The incoming Student Council this year had the opportunity to spend their annual camp at St Thomas More College in Perth, where they participated in leadership development sessions run by the Head of College Tom Mitchell.
The units were both challenging and informative for the Student Council, who came out with much to discuss and consider. To break up the program, we also included a session at BOUNCE trampolines, a ‘Maccas run’ and much frivolity in the form of soccer, singing and bonding over scrumptious meals. All in all, it was a fantastic start to planning a productive year ahead.
With a philosophy very much focused on personal leadership, Tom broke his leadership program down into three areas:
What is Leadership?
This module considered the personal meaning of leadership with each student exploring their own understanding of what makes a great leader. Despite there being well over 100 years of research on the concept of leadership, experts have been unable to come up with a conclusive single definition of what the term ‘leadership’ means.
It’s All About Perspective
This unit looked at the fact that each of us has a unique set of experiences that have shaped who we are and how we view the world. It consolidated the idea that good leaders need to develop the ability to walk in another’s shoes. Without the ability to empathise, learning leadership skills will not lead to productive conclusions.
Self-Care and Good Time Management
This module drew out from the students the necessity for a dedicated and deliberate self-care strategy. This module also explored the indicators for deteriorating mental health to enable leaders to constantly monitoring their own well-being at an emotional level.
At St Mary MacKillop College we value student leadership, and guide our young people to develop their leadership potential both within the College and beyond. The College leadership program gives students opportunities and support to find their voices, participate in decision-making, and understand their rights and responsibilities as both active citizens and effective leaders. In developing skills to become leaders within our College, students are empowered to have a real impact on their immediate social and educative environment.