MEGAN Wood is an emerging leader in the Gannawarra Shire you can expect to see and hear a lot more of.
Her voice is influencing the community groups she is proudly a member of.
Ms Wood is one of 18 participants from across the Loddon-Murray region in this year’s Loddon Murray Community Leadership Program.
“Personal and professional development are two things that are important to me,” she said.
“I’m always striving to enhance those.”
Ms Wood lives in the Kerang area and has spent time supporting primary school students in many of the local primary schools.
She enjoyed the role so much that it was the catalyst for completing a Certificate 4 in Training and Assessing last year with a view to guiding emerging education support staff in the sector.
Ms Wood was secretary on the board of governance at Kerang Neighbourhood House, a member of Kerang Community Market committee and an active member of Rotary Club of Kerang.
“The program gives me an insight into how to work within the community and those roles,” she said.
“There’s definitely a lot of pearls of wisdom along the way.
“It’s been great to see and hear from other communities and get to know how they do things … the thing that’s taught me the most.”
Ms Wood said that being a leader wasn’t just traditional politics.
“Even though we are exposed to community leaders and government leaders within communities, as well as general leaders, you don’t have to be a standing member of shire, you can be a community member in an organisation and still have power to make change and contribute.
“Everyone is a link in the chain.”
Ms Wood highlighted a session in the program by Lisa Smith from Minds at Work.
“Lisa took us through thinking styles and our preferences and how it takes different people to make an organisation or make an idea happen,” she said.
“Working with different personalities within those groups.”
Ms Wood said there was serious volunteer burnout in regional communities.
“I think people are reluctant to put their hand up and join committees now,” she said.
“It’s a real shame because personally I found a sense of connection and fulfilment to be with the organisations I’ve joined.
“People don’t realise the benefits they will get from joining committees.”
The program, now in its 26th year, has helped almost 600 graduates become more effective community leaders, many going on to support their communities on committees or within all levels of government.
This year’s program has been supported by the Foundation of Rural and Regional Renewal, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
LEAD Loddon Murray executive officer Brett Thompson said each participant was funded by “one of our valued sponsors who wish to contribute to building our communities’ capacity for self-determination and management of many issues, including health, climate resilience and disaster recovery”.
Ms Wright was sponsored by Gannawarra Council.
Participants completing the program also work on developing a community project. Many of these concepts have been completed since the program was first held in 1998.
This year’s program was launched in February and runs until the end of the year.
