Also see

The Centre for Sustainability Leadership Fellowship Program Graduate creates renewable fuels race
The Centre for Sustainability Leadership Fellowship Program Graduate leads urban farming
The Centre for Sustainability Leadership Fellowship Program Graduate starts Wipe It Out
The Centre for Sustainability Leadership Fellowship Program Graduate creates 1000 year plan
The Centre for Sustainability Leadership Fellowship Program Graduate starts Biofuel revolution
The Centre for Sustainability Leadership Fellowship Program Graduate leads business change
Conversations with Graduates

Feedback from 2008 Fellows

Jai Allison
“The Fellowship Program removed my own limitations, gave me all the skills, tools and examples to be a great sustainability leader, but most of all, the people I have met who will do it with me. It’s time to start being a leader, less becoming.”

Justin Cob
“Working with a group of diverse people, united in their desire and commitment to build a just and sustainable world, gave me the inspiration and support to work on the changes we so urgently need”

“Just because your paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not trying to kill you”—Chopper

Eva Migdal
“Outstanding opportunity to develop personal political social and community skills which will accelerate and focus your passion, vision, influence both inside yourself and outside in the world.”

Geoff Gourley
“I gained knowledge, experience and understanding you would never get from books.”
“I better understand the skills needed to lead and the attitude to take others with me.”
“I will direct, lead and influence over 1000 small businesses.”
“To make real change and world sustainability.”
“To create a generation of caring leaders to ensure the sustainability of the planet.”

Alison Dodd – environmental lawyer
“The Fellowship Program was all about people for me! People in the course, speakers we had, mentors and others we met—all experienced, informed, opinioned and inspirational.”

“It was so great to meet with the other inspired people each week. The ideas and energy are infectious and amazing. It just makes you want to get out there and do great (sustainability) things!”

Roland Dillion – policy role at the EPA
“The Fellowship Program allowed me to design and deliver a more ambitions project than I could have done before. It linked me with talented and like minded people. (The program was like our human resources department; it recruited the best, trained them up and made them accountable.)”

Miyuki Jokiranta – environmental science reporter
“The Fellowship Program opened up a field, opened up my mind and opened doors. Without the support, tools and infrastructure the program provided, I would not have begun to lodge my path as a leader in the sustainability field.”

Kathryn Bowen
“Participating in the Fellowship Program has expanded my previously small world of sustainability to a now much richer world and understanding. This has given me the confidence to make a career decision to work in public health and sustainability and link up with the global leaders in this field. This experience has been much more than just intensely educational but has resulted in substantial friendship and invaluable networks.”

Rupert Baker – senior vet
“The Fellowship Program was a great experience in a professional and personal sense. The access to the professional and technical leaders in corporate and government positions was phenomenal. There people gave me a great insight into leadership and issues in diverse areas in society.”

“The most significant thing I have gained from the Fellowship Program has been the ability to see change and take the responsibility to make it happen.”

“As the result of the program I have made new friends and network, gained skills and identified areas that need strengthening to develop my leadership potential further.”

Dougal McInnes – senior policy officer
“When was the last time you thought about leadership—let alone displayed leadership? This course allows you to take that rush and do that thinking by challenging your habits, knowledge and assumptions about sustainability, leadership and your role. The course connects people to peers, experts, positions of power, and people of inspiration.”

“You start making change happen and creating, doing, seeing, understanding leadership.”

“It has been a privilege growing together with a group of talented people. Thank you!”

Feedback from Graduates

“The workshops were very well organized and gave me a lot of ‘food for thought’ also was very valuable in hearing what others in the group had to say, were doing etc. These were definitely a highlight of the week. The speakers were exceptional and well sourced. These sessions basically gave me fuel to go out and keep at the whole environmental thing. I also have made valuable networks and as importantly friends, some great friends. It also showed me the views of many different worlds such as marketing etc that I had very little knowledge of.

“The group project was a great idea for hands on and really getting to know what it takes to conceptualise, design and then actually implement environmental programs. It taught me so much about group dynamics, societal views and the tools to use when going about such tasks. Everything environmental I had pretty much implemented by myself, so I really needed the group interaction prospect of the program. Showed how powerful it could be. And best of all I think we have really succeeded in making a difference.

“Networking was definitely one of the highlights of the program. I have got to meet and gain from so many exceptional people. The student networking has been valuable in the sense of finding information that you had not sourced yourself and letting others know of information you have, just the email list of upcoming news and events has been a plus for me. The networking from the speakers that the Fellowship Program brought in was also great. Our group used some of these people to help through aspects of our project and we also just got ideas how to approach others people companies etc.

“The Fellowship Program is so important for bringing people together that share the same passions and equipping them with theoretical and practical tools to go out and become leaders. It creates a positive attitude from its group dynamics and most of all I think it showed me that as individuals we can be great achievers, but real achievement is gained through group activity and the benefits are far more outreaching because a “champion team will always beat a team of champions’. It helps to bring people together that share a common belief but come from diverse backgrounds. But it doesn’t stop there, then it gives them tools to use to become a team and achieve.”

