took four years to complete. Thanks to the passion and determination of the Steering Committee an initial four years of funding was secured in 2012.
The inaugural LGSC Program commenced in May 2012 with 14 aspiring leaders graduating in March 2013.
The Program runs February to December attracting 16 -20 aspiring leaders annually. Now with 130 Alumni we are growing in numbers, strength and reputation across the region.
LGSC incorporated on 19 September 2017.
