School Prefects Leadership Workshop with the Moderator

On Friday 28 February the Moderator ran a half day workshop for student leaders from Uniting Church Schools. This was the second workshop for this cohort of leaders.

In the first workshop in November students were invited to think about their inspiration for leadership and the characteristics and values that make a good leader. They then considered their school needs and discussed plans to address those in the year ahead. Thuy Linh Nguyen from Uniting Advocacy showed how plans can be put in to practice.

At this meeting we began by asking leaders to share how their plans were unfolding. Their joys and celebrations, their roadblocks and disappointments were discussed. They also shared with each other about some of the plans they still have in place for the remainder of term 1 and 2.

The Moderator shared about the difficulties of balancing commitments when in leadership. The leaders discussed ways they coped in order to meet the extra duties of leadership on top of their HSC, sporting commitments, family and other school and non-school groups.

Rev James Aaron, from the PULSE team then led the students through a time of self-reflection, considering what they had learnt about leadership and themselves during their tenure, things that had surprised them and blind spots they may have. Finally they listed areas where they still needed to grow and develop in the future. This led into a discussion around how they might take their leadership skills into their life after school and make a difference wherever they go and in whatever groups they belong.

To this end, the Moderator talked about the Synod 2025 theme of Transforming Communities and encouraged the students to use their skills and positions to transform whichever communities they find themselves in, and to see that as a joining in the mission of God as they strive to make a difference for good.  

The students enjoyed meeting other prefects form the other Uniting Church schools and felt a common bond as they recognised the similarities between Uniting Church schools. It was a very successful workshop with student’s feedback being very positive saying they felt ‘empowered’ and ‘energised’ for the rest of this year.

Thanks to the Moderator and her EA, Tai Moor, for hosting this event, to Jo Drayton and James Aaron from PULSE for their input, and for our wonderful team of school chaplains who brought the students on the day.

Rev Stuart Bollom

Director of Mission (Schools)