-John Conallin
Ecologist, SKM Consulting
2005 Fellowship Program Fellow

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“The Fellowship Program assisted in developing a variety of skills I felt were important for a person wishing to instigate positive environmental outcomes in a relatively short amount of time. Some of the most valued skills I gained were during the project development and design session run by Jason at the retreat. Although I have had some media training, I really enjoyed Brett’s [media trainer] manner and approach, and learnt a lot. In general, the course provided a refreshing open forum with discussion with the most amazing people – both other course participants and the varied, numerous and often colourful guests. I have always held the desire to save the world, but doing a PhD, I felt very focused in a limited area. The Fellowship Program was fantastic in broadening my horizons, and giving me confidence to ‘make a difference’. I really looked forward to the weekly workshops – they covered topics I recognised as vitally important, but which my formal education had not addressed. The speakers were inspirational! Their varied backgrounds, perspectives and passions provided for an interesting and more holistic address of different issues. The mentoring session was great – I hadn’t considered the importance of a mentor until we began discussing the benefits. Throughout the course, I learnt more about myself, and my strengths and weaknesses. It gave us all confidence in what we want to do, and some important networks to help us along the way. The program is vitally important, because there is nothing else out there so suitable to the needs of budding future leaders! I would highly recommend the program to anyone who feels passionately about the environment, and wishes to maximize their effectiveness as an instigator of change!”

-Jacqui Salter
PhD Student, Monash University
2005 Fellowship Program Fellow

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“The Fellowship Program provided me new thinking and communicating tools that are already helping me in the day to day dealings, discussions and debates of the sustainable journey. The guest speakers and specialty workshops offer great insights and combine to provide both inspiration and expertise. My fellow team members are perhaps the most amazing influence and asset to the program and I am very grateful that we each have this new supportive team and friendships to take forward. The Fellowship Program offers a unique opportunity to gain understanding of views and principles across a broad spectrum of the environmental and sustainability sector and allows you to reconcile that with your own experience to develop yourself as an effective sustainability practitioner.”

-Donna Lorenz
Senior Climate Change consultant, EarthTech
2005 Fellowship Program Fellow

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“The Fellowship Program has better prepared me to help create a more sustainable world in many ways. It has firstly given me more hope that it is an achievable goal, and worth working for, in this way the Fellowship Program has been an inspiration. The content has turned a belief into a strategy of sorts. The sessions have prepared me for the processes of change, and the pitfalls too. The workshops have provided some good hands on advice for dealing with the media, which will prove useful for me in the future.

“The networking was extremely useful as I now feel that I have a base of experience and skills upon which I can call when I need it. The Fellowship Program is important as it is the guiding hand for those with vision and vigour but who lack skills and knowledge. I would definitely recommend the Fellowship Program to others, and already have. I think this was a fantastic undertaking, the rewards for which will become evident in the years to come as the participants use their new skills to create a better world.”

-Kahlil Lawless
Plant Genetics, Department of Primary Industries
2005 Fellowship Program Fellow

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“The Fellowship Program has better prepared me for creating a sustainable world by opening up a whole spectrum of people and issues I had only glimpsed in the past. Due to the fact that I come from a background far removed from the Environmental sector, I felt my knowledge was limited and based purely on my own opinion or what I had observed. Being part of the Future Sustainability Leaders program family, exposed me to a variety of different people, with different disciplines and different ideas as to what works best. I always felt very privileged being around a group of people who are so intelligent, observant and questioning.

“Being around this group, also helped develop a confidence in my own abilities over the year. Being forced to think on different issues and principles, made me sort out where I stood amongst the group, where my skills lay, and what I had to offer. Earlier in the year, I was unsure as to whether I had the adequate knowledge or skill base to be a valuable contributor. Now, particularly as a result of the workshops and the project work, I am sure I have plenty to contribute and am more than happy to spend my time doing so.

“I have been studying Business Law part-time for nearly 8 years. It has only been over the last two years that Environmental Law became my area of interest. This year, and in particular the Fellowship Program has really concreted what I want to do in the next stage of my life. I am now able to focus on my future career and guide it more specifically into an area I have become very passionate about.

“I am now quite sure I want to work with businesses and help them develop future Policy and Strategy, with a strong focus on Environment, as well as Economic profit. Through the mentor scheme, I have been introduced to Kipling from Corporate Value Associates, who has already helped build my networks, and chances of working in the area I desire. I plan to work alongside him, with guidance on a number of not-for-profit ventures, he is involved with. A specific activity I plan to undertake in the new year is helping small businesses develop Sustainable Business Plans.

“Although the project work, being at a community level, is not where I want to end up, I can’t say enough, how valuable it has been for me. I have spoken with and had dealings with so may people and groups doing work at a community level. Due to the success our pilot is promising to be, I am tempted to continue organising workshops the likes as we have done for the project. I now have a lot more confidence in members of the community and the genuine interest they have in solving some of our environmental issues. I think at first, I was sceptical. Another huge change I have experienced as a result of working on the project, is my ability to speak to people confidently and make requests immediately. Beating around the bush doesn’t work. I’ve found out the best results come when you ask clearly and without hesitation.

“Next year I plan to devote some time on a voluntary basis. The Fellowship Program has given me the opportunity to get a closer glimpse on what a variety of NGO’s are doing and where my skills might be most useful.

“For myself, a mother of two and a part-time designer, part-time student, my life has completely changed. The activities I have been involved with as a result of the Fellowship program have forced me to push previous commitments from my life and make decisions regarding what is important. I am very certain about where I am heading and feel confident that I can move into the next stage of my life with purpose and passion.”

-Serena de Kretser
Graphic designer and Business Law student
2005 Fellowship Program Fellow