Leadership Forward Program

To enhance and develop the leadership potential of people with a disability

The Leadership Forward Program is an initiative of Macarthur Disability Services (MDS) with funding from the Department of Human Services (Community Services) NSW.  The objective of this program is to enhance and develop the leadership potential of people with a disability.

It is a 12 month part-time training program to develop leadership skills and knowledge of leadership principles for any person with a disability.

This program provides training to 25 people with various disability types who can demonstrate that they have leadership potential through a process of application.  The program involves a 2 day initial retreat followed by 5 two day workshops every two months throughout the year finalising with a graduation to celebrate International Day of People with a Disability.

The cost to participate is $100 if accepted and payable in advance

6 two day bimonthly workshops

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Program Objectives

The learning objectives for individual participants will be drawn from, or at least, related to the following objectives of the Leadership Forward Program:

• To provide a learning environment tailored to the learning needs of people with disabilities. This learning will be facilitated in theoretical, practical and on-the-job contexts.
• To enable people with a Disability to develop leadership capacities in the social, environmental and business sectors.
• To provide people with a disability who are in employment, to develop and progress their career paths and, for those in voluntary community based employment, to further develop their employment opportunities.
• To provide an opportunity for leadership accreditation and on going post-secondary education for people with disabilities.
• To provide a base level leadership set of competencies that enable people with disabilities to participate in mainstream leadership programs.

The Retreat

The objectives of this retreat will be to:

• Enable participants to get to know each other.
• Develop an understanding among participants of the program procedures and requirements.
• Workshop and finalises the program outline, structure and competencies.
• Determine how competencies will be evaluated and recognised.
• Enable participants to have input into the program format, topics for discussing and the identify guest speakers and other activities to be undertaken throughout the year.
• Provide an insight into and begin the learning on leadership principles.

The Workshops

There will be five two day workshops in 2011 with different themes to be covered in each workshop.  These themes will be determined collaboratively between program participants, Macarthur Disability Services and workshop facilitators. 

All workshops will be held at the Hermitage in Leumeah and will involve visits to locations that match the themes selected. 

Group Leadership Collectives

The formation of Group Leadership Collectives is an important element of Leadership Forward as they will provide a team based learning environment with clearly defined roles and responsibilities for each individual.  Evaluation of syndicate progress and individual members will be constant and conducted by MDS and the members through self reflection.

The number of syndicates will be determined at the initial retreat as well as the number of participants in each syndicate.

Syndicates will also have the role of formulating specific questions for speakers and site visits.  The syndicates can also be used to work on the theoretical aspects of the program, perhaps undertaking group assignments and allow for discussion of community projects.

The syndicate make-up will be changed every two workshops so as to bring the participants into contact with as many of the other participants in the program as possible.

Duty Group Leadership Collectives

This group is responsible for the smooth running of each of the sessions throughout the workshops. This could mean an entire day or specific sessions.

The roles in these collectives will be Meet and Greet, Chairperson, Timers and Ushers

Program Evaluation

Participants will be asked to fill out evaluation forms at the end of each day. The focus will be on what they have learnt and how the day could be improved in the future.

Time will be set aside during each 2 day workshop to enable whole of group reflection on the program as it progresses throughout the year.  Issues raised by participants will be considered by MDS and workshop facilitators.

For further information, please contact Patrick Vasquez, MDS Community Development Coordinator on 02 4621 8400 or email

patrickv@mdservices.com.au