Future Leaders Seminar a First

Supported by RI Director Stuart Heal possibly the first such seminar held in association with a Rotary Insititute was held recently on the Thursday immediately prior to the start of the Brisbane Institute.  163 (including 16 from NZ districts) registrants from 23 of the 28 districts in the region took part in a vibrant and very productive day.  Some participants had not been in Rotary long with some Rotaractors plus new Rotary members in their early 20's. Organiser PDG Cathy Roth said that "overwhelmingly participants showed and said they were ready and willing to take an active role in Rotary and their community."

The day long seminar covered a wide range of topics including the future of good leadership and leadership opportunities, leadership styles, Rotary Foundation, public relations, membership, social media and much more.  Included were breakout sessions on a variety of topics from which participants got networking opportunities, ideas and suggestions to take away with them for later use.  Topics included membership, communications, marketing and PR, RI beyond the district, service projects, Rotary Foundation and more.  NZ participation in the event organisation, presentations and facilitating the breakouts was high.

Participant feedback will assist the Future Leaders Seminars already agreed for the Rotary Institutes next to be held (this time separately) in Invercargill and Adelaide in 2012.  For the Invercargill seminar, Cathy and PDG Beryl Robinson (who was also on the organising committee for Brisbane Future Leaders) will organise.  Comments included:

A brilliant concept. I hope it continues
Networking opportunities - brilliant
Could be two days
Fewer breakouts of longer duration in smaller groups - otherwise excellent!

Attending the Seminar enabled the participants to also attend the Institute itself as observers and most did so.  On the Thursday night there was a combined clubs Rotary meeting (about 400 attending), on the Friday night was a 'reunion dinner' where the Seminar participants went out for dinner on Brisbane River aboard the Lady Brisbane and then Friday to Sunday at the Institute itself.



Some of the NZ Future Leaders contingent
at the Saturday night Gala 'BrisVegas' Dinner

 In his closing address to the Institute, RI Director Stuart said to the Future Leaders, "To the Future Leaders, you can no longer call yourselves 'future leaders' - you are the leaders in Rotary ... go for it!"