Developing Leadership Skills

On our recent Skills Program Day (21 August) we worked with Lead Facilitator Corrinne Armor to understand our unconscious response to change and how our change profile influences the ability of others to change. The challenge was to build resilience through change and create change that sticks!

In the afternoon we extended our definition of ‘public speaking’ and acknowledge our public speaking skills, stepped out of our comfort zone and further developed our public speaking tool kit!

Sounds big…it was.

Thanks Corrinne  

Law & Order Program Day

Australia is faced with some confronting statistics when it comes to patterns of criminal behavior. We have improved our roads, and some types of crime over recent years, but we have seen significant spikes in other crimes, such as domestic violence; 1,346 domestic incidents were reported to Western District Police in 2014.

The figures are certainly alarming, but it’s important to understand the complex factors that contribute to crime statistics. LGSC participants heard from Victorian Police Acting Superintendent Paul Ross, who outlined some of the complexities that exist between rising statistics and the actual rate of offences that are occurring. An example of these relationships is the focus of Police resources on crime; an increase of resources leads to more prosecution, which can lead to more victims feeling comfortable about speaking up. Following a spike, community awareness grows and the crime rate decreases.

The topic of Drugs and Alcohol was introduced to the discussion by Jodie Outtram, Drug and Alcohol Nurse with SWHC. Jodie demonstrated the trends occurring in our region, and spoke about the services available to treat issues arising from drug and alcohol dependence. Interestingly, there seemed to be a variation in the perspective between Police, Health and the Courts about the impact of Ice on our community. There was general agreement, however, that Alcohol is a bigger health and social problem.

Following this session, the LGSC participants were granted valuable insight into the operation of the local Courts, with a comprehensive tour and discussion with local Magistrate, Peter Mellas. The group was encouraged to consider the pressures faced by the legal system, including cultural, temporal, financial and social issues. The role of the Courts is to provide community protection, but is the system effective?

The afternoon focused on a dark undercurrent of our society – domestic violence. Over recent years, some good work has been done to highlight the problem, and the need for effective solutions is even more evident now. Services such as Emma House offer respite care, and Police are more focused on the issue, but significant cultural change is required for the problem to be truly solved.

Thanks to our presenters and to Mackillop Family Services for hosting the 2015 Law & Order day.

I Want What She’s Having

LGSC Alumni and Young Professionals are invited to this Event…hosted by LGSC in partnership with the Victorian Small Business Festival 

Join Sadhana Smiles, 2013 Telstra Business Women of the Year, as she shares with us how she developed and created her brand that sets her apart in her industry. Being authentic, vulnerable and faking it till you make it are some of the stories she will share. Read more about Sadhana here

Culture Program Day 2015

Victoria is a multicultural state, made up of people from 200 countries, speaking 230 languages and practicing 120 different faiths. Do we recognise this diversity in our local region? Do we welcome difference?

The 2015 LGSC Program participants spent a day focusing on culture – on the diversity of our region, including the stories of people who have come to settle here and in contrast the prosperous workplace cultures we can create.

Lynda Ford of Enterprising Partnerships led the morning, providing an overview of diversity and demographics across the Great South Coast. Lynda then involved the participants in enacting a role-play titled ‘Walk a mile in my shoes’. This role-play provided Program participants with a deeply powerful and personal insight into the lived experience being a refugee, charting a Rohingya family’s story of fleeing Myanmar seeking refuge in Australia.

The afternoon was a change of pace and focus, with Shane McCurry leading an engaging presentation on how to build a hot-air balloon workplace culture – one with all the ‘nuts and bolts’ (the basket) of process and policy etc and the ‘lift off’ (the balloon) a culture of leadership, wellbeing and growth. A key phrase shared in this session applied throughout the day “The standards we walk past are the standards we accept”.

The day provided the Leadership Program participants with a resounding call to action. Leaders need to speak out and take action about such injustice in so doing creating a more fair and just world.

The Program participants would like to extend their sincere thanks to all of our speakers and to our sponsor for the day, Warrnambool City Council.

Emma Mahony