Submitted by Chelsea Sobik (ASLSC)
Over the weekend of the 21st-23rd of August, Luke and I had the privilege of attending the Learn 2 Lead Program, a brand new two year leadership development program through SLSWA for 18–30-year-olds.
Our program began with a two-night camp at the SLSWA Margaret River Development Centre, and it was an incredible way to kick off what we’re sure will be a very exciting two years.
The weekend was filled with a great mix of activities, challenges, learning opportunities and most importantly getting to know the other participants. One of the big highlights was definitely coasteering, which was an awesome experience and gave us the opportunity to step outside our comfort zones, work together and challenge ourselves in a completely different environment.
However, some of the most memorable moments of the weekend came from the simpler things. Sitting around the campfire at night, sharing stories about our lives, our experiences in surf clubs and our goals for the future gave us the chance to really connect with one another.
One of the things that stood out to us throughout the weekend was the diversity of experiences and perspectives that everyone brought to the program. We met so many amazing, like-minded young people from different clubs, each with their own stories, experiences and ideas about how they want to contribute to surf lifesaving.
Throughout the camp, we also had the opportunity to learn about a range of valuable leadership qualities and skills. We were challenged to think about what leadership really means, how we communicate with others, how we work effectively as a team and how we can positively influence the people around us.
The program isn’t just about learning leadership skills in a class. Over the next two years, we’ll have the opportunity to put what we learnt into practice, supported by our mentors and the wider SLSWA community and get the opportunity to attend SLSWA forums. We’re really looking forward to taking what we learnt at camp back to our clubs and finding new ways to contribute.
For both of us, the weekend was a great reminder of just how many opportunities there are within SLSWA to develop yourself, meet new people and take on new challenges. Surf lifesaving provides so much more than just the skills we learn on the beach. It gives young members opportunities to develop confidence, leadership, teamwork and lifelong friendships.
We’re incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to be part of the Learn 2 Lead Program and are excited to see where this journey takes us over the next two years. We’re looking forward to learning from our mentors and meeting more people from across SLSWA
A huge thank you to everyone involved in organising the camp and to all the participants who made the weekend such a memorable experience. It’s only the beginning of our journey but we’re already looking forward to what’s ahead of us!
There are so many ways to get involved and grow through SLSWA, and we’d be more than happy to have a chat with anyone who is interested about this program!
