01 What can I expect as a Fellow?
Watch our video reel to hear from our Future Leaders Program Alumni about their firsthand experience of the program.
We envision an Australia where education gives every child greater choice for their future.
The Future Leaders Program (FLP) is a one-year professional learning opportunity that develops the next generation of regional and remote school leaders’ to lead toward educational equity. The program supports educators in building the knowledge, skills, and capabilities needed to be effective school leaders and help all students thrive.
02 Program Overview
Duration: One-year, commencing in Term 1, 2024.
Mode: The program utilises a blended learning model with both face-to-face and virtual workshops over Zoom (nine days in total). You’ll also engage in live and self-directed online learning modules throughout the year.
Fees: This is a free program. A full scholarship is offered to all participants; schools are offered a stipend to allow for time release.
Location: The program is currently open to educators in outer regional, remote and very remote schools in:
- Western Australia – Government and Catholic Sector
- Northern Territory – Government and Catholic Sector
- Queensland – Catholic Sector
Check out our 2024 Applicant Information Pack.
03 Information for Prospective Applicants
To be eligible, you must be a K-12 educator or early career leader who:
- Has at least two years of teaching experience;
- Works in a rural, regional, or remote school in one of our partner jurisdictions (see below), with an ICSEA* below 1000; and
- Aspires towards a school leadership role or
- Is in a position of leadership and is seeking to grow your skills.
- If you have finished the Teach For Australia Leadership Development Program, you are also eligible for the program.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educators are strongly encouraged to apply.
Current FLP Partner Jurisdictions: The program is currently open to educators in outer regional, remote, and very remote schools in:
Catholic Sector | Government Sector | |
Western Australia | ||
Northern Territory | ||
Queensland |
Additional measures may be considered to determine eligibility, therefore if your school has a current ICSEA of 1000 or above, or your school is classified as inner regional, and you believe should be eligible, please get in touch with us at info@futureleadersprogram.org.au or call +61 3 8640 4500.
If you are an eligible educator working in a state or territory and/or sector outside our current partner jurisdictions, we encourage you to get in touch! We hope to expand our program impact in the future and would love to hear from you.
*The Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) was created by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) specifically to enable fair comparisons of National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) test achievement by students in schools across Australia. A value on the index corresponds to the average level of educational advantage of the school’s student population relative to those of other schools. Learn more here.
04 How to Apply
Throughout the selection process, we want to get to know you. Given the limited number of places available, 2024 will be a competitive process. we encourage you to review the seven competencies we look for in Fellows. Each stage has been designed to help understand your current strengths and areas of opportunity, so we can work with you to further develop your unique skill set. We also aim to provide you with an opportunity to connect with other like-minded educators and aspiring school leaders from regional and remote contexts and, importantly, have some fun!
The selection process consists of four parts, which are outlined below:
- Online application form
This is where we get to know you, your background, your goals, and your educational experience so far. You will also be asked to respond to three short essay questions. These have been designed to help us understand your current skills and mindsets so that we can support you in progressing toward your leadership goals. - Principal endorsement
If your application is successful, we will ask for an endorsement from your school Principal. They will be asked to provide information about your teaching and leadership skills. Before submitting your application, please ensure your Principal supports your participation in the program and is willing to participate in the endorsement process. - Virtual Selection Centre
If your application is successful, you will be progressed to the virtual selection centre. Taking place over Zoom at a time that suits your working schedule, this component will run for approximately 60-minutes. During this time, you will have the chance to connect with other committed educators from across the country and participate in a scenario-based group activity. This activity is followed by a written self-reflection, which is completed individually. - Written Role Play Response: In this final step, you will be provided with a short school-based scenario where you’ll be asked to explain your approach to a situation in the form of a written response. You will be required to submit your response within 24 hours of attending your Virtual Selection Centre. You will be required to submit your response within 24 hours of attending your Virtual Selection Centre.
Your engagement with these activities will support us in building an accurate understanding of your unique skills and experience. This knowledge will be used to further your development and goals for the program.
05 Information for Schools
The Future Leaders Program delivers professional learning designed to meet participants at their point of need and build the knowledge, skills, and leadership practices crucial to school leadership in remote and regional schools.
The program is specifically designed for regional and remote educators, supporting them to build on their strengths and develop as impactful leaders within their communities.
Future Leaders Program supports schools and participants by:
- Building leadership capacity amongst their staff and fostering culturally safe and inclusive learning environments for all students.
- Connecting participants to a network of other like-minded educators to share ideas and best practices across regional and remote education settings.
- Supporting participants to build skills in leading initiatives, developing their capacity to influence, and setting goals that align with their school and community.
