From emerging leader to change maker

27 March 2025

They say real leadership is unlocking people's potential to become better.

Nothing could be truer for Hub Program Manager Angus Dunne, who has recently taken part in the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation’s (ARLF) 2025 TRAIL Emerging Leaders Program in Canberra.

Angus admits he was excited and humbled to participate in the program, but even he was surprised by the impact the experience would have on him personally and professionally.

“In the Emerging Leaders Program, I was looking for a watershed moment but instead I found a tsunami.”

Every March, the program takes emerging rural leaders from any industry in rural, regional, and remote Australia and aims to transform them into change makers.

Over seven days, 29 participants learned how to deal with complex situations and understand more about themselves and others while building and fostering a lifelong peer network for future collaborations and support. A range of areas relevant to leadership, including ethics, values, social responsibility, negotiation, communication, and critical thinking are also explored.

“We started the week in a session at Old Parliament House talking to advocacy representatives from climate change, agriculture and health industries. We then discussed those issues with a group of staffers from across political parties at new Parliament house.”

We spent four days in the bush and took part in self-navigation, abseiling, rock climbing and then worked in teams to build a raft then ride it down the Murrumbidgee River. We had sessions on internal growth and understanding our communication and leadership. This was followed by some media and advocacy training and looking at our own barriers to change.

An absolute highlight was acting as MC for group chat with the Governor-General Sam Mostyn, before a creative leadership session on the final day and then graduating.”

Angus applied for the program because of a belief that in order to grow, there’s a need to be challenged, uncomfortable and to build relationships with a diverse cohort.

Through the TRAIL program he achieved that and more.

“Some of the feedback I got was that I was really good at creating space for others and supporting others. But I didn’t always consider my own needs when I was in that group situation. That was a leadership lesson for me."

According to Angus all the learnings were positive.

“Often there can be bit of an uncertainty or impostor syndrome regarding leading, but this program reaffirmed my skills, ability to lead, leadership potential and the kind of work I want to focus on in my career. It was a wonderful experience.

I would like to acknowledge the sponsorship of AgriFutures Australia for my participation and the Hub.< I think it’s really rare we get the opportunity to do that level of deep work. Being able to remove myself from emails and work – it was very special and impactful.”

Find out more or apply for ARLF’s 2026 TRAIL program.