Strong communities, stronger futures: How do diverse young leaders strengthen rural communities?

Time, effort and hard work are required to grow a fruit tree. Firstly, a seed is planted, germinated, watered, and fertilised, and over time this seed becomes a plant. The plant grows and eventually, the demanding work is recognized through the production of fruit. Likewise, a community develops individuals by nurturing them until they develop and strengthen the community. Yasmin Poole, Latoya Aroha Rule, and Varsha Yajman are all enthusiastic, highly recognisable young leaders. They promote advocacy and determination for the positive development of Australia, idealising the active push to the boundaries for change. Yet their positive development was not always sustainable, their work was often mediated, and their ambitions were often underdeveloped. Having a strong community and empowering support network allowed these individuals and many more the opportunity to flourish into the young diverse leaders they are today. Furthermore, it allows them to benefit their community and give back to create a strong future for the following seeds to turn into trees. This process makes the youth leaders of today an essential element in rural communities.

Being the future generation in an ever-changing world will always be hard. Therefore, the support of an encouraging community empowers youth with the ability to empower our present, recognise our past, and create our future. However, not everyone chooses to optimise their learning of culture, society, and economics. Therefore, the diverse few who are willing to develop ambition and skills, create our future leaders. These leaders bring the ability to reach out to people of all ages and backgrounds, uniting diverse voices, and perspectives to create a stronger community. For the recognition of culture, socialism and economics, a platform is obtained, and a leader is born into society.

The change and sense of belonging initiated by youth aids in bridging the gap between cultures, backgrounds, and generations within a community. Giving people the ability to come together creates meaningful advocacy, empowerment, and mentorship. Not only are the diverse individuals supporting their community but uprising and fostering more of their youth peers into increased engagement and building a vibrant stable community. All youth are born into an evolving world where every opinion, mindset, and perspective revolves around innovative ideas diversifying and developing individuality. Therefore, the solid foundation for sustaining culture and supporting future-impacting decisions requires the leadership of youth just as much as the support and guidance of rural communities.