Participants will receive tools and resources that can be shared across their school, alongside the support of an experienced leadership coach, to reinforce learning, challenge mindsets, and help drive positive student experiences and equitable outcomes.
Nominate one of your educators today by getting in touch with us at info@futureleadersprogram.org.au. Evidence demonstrates that impact is greatest in your school when multiple staff are involved.
To help drive positive program outcomes for participants and partner schools, senior school leaders are asked to:
- Endorse each applicant during the selection process, confirming their suitability for the program.
- Ensure each participant’s key accountabilities are clear.
- Provide feedback on each participant’s skills and growth throughout the program.
- Participate in activities to evaluate and continuously improve the Future Leaders Program.
For the 2024 Cohort, a full scholarship will be offered to all participants; schools will be offered stipends to allow for time release.
Schools are asked to support each participant with up to two days’ time release over the course of the program (total across the one-year program). The nine days of intensive program workshops will be conducted mainly during school holidays to minimise participants’ time out of school.
06 What we look for
We’re looking for candidates with these seven key attributes.
Resilience
We are looking for applicants who embrace challenges and constantly look to strengthen their capacity to overcome them. Successful candidates are able to show us how they’ve been able to overcome professional and personal challenges. They are also self-aware and recognise when to ask for help or support.
Motivation
We are looking for applicants who have a passion for educational equity and a commitment to our work. We believe that teaching and learning go beyond the classroom and to create true change it is important to work with our communities to learn from them. Successful candidates are able to demonstrate they believe that all children can learn and are eager to work with communities to make sustainable change.
Communicating & Influencing Ability
Clear communication is essential to leadership. Teachers clearly explain the content and can adapt their style to meet their students’ needs. Successful candidates are able to clearly communicate their ideas to a variety of audiences across the selection process. We are looking for candidates who have the maturity and presence and can adapt their communication as a result of actively listening to their audience.
Problem Solving
Education leaders need to quickly gather information about students, staff and the community and adapt their plans accordingly. Correspondingly, problem solving is a key skill for our Fellows. Successful candidates are able to both analyze problems thoroughly and use that information to create thoughtful solutions. We are looking for applicants who can be responsive and adaptive —especially in challenging situations.
Learning & Self Evaluation
We are looking for applicants who constantly and accurately reflect on their practice and seek feedback from managers, peers, students and the community. It’s from this reflection they are driven to improve. Successful candidates demonstrate their ability to take ownership of their personal development and performance. They can identify their strengths and areas for improvement; and identify how these can influence the outcome of a situation.
Leadership & Contribution
We are looking for future leaders from a range of backgrounds, with diverse leadership experience. Successful candidates can tell us about when they’ve led others or themselves towards a project goal or outcome. They also can demonstrate a range of leadership practices they have used to guide themselves, a project or a team towards a common goal. Most importantly, effective leadership is all about knowing the contribution you make to others—we are looking for individuals who can talk about their impact on their students, colleagues and communities in meaningful ways.
Humility, Respect & Empathy
Fellows in the Future Leaders Program work and live in diverse communities. This diversity helps create an enriching learning experience during the program—and is why Fellows need to be able to respectfully collaborate with a wide range of individuals. Successful candidates appreciate other people’s perspectives and look to learn from them. We seek applicants who are aware of their limitations and take an empathetic, strengths-based approach in all situations.
07 FAQs
Some of our most common questions.
Why does the Future Leaders Program exist?
The Australian education system is struggling to provide an excellent and equitable education for all young people.
We know that Remote, Rural, and Regional (RRR) schools are uniquely impacted by the breadth of demands placed on school leaders in these locations, such as the limited access to support services and the challenges of attracting and retaining staff. We also recognise and celebrate the strength and resilience of these communities, full of rich culture, knowledge, and ways of being. Communities with so much to celebrate and the education system has so much to learn from.
In response to these challenges, the FLP was announced as part of the Australian Government’s ‘Our Plan for Quality Education’ released on 10 May 2019. It is delivered with the support of the Australian Government Department of Education.
FLP is designed to meet the needs of educators in regional and remote contexts by building on their strengths and developing crucial skills to help schools thrive.
For more information, email info@futureleadersprogram.org.au.
Is this program right for me?
The FLP is designed to support educators in Remote, Rural, and Regional (RRR) schools who are looking to take that next step in their careers. The program works to develop their leadership skills and capabilities to improve all students’ experiences and create more inclusive and equitable learning opportunities.
The program:
- Provides access to relevant and applicable professional learning for aspirant and emerging leaders working in RRR contexts
- Grows the leadership capacity of educators and helps them to build on the strengths of their students, school, and community.
- Improves student access to high-quality teaching and learning that supports inclusive and equitable learning environments.
