How will the funds be used?

We aim to foster and nurture a new Indigenous leadership by:

• connecting and supporting our graduates by linking them with mentors in their chosen fields, and by providing opportunities to network and to learn from other graduates.
• researching what makes effective leadership in an Indigenous context, so that deeper knowledge and understanding can be reached about how to support Indigenous people to move forward and tackle current disadvantage.
• creating a national 'space' that encourages conversation and learning about what makes effective Indigenous leadership
• promoting the value of fostering Indigenous leadership as a key strategy for addressing the issues that confront Indigenous communities today

Key areas of expenditure for funds donated

The AILC would provide a range of opportunities to link existing and emerging leaders at all levels with each other. The conversation process will be assisted by experience AILC facilitators. The purpose of the opportunities would be to explore issues such as:

• what is effective Indigenous leadership and how it can be fostered
• what are more inclusive structures and processes that can help to address feuding and conflict that results from disempowerment
• how do we build effective forums for discussing issues of critical importance that also recognise differences and gain agreed pathways forward
• how do we promote employment opportunities that will increase Indigenous participation across all industries and sectors.

We envisage that this will involve activities such as:

• an online forum where guest speakers' talk about an issue and alumni discuss the issues raised
• regular facilitated meeting in regional areas that bring together alumni and others to explore issues in safety; these meetings would bring leaders together to discuss challenges and how the network might help the person think strategically to overcome difficulties and build positive change
• some national meetings that are focused on a specific issue or aspect of leadership that does not seek to gain consensus but provides a space for safe thinking and dialogue
• running a residential program with more established leaders and with new emerging leaders that help to build relationships, challenge views and move deeper into a cross cultural understanding of leadership. The residential program will draw on external speakers, providing input that helps to make the program challenging and dynamic
• in collaboration with employers in various industry groups (both for profit and not for profit), running career fairs, work experience and traineeship programmes to create access to a variety of employers and create relationships that can be leveraged to enhance employment opportunities.