28 Australia Awards scholars from the Pacific Islands have successfully completed their second and final residential leadership ‘intensive’ through the 2024 Women’s Developmental Leadership Program.
Travelling to Brisbane in September 2024, the scholars from Fiji, Nauru, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Republic of Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu came together to consolidate their leadership learnings and capabilities, strengthen relationships with each other, and prepare to take leadership action upon their return home.
The emerging leaders also learned from prominent Pacific and Australian leaders and experts, including the Hon. Kessy Sawang, Member of the National Parliament of PNG and WLI Steering Committee Member.
After touching down at Brisbane airport, participants travelled to Clear Mountain on the outskirts of Brisbane, where they reconnected with each other and prepared for the week ahead.
In this tranquil setting, participants delved more deeply into developmental and ontological leadership concepts, consolidating lessons and skills they have been mastering while on the Women’s Developmental Leadership Program.
Discussions and activities throughout the week were designed to prepare participants to lead and influence by challenging them to conceptualise leadership through a gendered lens, speak publicly, and map and leverage their own and shared networks for collective action.
At the same time, self-care practices were prioritised and explored. These included daily yoga or Chi Kung sessions designed to ground participants, and a visit from Mandala Counselling staff to reinforce the importance of and strategies to maintain mental health.
All of these activities were focused on developing skills and tools participants will deploy to maintain the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health they need to lead effectively.
Expert guests and distinguished leaders also joined participants for discussions on building public support for women's leadership, including among Pacific men, by using the latest research available on the topic.
Among them, the Hon. Kessy Sawang, Member for Rai Coast and Minister for Labor and Employment shared insights into overcoming challenges and barriers to leadership in male-dominated environments in which building support is critical.
According to Tongan participant and experienced economist, Mefilina Tohi, being in the presence of the Hon. Sawang as she shared her first-hand experience rising through the National Parliament of PNG was “truly inspirational”.
“We often talk about leadership as a somewhat distant dream, but the Honorable Kessy Sawang’s presence during the week gave us a rare insight into what leadership at the highest level looks like in real life,” said Master of International Development Economics (The Australian National University) student Mefilina.
To prepare participants to take action for positive development change upon their return home to the Pacific, they were guided to map out steps towards their own leadership goals, while anticipating and planning to overcome potential challenges that may arise alongside them.
By the end of the week, participants had built confidence and belief in themselves, strengthened life-long connections through the WLI “sisterhood”, cemented key concepts to support their leadership journey, and come to see themselves as the leaders they are.
For experienced teacher and Master of Philosophy (James Cook University) student from Vanuatu, Leisale Roberts, coming to the end of the residential leadership intensive was bittersweet.
On the final day of the intensive Leisale explained, “Today feels a bit emotional, as I will be saying ‘goodbye’ to these powerful women and the WLI team, but I know I have established a wonderful networking opportunity for life.”
Passionate about promoting and protecting the use of Indigenous languages in Vanuatu, Leisale hopes to inspire young women to step into leadership and speak up to share their knowledge with the world.
“The support and network I have created is very powerful and can be utilised in the different contexts we come from,” Leisale added.
For Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Government and International Relations (Griffith University) student, Vanessa Teutao, the intensive week helped to reaffirm her desire to address the unique needs of women and young people in the Solomon Islands by contributing to evidence-based policy and programs.
“Thank you for helping me to unlearn my thinking of ‘the system’, particularly our government systems, as being a separate part to me; and reaffirming my patriotism and love for home, because we are all part of the system, and WLI has given us tools to work towards helping to fix it,” Vanessa reflected.
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After their intensive 18 months on the Women’s Developmental Leadership Program, alumni stay part of the WLI network and are supported to build skills, networks and take on leadership for positive development in the Pacific.
Professional development opportunities, leadership coaching, and access to dedicated counselling continue to be available to alumni when they return home to the Pacific. Alumni of WLI leadership programs (including LeadershipConnect) take part in networking opportunities, attend events, and have a chance to access leadership funding.
At the same time, WLI Alumni Representatives based in the Pacific keep fellow alumni connected to WLI networks, events, and opportunities.
