North East AgCare, trading as Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program

A Year in Review 2011-2012

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Our Vision:

“Empowering people to build resilient communities”

Our Purpose:

 Provide the annual Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program, an experience and skills based program that develops the leadership capacity of people and organisations in North East  Develop and strengthen networks which benefit the program  Provide a platform for community conversations about issues affecting the region  Enable people to make a difference and enhance their contribution to community  Provide support services to rural communities

Our Values:

Excellence: In the development and delivery of our activities

Responsive: Relevant to the needs of our communities

Collaborative: Relationships that deliver mutual benefit and value

Integrity: Transparent and accountable to ourselves and our stakeholders

Respect: For our diverse communities

Caring: For each other, our communities and the future of our region

2 AVCLP Board and Staff

Nerida Kerr Anthony Griffiths David Roff Kim Scanlon Chair Deputy Chair Treasurer (Res: March 2012) Executive Officer

David Guy Neil Clydsdale Chris Howe Anne Shaw Assistant Treasurer Alumni and Projects

Lisa Mangelsdorf Graham Nickless Ann Telford Susan Benedyka Facilitator

Patron

“Effective leaders who can inspire people, organisations and governments to collaborate for the collective benefit of everyone are essential to the process of building the community and environment that we all aspire to live in. AVCLP is developing leadership skills to enable those who want to make a difference to do so in a constructive and cooperative manner” John G Brown

John G Brown, AO

3 Chair’s report

It has been an exciting and busy year for North We will be able to develop a series of leadership East AgCare and the Alpine Valleys Community master classes in the coming year, and can now Leadership Program (AVCLP). provide on-going support for our alumni. The The Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program funding has also enabled us to increase our proudly celebrated the graduation of its twelfth presence in the region through an upgrade of our group this year, swelling our alumni to 253 and website and marketing. providing the North East region of Victoria and This is a wonderful position to be in. However we beyond with a diverse group of willing and skilled will still require the generous support of our leaders to positively influence our future. We wish sponsors and the community to continue to them well with their future endeavours. deliver our leadership program. Without the We also successfully delivered a number of short ongoing support of all our sponsors and the leadership programs, including a Rural Women’s community, AVCLP would not be here today. On Governance Program in partnership with Goulburn behalf of the Board I thank you all for your Murray Hume Agcare and with funding from the contributions in cash and in-kind.

Department of Primary Industries. This year we welcomed Lisa Mangelsdorf, David As a result of funding that AVCLP secured from the Guy and Anthony Griffiths, (who are all AVCLP former State Government’s Developing Regional alumni) to the Board. They have all made valuable Leaders Program, we commenced the financial contributions. Lisa has guided our marketing and year with certainty that we could deliver another website development, David has stepped into the leadership program for the year, albeit on a shoe- Treasurer’s role and Anthony is Deputy Chair. string budget. However we were facing a very Sadly our long serving Chairman and Treasurer difficult year as the effects of the GFC continued to David Roff stepped down from the Board due to impact on our ability to attract sponsorship. work commitments. On behalf of the Board and everyone associated with AVCLP I wish to thank We were then presented with the opportunity to David for his outstanding contribution to the apply for additional funding under the current program over many years. Victorian Government’s Regional Community In recognition of his service to the Leadership Leadership Program. The absolute highlight of the Program, David was presented with AVCLP’s year was the announcement of $560,000 of inaugural Honorary Graduate Certificate at the program funding over four years from the Victorian graduation evening in May. We will greatly miss Government. On the behalf of the Board and David’s wonderful sense of humour, wise counsel, everyone associated with AVCLP I wish to sincerely expertise and funny stories. thank the Minister for Regional Development, Hon. Peter Ryan and our local members of Parliament I also wish to thank and acknowledge Graham for this wonderful support. Nickless, Ann Telford, Chris Howe and Neil Clydsdale for all their ongoing dedication and The funding will underpin the delivery of the work on the Board throughout the year. annual program, giving us the ability to devote Chris Howe is also stepping down from the time and energy towards program development, AVCLP/NE AgCare Board at this AGM. Chris has and will increase the program’s long term been a stalwart of both AVCLP and North East sustainability rather than the focus being on the AgCare, representing our interests since their financial survival of the organisation. inception. Our thanks go to Chris for his sus-

tained interest and support of all our programs. 4 Most importantly, on behalf of the Board I wish to The Board thanks and acknowledges our acknowledge our wonderful staff and facilitators facilitator Susan Benedyka who just keeps on who make the program as great as it is. lifting the leadership bar every year for our program. We wish to thank Susan for the Firstly our Executive Officer Kim Scanlon. Kim has support she generously provides our staff, done a great job this year, under some very trying participants and the Board. times. We thank Kim and look forward to continuing the ongoing leadership and stewardship Thank you also to Sheree McKenzie our ever- she provides the program, the participants and the reliable bookkeeper who has kept us on track wider community. financially this year. Our Projects Officer Anne Shaw has put in another Finally I would like to express my appreciation tireless year of work supporting the program, for the time that our many presenters give to our delivering a range of projects. Anne also continues program. We really appreciate the effort that to provide leadership and mentoring throughout they make on our behalf, and their generosity the region. Thank you Anne. when sharing their expertise. I look forward to another exciting year of development for North East AgCare and the Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program, and to seeing the participants of program year 2013 proudly graduate.

