Leadership learning expands to grow others

“You’ve got to go to places you don’t want to go if you’re going to get up the line,” according to Charlie Kaddy.

That’s what the Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP) forced him to do as a participant of Course 13, which ran during 2007-08.

Charlie came to the program under a scholarship from the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TRSA), where he worked as a field officer for eight years. He had graduated to the position of acting Policy Officer by the time he entered the ARLP.

The Authority is the Local Government umbrella organisation for 17 community councils that administer nearly 300 islands – most of them largely uninhabited – spread over 50,000 km² of the waters between Cape York and the Papua-New Guinea mainland. In that area, there’s a diverse mix of seafaring peoples and cultures, represented by the Community Council chairs that comprise the bulk of the Authority’s board.

 “The program opened my mind to how national issues linked with Torres Strait and broader Indigenous issues I’d been dealing with for many years.

(Charlie Kaddy on Course 14 trip to India)

“The program was a reality check for me … suddenly there was more to life and I realised that I’d have to challenge myself,” this from a man who admits to having to overcome more than his fair share of butterflies when he took the program on.

“I’m much more confident now when I’m with a group and, if there’s one thing I value most from the program, it’s that I learnt to really know my subject if I’m going into a meeting or making a presentation.

“I have a far better understanding of the mechanics of government thanks to the program, and what I learnt helps when I assess projects and initiatives on behalf of the Authority.”

Charlie is now the Authority’s Project Manager, Policy and Engagement, with responsibility for governance and leadership programs for indigenous people in the Torres Strait, education, training and infrastructure projects. He credits much of what he learnt on the ARLP with giving him the ability to handle the extra responsibilities of the position.

 “For the future, I see TSRA continuing to deliver on its vision - Empowering our people, in our decision, in our culture, for the future.  We have some strong and committed local leaders as well as very capable developing leaders so I believe we will achieve some big milestones for the region.”