If you haven’t considered being a La Trobe Leader, it’s time that you should! Being part of the La Trobe Leaders program could open doors for you, as well as provide important insights into your study and career aspirations.
The program provides various extra-curricular opportunities to bolster and support your study and personal interests.
Hilary Macrae discovered the National Leadership Forum through the La Trobe Leaders program. As a Bachelor of Law (Honours)/Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics, student who is also completing an internship with the Parliament of Victoria, she jumped at the opportunity to apply for this immersive experience.
The Forum gave Hillary a chance to see the Federal side of Parliament and further her knowledge of the Australian Government system.
Hilary was selected by the La Trobe Leaders program to attend the Forum in Canberra and was provided a sponsorship by the Uni, as part of her attendance.
The La Trobe Leaders program enhances belonging. Without the program and this opportunity, I would feel less at home at Uni.
Hilary has since reflected on the key takeaways from attending the Forum.
1) The best leaders focus on serving their community. 2) Being vulnerable and open with people creates better connections. 3) There are so many different paths to success.
Here’s what Hilary had to say about her time in Canberra.
On Wednesday 21 August, I packed up all my business attire (plus a cowboy hat) and hopped on an early morning flight to Canberra to attend the National Leadership Forum. Thank you to La Trobe for sponsoring my attendance. The four days I spent at the Forum will not be easily forgotten and I will hold onto these memories and friendships for life!
Day 1 – Thursday 22 August
After registration at the Hyatt and quickly meeting my small group for the week, we were off to Parliament.
When we arrived, we watched question time which, as we later learnt, is not representative of the bi-partisan collaboration that often goes on behind the scenes. However, the verbal sparring between politicians was interesting to observe. Julian Lesser and Luke Gosling welcomed us to Parliament House and the Forum.
Here, we also had the privilege of being addressed by the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. It was interesting to hear from both, as it shed new light on who they are as people and their roles today.
I am thankful to the other politicians who took the time to address us, particularly David Fawcett who had a meeting with my small group. An important takeaway I have from the forum is a metaphor he used. David described managing the competing demands of life as juggling rubber balls and glass balls. He used this analogy to describe having to focus on the important things in life such as health and family – that are glass – and picking up and putting down different ‘rubber balls’.
That evening we then had dinner in the Great Hall where we heard from Speaker Milton Dick and former Chief of Army, David Morrison AO. David Morrison’s speech was a highlight for me. His address focused on the importance of leaders in shaping a culture that is open and inclusive. He emphasised the need to listen to others with different experiences and acknowledge and grow from mistakes. I cannot convey how meaningful and moving this speech was in this post, but he certainly deserved the standing ovation he received.
Day 2 – Friday 23 August
To begin day two, we visited the Australian War Memorial, where we also heard an address about servant leadership, before we laid a poppy at the grave of the Unknown Soldier. This was a valuable time to reflect on and be grateful for all the people who have paid the ultimate price in service of our nation. Then, we visited Old Parliament House for a panel on philanthropy. This provided useful insight, before we went back to the Hyatt to prepare for the Forum ‘Sports Day’ afternoon.
Back at the Hyatt, our facilitators surprised us with our group’s theme for the afternoon – Greek Gods (some honourable mentions of themes from other groups were dads, eshays and m n’ ms). We all changed into our costumes and headed out onto the volleyball court. Although we were a bit rusty to begin with, by working in a team and cheering each other on, we ended up winning a few games and grew together as a team.
That night we heard from David Bassau AM, who sold a successful business to start an organisation. The organisation aims to tackle poverty, by giving loans to people, so that they can acquire enough capital to start their own small business in their community.
That evening it was my turn to share my story to my small group. We each shared throughout the forum – analysing what has shaped us to be the people we are today and how this informs how we want to show up in the world and lead. It was a privilege to hear everyone else’s stories. I am grateful for the role our facilitators played in creating such a safe and welcoming environment, for this sharing of stories.
Day 3 – Saturday 24 August
Day three began with a keynote address and seminar sessions. A highlight of that morning was hearing from Amar Singh, who is the founder of Turbans 4 Australia. After facing racial abuse growing up, Amar wanted to break the stigma and set up the charity to help struggling Australians, promote multiculturalism and religious tolerance. Amar now distributes food and grocery hampers to those in need.
In the afternoon we completed community service, before preparing for the barn dance that evening – here we got into our country outfits and cowboy hats ready to dance! The barn dance, though nothing like I’d done before, was so much fun – made all the better by the people I shared it with.
Day 4 – Sunday 25 August
Our last morning together was bittersweet. It provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on our time together and say goodbye to the people I now call close friends.
I am incredibly grateful that La Trobe provided me with this opportunity and for all the people that made my time at the Forum so special.
Since returning home from the Forum, Hilary has reflected that the program has provided insight into her future career plans.
I have too many career aspirations; however, the program has reaffirmed that I want to have a job that makes a difference.
Hilary is super grateful for the program and encourages that anyone who is interested in the program to register. Learning about leadership is relevant to anyone and is a foundational life skill for all.
For more information about the program, check out the La Trobe Leaders website.