Nerida Kerr Chair, North East AgCare

Member for Murray Valley Tim McCurdy, Deputy Chair of AVCLP Anthony Griffiths, AVCLP Board member Graham Nickless and Member for Benalla Dr Bill Sykes at the announcement of State Government funding for AVCLP.

John Brown cutting the ribbon to open AVCLP’s first ever office.

5 Executive Officer Report

The 2011-2012 year has seen an enormous The signature Alpine Valleys Community amount of behind the scenes development of Leadership Program enjoyed increased patronage North East AgCare, which has manifested in great during the year. Twenty-three participants results for the organisation and our signature completed AVCLP during 2011-2012, an increase offering, the Alpine Valleys Community Leadership from 18 participants the previous year. Program. The participants represented communities from Highlights of the year included: Mansfield to Wodonga, were from a diverse range  Securing of Victorian Government funding of occupations and held varying degrees of leader- from the Regional Growth Fund– Victorian ship experience. Regional Community Leadership Fund. This The group travelled to locations across the length very welcome funding of $140,000 each and breadth of , from Corryong year for the next four years has enabled the to Mansfield and all points in between. Among the expansion of the services we provide AVCLP range of places they visited, the participants were participants and alumni, as well as privileged to meet with prisoners within the walls enhancing the quality of our signature of the Correctional facility, were taken program. on a personalised tour of the Winton Wetlands and  Development of an AVCLP office in were treated to a VIP tour of Brown Brothers wines Wangaratta. at Milawa in order to understand this high profile  Appointment of a staff member to support international business. They met with many of the AVCLP alumni for one day per week. region’s most inspirational leaders, and developed  Development of a new AVCLP website. their personal leadership skills through active  Re-branding of our products and the participation in a number of skills days and introduction of an integrated marketing retreats. strategy. The Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program  Introduction of a Christmas function to is a not for profit, community based program, acknowledge and thank sponsors and developed by the people, for the people. It can supporters. only be implemented with an enormous amount of  Introduction of a Community Leadership goodwill, and contributions from its dedicated Forum Board, staff, supporter and sponsor base.  The creation of a variety of projects and opportunities for alumni engagement. Thank you to everyone who has helped to make  Significant strategic planning for the next this year a successful one for North East AgCare. three years. We appreciate your ongoing commitment and support for a program that truly makes a difference to the leadership capacity of North East Victoria. Kim Scanlon Executive Officer AVCLP

6 Participants 2011-2012

Name Home Employment Regional Planner Jacqui Bright Wodonga Department of Planning & Community Development Physiotherapist Ann Maree Christian Wahgunuah Beechworth Health Service Retail Assistant Tracey Cooper Baranduda Coles Birralee Senior Sergeant Gary Corcoran Wodonga Victoria Police Executive Assistant Infrastructure Services Sandra Dalton Wangaratta Rural City of Wangaratta Small Business owner Kevin de Henin Milawa Rosehill Estate wines Small Business owner Deb Donkers Wodonga The Spa at Beechworth Customer Services Coordinator Julie Folan Benalla Cooinda Retirement village Small Business owner Judy Griffiths Bowmans Forest Farmer Planning Assistant Bridie Guy Albury Indigo Shire Council Environmental Officer Lauren Landman Wodonga Rivalea Australia Consultant Narelle Martin Murmungee Two Hemispheres Environmental Consulting Regional Coordinator Sara Reid Chiltern Consumer Affairs Victoria Orderly Sandra Ross Greta West North East Health Compliance Officer Grant Saunders Wangaratta Department of Justice Tourism Marketing Officer Kate Simpson Bright Alpine Shire Ranger in Charge Bart Smith Mansfield Parks Victoria Family Services Coordinator Cheryl Smith Wangaratta Benalla Rural City Council CEO Michael Vanderzee Swanpool Winton Wetlands Committee of Management Teacher- Fitness and Hospitality Karen van de Sande Oxley GO TAFE Assistant Manager Maree Warnett Wangaratta YMCA Wangaratta Small Business owner Bindy Welsh Indigo Valley Indigo images Small Business owner Bronwen Wilson Mansfield Mansfield Zoo

