Written by the amazing Hannah Bowden, one of our 2018 Leadership Competition winners.
I am passionate about equality and applied for the Country to Canberra Leadership Competition because I thought it would be a fantastic opportunity to develop my knowledge of different issues and practical leadership skills, such as public speaking and networking.
Receiving the phone call from the team at C2C to tell me I had won a place on the Power Trip…that was an absolutely awesome feeling. I feel very lucky to have had a chance to be a part of this wonderful program, to have met such amazing people and to have had my eyes opened to new ideas and perspectives.
Day 1… we arrived in Canberra from all corners of Australia and set out on our adventure around the nation’s capital.
Day 2 was focused on ‘Developing You.’ We began with a sightseeing tour of Canberra before sitting down to the Project Empower workshop. This session was so powerful for me; never before had someone asked me to write down my values. I found this experience empowering because it felt like I had so much control over my actions and decisions- I knew if I always acted with those specific values in mind I would feel more confident in what I do.
Day 3 was all about leadership — focusing on public speaking, entrepreneurship and different leadership styles. We also had a great panel that evening with four incredible speakers — Louise Burrow, Nip Wijewickrema, Alpha Cheng and Jasmine Whitten — who each offered a unique and inspiring personal perspective. During this event, we also practiced networking; this was daunting at first, but grew easier as the evening went on.
Day 4 opened with the Powerful Women’s Breakfast- which was, in all honesty, awe-inspiring. To be surrounded by and able to speak with so many amazing women from different professions and backgrounds was a unique experience. We also watched Question Time at Parliament House and had lunch in the lovely Parliament gardens with a mix of MPs and Senators from all sides of politics. We also got to meet Prime Minister Scott Morrison which was an excellent experience. To top the day off, we had our final networking event — a panel dinner at the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. For me, this practical skill development in networking was a uniquely valuable experience — by the final event I felt so much more confident in my ability to meet new people and discuss new topics.
On Day 5, I think each of us travelled home more confident, more educated and more grateful than ever for the fantastic opportunity we had had.
Since the trip, I have felt more confident in myself, especially when it comes to sharing my opinion in a constructive way, public-speaking and networking. I would encourage people to apply for this trip — it is incredible! I would like to thank the entire team at C2C for their tireless work to make the trip so amazing and to empower a new generation of leaders.
“We do not inherit the world from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”
– Chief Seattle
This quote particularly resonates with me as I believe these words should inform and inspire a new generation of leadership — leadership focused on integrity and providing for present and future generations, not leadership that drags its heels in the mistakes of the past.
Leadership that promotes, embodies and inspires respect.
That is what I hope for the future — and with programs inspiring young people to consider taking on leadership roles, such as C2C, I think this hope looks promising.