Community leadership program participant Bryony Large.
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Rechelle Zammit
Arriving in Australia from the United Kingdom just over a year ago, Bryony Large quickly felt like she belonged.
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“I felt so at home here,” she said.
“I met so many like-minded people”.
That was despite hailing from London and never having lived in a rural community before.
Joining the Greater Shepparton City Council’s Community Leadership Program was all about giving back to the community that welcomed her so warmly.
Miss Large, 25, came to Australia as a backpacker looking for a job in the arts. She quickly found a job as program co-ordinator at SAM.
She quickly settled into the community, becoming a member of the Goulburn Valley Young Professionals Committee, before deciding to apply for the community leadership program earlier this year.
Bryony Large has lived in Shepparton for the past year after moving from the UK.
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The program, which ran from May to September, involved 20 participants aged between 19 and 70 from a variety of backgrounds and professions.
The program consisted of fortnightly workshops on a variety of topics, including leadership, communication, conflict resolution, public speaking and goal setting.
Miss Large said the program highlighted the importance of leadership in everyday situations, not just when you were expected to perform.
“The program taught me that before I can lead anyone else, I need to lead myself well first,” she said.
By developing her leadership skills, Miss Large hopes to be a voice on issues that are important to her.
In particular, she wants to help young people and women new to the area make friends and network.
“Moving to this town at 23, the scariest thing is how am I going to make friends, how am I going to meet girls that I can have to have fun with and laugh with,” she said.
Miss Large said she would encourage young people, particularly those new to the community, to become involved in the program in the future.
“If you feel a calling to contribute to the community you should join,” she said.
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