If you’re still unsure whether this program is right for you, please get in touch at info@futureleadersprogram.org.au or call +61 3 8640 4500.
Am I eligible?
To be eligible, you must be a K-12 educator who:
- Has at least two years of teaching experience;
- Works in a rural, regional or remote school in one of our partner jurisdictions (refer to our ‘Eligibility’ section above for current partner jurisdictions), with an ICSEA* below 1000; and
- Aspires towards a school leadership role or
- Is in a position of leadership and is seeking to grow your skills
- If you have finished the Teach For Australia Leadership Development Program, you are also eligible for the program.
All applications are based on a case-by-case basis. If you are interested in the program but are concerned about your eligibility, please get in touch so we can discuss your situation further. We are looking to grow our impact, so if you are not based in one of our current program jurisdictions but think you would be eligible to apply otherwise, please email info@futureleadersprogram.org.au or give us a call at +61 3 8640 4500!
Why is this program offered exclusively to schools in outer regional and remote locations?
Schools in regional, rural and remote (RRR) communities face unique demands, such as limited access to support services and challenges in attracting and retaining staff. In these schools, the pipeline of ready school leaders is declining. We also know the strength and resilience of these communities, full of rich culture, knowledge, and ways of being.
Communities with so much to celebrate and that the education system has so much to learn from.
The Future Leaders Program (FLP) tests a new approach to these challenges by fostering the ambitions and potential of participating educators and developing their skills and aptitude for the challenging and rewarding roles of school leadership.
We aim to build and strengthen partnerships with other RRR communities and territories in the future so that we can expand FLP’s reach and impact.
What does the program consist of?
The program has been designed to be rigorous, not onerous. We aim for participants’ experience to align closely with their day-to-day activities and develop priorities that complement the work for which they are responsible.
FLP consists of targeted workshops, peer learning, online learning modules, and 1-1 leadership coaching from a leadership expert. These structures aim to develop the skills leaders need to support positive student experiences and equitable outcomes. Participants will be equipped to practice and apply their learnings in their current roles.
The nine days of interactive workshops are spread throughout the program (delivered in three parts across the year) and occur largely during school holidays and weekends to minimise time out of school.
Participants will have the opportunity to learn face-to-face and virtually (in both synchronous and asynchronous environments).
As part of the FLP, participants will set a personal leadership goal aligned to our theory of leadership. Participants will work towards this goal throughout the year with support from their leadership coach.
Participants will also lead an Innovation Project in their schools/communities that focus on improving student experiences. This project will align with the participants’ roles and their schools’ priorities. The project is designed to be part of what participants already do rather than an extra piece of work.
What is the cost of the Future Leaders Program?
Participants for the 2023 Cohort will be offered a full scholarship, therefore will incur no costs to partake. Any travel required will be covered by the program itself.
For schools a stipend is available to help cover the cost of up to two days of time release needed for face to face workshops.
Why does my principal have to endorse my application?
Ongoing support is critical to ensuring participants and schools gain the most from the Future Leaders Program. It is important that you apply with your principal’s support as the program contains an element of time release that your principal must agree too. Additionally, your principal will also need to provide consent and commit to supporting you to lead an Innovation Project in your school where you apply your learning whilst working towards your school’s priorities.
When does the program begin?
The program runs for the duration of the academic year. During the first term, we will hold events virtually so that you can immerse yourself in the school year. We’ll come together throughout the year for our intensive workshop blocks, which will run as a mix of face-to-face, virtual and hybrid workshop days. There will also be live and self-directed online modules.
Please email info@futureleadersprogram.org.au or give us a call at +61 3 8640 4500 if you’d like to gain a more in-depth understanding of the program journey and touchpoints.
When do applications open?
Applications for Cohort 2024 will open soon. To keep up to date about when the Future Leaders Program applications will open, register your interest here.
What will be expected of me during the one-year program?
The FLP is recognised as professional development in all states and territories. As such, it is a requirement that participants are able to attend and participate in programmatic requirements including
- Nine intensive learning days, delivered in three parts across the academic year
- 1:1 leadership coaching sessions
- Peer learning opportunities
- Asynchronous learning modules
It is also a requirement of the program that participants complete and submit evidence of their learning and attend an end-of-program Expo event, during which they will have the opportunity to share their learning with relevant stakeholders and members of their own school communities.
Each participant is expected to commit approximately 150 hours to complete the various components during the program, including those listed above. The 150 hours is comprised of 70 hours of learning across the nine workshop days, and an average of two hours of engagement per week throughout the school year.
Can’t find what you’re looking for?
We’d love to hear from you! Please reach out to us at info@futureleadersprogram.org.au or give us a call at +61 3 8640 4500 and a member of our team will be in touch.