Students urged to become leaders and 'make a difference'

More than 100 high school students from Toowoomba and across the Darling Downs region were inspired to develop a passion for making the world a more equitable place during USQ's Youth Leadership Program (YLP).

Guest speaker at the annual event, Dan Adams, shared his experiences in organising the highly-successful 2006 Make Poverty History concert, which prompted 50,000 Australians to sign up to the campaign to end extreme poverty and reached a global audience of more than 20 million people.

'A lot of people told me that because I was so young I couldn’t do this....to wait until I was 30 and try again,' he told the students.

'There was a time when I was getting nowhere and felt powerless and frustrated. (But) if you’re persistent and determined enough, you can do anything.'

Education academic and YLP Coordinator, Associate Professor Dorothy Andrews, said the program was designed to help potential and current school leaders to understand leadership and encourage them to build on their leadership skills.

'Using the theme, Make it Happen, the students explored the concept of leadership and how they can mobilise others to make a difference,' Associate Professor Andrews said.

The keynote address and workshops throughout the day promoted the message that effective leaders do not work on their own, but to action change, they must engage and motivate others around them.

Harristown State High School Year 11 student Rachael Briese said although she was not sure what she wanted to do after she finished school, she thought it was important to learn to be a good leader.

'I want to learn new leadership skills and meet new people through the Youth Leadership Program,' she said.

YLP attracts students in Years 9 to 12 and is one of a number of annual community engagement activities hosted by the Faculty of Education.

The organising committee for YLP consists of USQ staff, local teachers and for the first time in 2011, USQ student leaders from the residential colleges, who were involved in running workshops throughout the day.

For more information on the 2011 Youth Leadership Program, visit: www.usq.edu.au/education/newsevents/youthleadership