7 2011-2012 Program

Event Venue Location Opening Retreat Valley Homestead Ovens The Regional Economy Brown Brothers Milawa Skills Day Yackandandah Sports Park Yackandandah Community Development Wodonga City Council Offices Wodonga Understanding Government Wangaratta Council Chambers Wangaratta Skills Day DPI Regional Office Benalla Health and Wellbeing Upper Murray Health & Community Services Corryong Environmental Sustainability Winton Wetlands Winton Social Dislocation Beechworth Correctional Facility Beechworth Mid-year Retreat YMCA Howman’s Gap Alpine Centre Falls Creek Skills Day Molyullah Hall Molyullah Finding Voice Alpine Shire Council Chambers Bright Youth NESAY offices Wangaratta Tourism Mansfield Shire Offices Mansfield Skills day Mudgegonga Hall Mudgegonga Melbourne visit Various locations in the Melbourne CBD Melbourne Agriculture DPI Research Centre Rutherglen Rural Change Mountain View Hotel Whitfield Final Retreat Hume Resort Albury Graduation Gateway Quality Hotel Wangaratta

8 Projects & Alumni

AVCLP Agribusiness Leadership Program Alumni Activities

Twenty one participants from a diverse range of During 2011-2012 AVCLP alumni have been agribusiness backgrounds were selected for the engaged in many community roles and activities, Agribusiness Leadership 2020 Program. This including: program was specifically designed for participants  Local and regional Board positions from the agribusiness sector and provided  Organisation of regional events – Energy information, leadership and communication skills to Expo, Connecting Rural Business Women assist their communities to adapt, mitigate and Conference, Mansfield Community take action on climate change. Conference, Alpine Indigo Community Foundation, Aspiring Farmers Forum The seven session program included information  Participation in leadership, governance, sessions with high profile guest speakers, a two day community engagement and social media field trip and skills workshops. programs and workshops.

A partnership between the Alpine Valleys  Participation in regional consultations for Community Leadership Program and the Australian the Hume Strategy for Sustainable Communities – Hume Regional Growth Plan Alpine Valleys Agribusiness Forum enabled the delivery of this project.  Input into North East Catchment Management Authority’s Regional

Catchment Plan. AVCLP Rural Women’s Governance Program  Attendance at a Community Leaders Dinner In response to the highly successful Rural Women’s in Wangaratta, in conjunction with Rotary.

Governance and Leadership Workshop Series held  Participation as speakers and MC’s for in 2011, AVCLP partnered with Goulburn Murray AVCLP program days and regional events. Hume AgCare to deliver a second program in 2012.  Scholarship recipients – Australian Institute Funding was provided by the Department of Primary of Company Directors, Parliamentary Industries. Internship Program.

 AVCLP Graduation dinner – 10 year group Twenty four rural women from across North East reunion. Victoria involved in regional agribusiness, industry, Alumni year group dinners tourism, economic and community groups were  provided with a series of specifically designed workshops to assist them to undertake and develop governance leadership roles.

The session topics included: leadership skills, governance roles & responsibilities, governance models and application, financial and legal management, and governance in action case studies. The knowledge, skills, networking and mentoring provided by the project has encouraged the participants to take on, and further develop, key roles in local and regional boards and industry groups.

9 Our Partners

The Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program acknowledges and thanks the following organisations for their support. Their assistance is both valued and appreciated.

Major Sponsors

Regional Development Victoria Brown Brothers Rural City of Wangaratta Regional Growth Fund

Our Partners

Alpine Health Goulburn Murray Hume AgCare Shadforth Financial Group Alpine Shire Council Goulburn Murray Water The Centre for Continuing Education Alpine Valleys Agribusiness Forum Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE The Regional Development Company Beechworth Health Service Printing Services Tim McCurdy MP Beechworth Neighbourhood Center Holbrook Landcare Network Two Hemispheres Environmental Benalla Rural City Council Hugh Williamson Foundation Consulting Indigo Shire Council Lions International Upper Murray Health & Community Towong Shire Council Mansfield Community Bank Services City of Wodonga Council Mansfield Shire Council Vanessa Grant Marketing Communi- Coles Supermarkets North East Catchment Management cations Cooinda Retirement Village Authority Victorian Employers Chamber of Department of Planning and North East Health Commerce & Industry Community Development North East Support and Action for Victoria Police Department of Justice Youth North East Catchment Management Department of Primary Industries Parks Victoria Authority Dr Bill Sykes MP Renee Paola Graphic Design Winton Wetlands Committee of EPA Victoria Rivalea Australia Management Geoffrey Gardiner Foundation Regional Development Australia- YMCA Hume Committee … and our extensive network of Rotary International alumni and friends of AVCLP

You or your organisation can support AVCLP in a number of ways:

 Provide an endowment to enable a person from your industry to participate in AVCLP annually  Sponsor an individual to complete the program  Sponsor a program day or an event  Offer suitable speakers  Provide in-kind support

10 The year that was...

Skills day workshop High ropes challenge

Doug Sharp CEO Rural City of Wangaratta

Christine Nixon

Additions to the AVCLP family Community Leadership Forum panel

Community garden visit Winton Wetlands tour Mansfield Zoo

Rural Women’s Governance Program

Agribusiness Project Participants with alumni serving as Mayors

Experiential Education Alex Gartmann CEO FRRR

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