Drought Resilience Leaders Program
With over 3,200 connections between 600 participants from 474 towns over 18 months, the Drought Resilience Leaders Program is one of the most significant leadership program investments in rural Australia.
Learn more about the program’s impact or download the comprehensive report.
About the program
The Drought Resilience Leaders Program was part of the ‘better prepared communities’ stream of the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. It received an investment worth $7.45 million. Drought resilience is a complex concept. There is no simple measure of resilience as it depends on context and therefore means something different to each person, farm, community and agricultural landscape.
This is why tailored, and practical interventions are required to increase drought resilience – there is no one-size fits all approach. Future Drought Fund investments are ultimately focused on building resilience through resources, practices and capabilities.
The elements of this program aimed to bring people together to practice, develop, and enhance leadership skills that could help build personal, community, and network resilience. During the program, participants had the opportunity to reflect on their progress, including the development of intangible skills such as self-confidence, presenting to others, and storytelling. Each participant brought their own life and leadership experience to the program. For some, the program built on those prior leadership skills, while for others, it was their first time exploring leadership development.
Delivered in a partnership
Impacts we've evaluated individually and collectively...
Strengthened drought resilience and leadership capacity across 12 regions and 30 different sectors.
Young and emerging leaders share their drought resilience leadership skills and capabilities.
Farmers and drought and climate experts shared their adaptation skills and knowledge with their peers through mentoring relationships and a national webinar series.
Professional development outcomes realised for participants.
Community extension grants result in projects that increase public good.
Drought Resilience Leaders Development
The Drought Resilience Leaders Development program brought people from one region together to practice and grow leadership skills that help build personal, community, and network resilience. During the program, participants were asked reflect on their progress, including the development of intangible skills such as self-confidence, presenting to others, and storytelling. The evaluation framework also assessed leadership skills of critical thinking, collaboration, diverse stakeholder management, mobilising talent and staff, communication, conflict management, complexity, ethical leadership, working with diverse stakeholders, and working with other leaders. Each participant brought their own life and leadership experience to the program. For some, the program built on those prior leadership skills, while for others, it was their first time exploring leadership development. After the program, community extension grants supported participants with applying their skills with projects that build resilience in their communities.
”This was my first leadership-anything so it gave me great insight how the dynamics of these groups work. Growth is inevitable in such an environment of strong minds and the willingness to work together.“
Top rated leadership skills
I’m comfortable working with other leaders.
I’m comfortable working with people who are different to me.
I’m able to build enduring relationships collaboration and partnerships.
Leadership skills with greatest change
I think critically and gain insights into key issues.
I mobilise talent and build capabilities of staff.
I manage conflict effectively.
Top rated leadership attributes
Adaptation – I can see the value in working with people who are different to me.
Awareness – I understand that my behaviour has an impact on the thoughts, feelings and reactions of others.
Authenticity – I receive and remain open to feedback and learn from failure.
"I felt I wasn’t a leader but after the program I realised this is not true. I can lead my community…. If I don’t do …. Who will?"
Leadership attributes with greatest change
Adaptation – I can see the value in working with people who are different to me.
Awareness – I understand why other people respond the way they do and behave in relation to my own behaviour.
Advocacy – I share and promote my support for causes that will make a difference for others.
"The impact I realised is a greater perspective in modifying language to communicate effectively with others. My future plans are to take collaborative approaches so communities are not having to reinvent the wheel and give producers the tools to make positive changes on farm to be proactive in their preparation for the next drought."
"The grant really helped me to practice and develop the skills learned during the leadership program. It broadened my thinking and approach to engaging and communicating with the communities I was working with."
Drought Resilience Leaders Mentoring
The mentoring program matched people from the agricultural sector in one-on-one mentoring relationships. Over six months, each mentoring pair conducted six one-hour mentoring sessions. Most pairs connected virtually or via the phone, but a few were able to meet in person.
The design of the matching process connected mentors with mentees from different natural resource management regions to maximise national connections and minimise the opportunity for connection with a mentor who is already in the mentee’s network. This likely contributed to participants rating a large impact on ‘stronger peer and external networks’ as well as an 11% increase in ratings for ‘connecting with rural, regional, and remote communities’.
"My area of growth is that I feel more confident to be able to approach complex issues within my community. I have become more open to others’ opinions and ideas, and it has changed the way I look at leading others and am now working with my community to develop a community resilience workshop.”
Top rated takeaways from the mentoring
It’s helped me frame questions and options to consider in the future.
It’s supported how I set goals.
It’s had an impact on my desire to contribute to the resilience or rural, regional and remote Australia.
"This program has given me confidence to pursue my goal of helping as many rural people as possible to learn resilience skills. I have since started having conversations with key people to help me deliver my vision and am networking and researching the best way to deliver resilience skills to rural families."
Top rated takeaways from learning sessions
It’s supported my personal development.
It’s had an impact on my personal leadership development.
It’s had an impact on personal goal setting.
"The impact of the program was in the connections made as the most valuable part of the experience. My future drought leadership focus is to be a part of a collective that works together on the adaptive challenges to help the community."
Get the snapshot report
Want to know more? Get access to our snapshot report about the Drought Resilience Leaders Program.
