In October, I was afforded the opportunity to spend four days with student leaders from across the state, exploring values, faith and volunteering yourself for the benefit of others at the Queensland Servant Leadership Forum.
Divided into small teams that were facilitated by previous delegates of the forum, we spent the first day at Parliament House. Each team was designated to a Member of Parliament – our team spent the day with Rob Katter, MP for Mount Isa. Rob was open and honest about his experience of politics and Parliament – it was refreshing to hear, amidst the buzzwords and circular arguments that we so frequently hear from politicians.
Dinner at Parliament House that evening allowed for free discussion with the MPs on a variety of topics, from their personal values to the changes that they hope to make in their respective electorates. Also seated at our table for dinner was MP for Dalrymple Shane Knuth – the local MP for the region that I grew up in. It was interesting to discuss things with him from a different perspective. World Vision CEO Tim Costello was the keynote speaker at dinner, and provided interesting and insightful anecdotes about leadership, ethics and justice.
The Forum facilitated many interesting discussions about what we value, and why we volunteer our time and effort for others. One of the days was spent on a working bee at Narbethong State Special School in Brisbane; repainting, gardening, cleaning and helping to assemble sensory walls for the children that attend the school. It was a great opportunity to channel the delegates’ positive energy into something tangible, and also to reflect on how we felt before, during and after such acts of service.
One strong thread that ran through the Forum and its activities was faith. Specifically, a faith in the Christian God. The content can easily be adapted to suit your own beliefs; the Forum is first and foremost about leadership and the personal values that inform your desire to serve others and the wider community. However, some students may be uncomfortable with the heavy focus that is placed on religious faith in discussions and reflective exercises.
Speakers at the forum came from a variety of backgrounds–journalists, doctors, civil engineers, community advocates–and all had something to add to the conversation. There were only five women among the eighteen speakers (and some of these were optional) and they had interesting insights to share about their experiences of glass ceilings and gender-based opposition.
The Forum is a great opportunity for young people who want to change the world around them. Every student and facilitator that I met over the four days was motivated to be the best person that they could be and to have a positive impact on the people and environment around them. It was an empowering space to be in, and I’d recommend it for anyone who feels passionately about making a difference.
