Rural Development Services is proud to stand alongside business, government and non-profit organisations as a foundation sponsor of the Tasmanian Rural Community Young Leaders Academy.

Dr Tom Lewis, Managing Director, Rural Development Services Managing Director, says investing in the social capital of rural Tasmania is just as essential to the health of rural industries and communities as investing funds in physical infrastructure.

"Our team at Rural Development Services is highly skilled and they are great communicators, we want to show leadership by helping to develop Tasmania's young rural leaders," says Tom Lewis.

The Tasmanian Rural Community Young Leaders Academy will identify and nurture talent amongst young rural leaders passionate about Tasmania's rural industries, communities, lifestyle and environment.

The Academy will focus on young men and women in the 18 to 25 years age group. The Academy will provide a comprehensive program involving training and development in professional skills, values and attitudes.

"The return on investment in these young rural leaders will come from the networking of their individual and collective skills to increase rural Tasmania's economic, environmental and social sustainability," says Tom Lewis. "This can mean profitable industries and job creation which in turn support physically and mentally healthy communities and individuals."

The Academy will draw on the human resources of Rural Development Services and those of other foundation sponsors such as financial solutions specialist WHK Tasmania, Tasmanian Farmers and Growers Association (TFGA), Rural Alive & Well (RAW) and the Australian Government's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

The inaugural progamme of the Academy will take place over two weekends with mentoring and linking sessions in between the weekends and after graduation. The Academy will be officially launched and begin accepting applications on 15 July 2009. The first program will start on 4 September 2009 and end on 31 October 2009.

The program will be wholistic with the objective of developing the overall and particular talents of each young leader in the context of the opportunities and needs of the rural industries and communities around them. The program will also emphasise professional skills development and physical health and fitness.

Real life case studies with experienced mentors teaching, advising and reinforcing the lessons learned with continuous feedback will stimulate and test they young leaders selected to participate in the program.

Graduates from the program will have an extra special highlight to add to their resume regardless of their final career path. Leadership is one of the most highly valued and transportable skills any ambitious young person can have.

The strategy behind the Academy and its program also emphasises the benefits to rural industry and rural communities of a critical mass of young leaders closely bonded and encouraged to network.

For more information please go to the project page...