Diversity scholarships available for leadership participants

Applications are now open for the Gippsland Community Leadership Program.

The 12 month program is designed to create future leaders within the community.

The program provides participants with an enhanced understanding of the:

Power and impact of leadership; Workings of government and political environments and the role of advocacy;

Value of community connections;

Diversity of Gippsland and its challenges and opportunities; and,

Qualities as a leader now and the leader you can become

Since it began in 1996, more than 600 people have graduated from the GCLP, which aims to expose Gippsland leaders to the history, present and future possibilities of Gippsland while enhancing participants’ skillsets, enabling them to return to their Gippsland community as better, willing and able leaders.

AGL Loy Yang sponsors diversity scholarships for the GCLP each year.

Current scholarship recipient Farhat Firdous of Warragul said the program offered positive results for participants.

“I am a skilled migrant and have been living in Gippsland since 2015,” Farhat said.

“For me, attending the program meant that I got to know more about Gippsland, its history and its people. It also meant that I could connect with other participants and alumni of the program.

“Without the AGL scholarship, it would have been difficult for me to attend the program as a self-paying participant.

“We want to support leaders in diverse areas of our community that may not have otherwise had the opportunity to take part in this program. We know that diversity of people brings diversity of ideas and we look forward to working with our local leaders of the future to grow our region.”

AGL Loy Yang general manager Nigel Browne said the company was a strong supporter of the Gippsland Community Leadership Program.

“I completed the program back in 2005 and understand the skills it enables you to develop and the opportunities it opens up.

“At AGL, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of all that we do and we are proud to again offer these diversity scholarships as part of the GCL.

“We want to support leaders in diverse areas of our community that may not have otherwise had the opportunity to take part in this program. We know that diversity of people brings diversity of ideas and we look forward to working with our local leaders of the future to grow our region,” he said.

For more details about the GCLP and AGL scholarships, including the selection criteria and process, go to:

https://www.gclp.asn.au/ and https://www.gclp.asn.au/selection-criteria/