• "One billion people, 30% of the world’s workforce, are unemployed."
  • "Of those who live in extreme poverty, 70% are women and girls. Women do two-thirds of the world’s work and receive one-tenth of the world’s income."
  • "One-third of all children suffer from hunger and malnutrition. 250 million children are forced into full time labour and more than 130 million children don’t go to school."
  • "Poverty in our world is pervasive. 1.2 billion people live on less than A$2 a day, and almost 3 billion live on less than A$4 a day. "

How does LJ affect change?

An ancient Chinese proverb says ‘if you want to know what water is, don’t ask a fish’. A fish cannot explain the medium in which it lives as it has no experience other than water. By placing participants in a vastly contrasting culture, the Leadership Journey facilitates learning about dominant worldviews and behavioural paradigms to generate a deeper understanding of what drives culture. A key outcome is a heightened awareness of personal worldview and how culture forms.

On the Leadership Journey, participants will be carefully and strategically exposed to a real-life experience of how over 70% of the world’s population lives. Their role is that of a student; to observe, learn and reflect on their experience. Their role is not to train the community project members.

Participants will engage in a range of carefully designed activities to experience a safe journey outside of their comfort zone. These activities will create an opportunity to build at least one significant relationship with a local project person on the ground to give meaning and context to the project they have visited. This relationship will provide a meaningful reference point when reflecting upon their personal development in the third and final phase of the Leadership Journey program.