• Second round of AlburyCity Leadership and Resilience Scholarships on offer at Charles Sturt in Albury-Wodonga

Future leaders in the Albury-Wodonga will get another chance to develop their leadership and resilience skills with the announcement of another round of inspiring scholarships through Charles Sturt University.

A second round of AlburyCity Leadership and Resilience Scholarships will be extended to existing students in the program and other community members.

The announcement was made in 2022 during the ‘Building Community Resilience’ workshop held as part of the first round of scholarships.

Students who accepted scholarships in the first round will have the chance to complete a further two micro subjects, which would mean they are a quarter of the way to obtaining a Graduate Certificate in Community Leadership and Resilience.

New students will have the chance to enhance their leadership and resilience skills by completing the first two subjects of the scholarship program: ‘Inclusive Community Engagement’ and ‘Transformational Leadership’.

Charles Sturt Head of Government Relations and Regional Engagement, Ms Samantha Beresford, said now is a crucial time to develop leaders with strong capacity to provide guidance in times of crisis.

“Our community response to the recent floods, bushfires and pandemics has proven the resilience of our community leaders and has also shone a light on new and aspiring leaders that have emerged due to these disasters,” she said. 

“The AlburyCity Scholarship is the perfect step for those current and aspiring leaders to broaden their knowledge and skill sets to be able to provide positive change and direction in times of need.”

Ms Beresford said the second round of these scholarships provides an important educational platform to support local community organisations and build resilience. 

“Whether you are part of your local rural fire service, a proud member of Rotary or a lifelong member of the CWA, these micro subjects will have long-lasting benefits for you, your organisation and your local community,” she said.

AlburyCity Mayor Kylie King said Council is proud to partner with Charles Sturt University to support our leaders.

“The AlburyCity Leadership and Resilience Scholarship was introduced to drive capacity, leadership and growth in the region by supporting members of our community to broaden their knowledge and increase their skills,” Cr King said.

“Council is proud to partner with Charles Sturt University to offer this one-of-a-kind program, helping current and emerging community leaders make an impact on their career, organisation or community.”

Ms Sherylyne Moran (pictured, inset) from the Thurgoona Community Centre participated in the first round of the program and said the skills she gained were invaluable.

“In a short, succinct but powerful way, the Building Community Resilience micro subject at Charles Sturt University has provided leaders in the course with the tools to listen well to the collective wisdom of the people they serve,” she said.

“It’s not about being the expert in the field, it’s about taking the time to respect what people are saying, to think about who else should be heard and bring about trusting cooperation.

“I have already changed how I address problems that arise in the community centre where I work. I’ve stepped back from hastily finding a solution to “fix it” and allowed the people in the situation to process issues in their own time.”

Eligibility criteria and more information on the scholarship is available on the Charles Sturt website. Applications for this scholarship close on Tuesday 14 February 2023. All applicants will be advised of their outcome by Thursday 16 February 2023.