Do you bemoan the fact that very few of our so-called “leaders” in the world of business and politics actually demonstrate true leadership?
Ask yourself this: how many of these figures make really tough decisions that are in our long-term best interests? How many have the courage to stick with those decisions? How many have the strength to ignore the “white noise” of the media and other powerful interest groups?
It’s a sad indictment of our civic life that, in a time of real environmental crisis, the answer is very few.
Thankfully, things are changing. Young people around the world are taking control of their future. There is a power shift from the old way of doing things – and a shift from the old powerbrokers – to a new generation of change-makers.
One organisation which epitomises this changing of the guard is the Centre for Sustainability Leadership.
Founded by Australia’s Young Environmentalist of the Year, Larissa Brown, the Centre for Sustainability Leadership has a simple motto: “We’ve tried to get people in positions of power to care; now we’re going to get people who care into positions of influence.”
The Centre runs a Fellowship Program which aims to create the next generation of green leaders in all fields of business and society.
Through an eight month program of weekly workshops, retreats and mentoring, the Fellowship Program helps transform the knowledge you gain at university or in your jobs into tangible environmental and business outcomes.
I’ve seen the work of the Centre at first hand and it is inspiring to see networks of talented and passionate young people working together to change the world for the better.
The Centre for Sustainability Leadership Fellowship Program has run successfully in Melbourne for the past four years and launches in Sydney for the first time this year.
Applications for both the Sydney and Melbourne Fellowship Programs close 30 March. Further information can be found at www.csl.org.au
