Diversity is needed to grow, change and innovate. Having a diverse and collaborative set of young leaders, will enable us to gather new perspectives on ideas, and broaden our horizons. All aspects of diversity should be welcomed and encouraged in leadership roles as it builds up our capacity to deal with issues that would have been beyond our reach or knowledge. Collaborating with people of different races, age, nationality, gender, sexuality and disabled people, we can be enlightened by the adversities they face so we can work collaboratively to make our country a more inclusive space for all walks of life. This starts with our communities.

“It takes a village to raise a child.” Living in rural NSW has presented itself with many challenges, but also a great sense of community within our town. Living in close proximity to the same 2,000 people your whole life strengthens the relationships you have with each other, which consequently nurtures the dynamics in the community. Communities come together at the most pivotal times, when someone or a group is faced by adversity, they support, guide and aid.

However great this may be, I want to change the narrative so that we do not have to wait for the worst to happen to assist each other. We should be helping each other in small ways everyday. If we can empower and nurture the children in our communities who face sociocultural and socioeconomic barriers, we can strengthen our community, we can encourage them to take on leadership roles so we can give them a voice. We will strengthen our communities by promoting awareness of the real issues within our communities and making a change. These diverse young leaders can and will make a pivotal change, as these issues of today, are their issues of tomorrow. They will be the ones who will have to deal with the consequences of their actions, whether this be positive or negative. By giving a voice to the people who will deal with the outcome of the decisions made, we can make the most informed decisions possible.