About Williamson Community Leadership Program

đź“Ť Melbourne + Regional Victoria Retreats | ⌚ 10 month experience (Feb – Nov 2024) | From $16,100*

Applications are now closed for the 2024 Williamson Community Leadership Program.

Transform the way you think about your leadership purpose.

Williamson is a unique, immersive year-long program.

It will expand the way you see the world and change the way you exercise leadership. It will push you to experiment – continually challenging how and why you lead. You will become adept at strategic analysis, systems thinking, sense making, and will critically examine the challenges and opportunities facing organisations and society today.

Achieve impact in complex and rapidly changing environments and support your organisation and community to adapt and thrive in today’s world. Build a life-long network with other leaders across sectors, locations, background and life experience.

Who Should Apply

Williamson is for people looking for something different in their leadership learning experience. Are you:

  • Curious about how to make a bigger difference in your
    organisation and in broader society?
  • An experienced manager in your work (10+ years)
    or leader in other areas of life?
  • Willing to be challenged and able to commit the time and effort.

Entry for Williamson is competitive and participants must submit an application and undertake a selection process.

Information Sessions

Listen to a range of diverse Williamson alumni as they share their firsthand experience and impact of the Williamson Community Leadership Program. In each session, you’ll also be joined by a Williamson facilitator who delves into what the program looks like over the 10 months.

Watch Now

Scholarships

Leadership scholarships enable people from under-represented communities and organisations to undertake Leadership Victoria’s programs, developing leadership capability across Victoria’s richly diverse communities. We are pleased to offer a number of scholarships. Click the links to access scholarship criteria:

Leadership Victoria Foundation offers scholarship opportunities for those who demonstrate a financial need and who meet one of the criteria below:

  • people living with a disability
  • members of Victorian culturally and linguistically diverse community
  • people who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
  • applicants whose personal or work efforts are focus on supporting individuals and communities experiencing disadvantage.

The Eastern Health Foundation Scholarship

Victorian Government Office for Disability Scholarship

What to Expect

You will emerge from the experience with: 

  • Increased confidence in exercising leadership
  • A deeper understanding of approaches to leadership and of themes at the heart of societal challenges
  • A greater sense of the contribution you can make to society
  • Connection with others to engage more effectively in change
  • Skills and mindset to lead in complex environments
See 2024 Program Schedule

What it Involves

  • 4 Multi-day Immersives in regional locations offering deep learning experiences
  • 6 Theme Days exposing you to new perspectives and experiences on themes at the heart of societal issues
  • 7 Leadership Days to explore and practice leadership principles and competencies
  • 6 Events to create fresh insights on contemporary leadership
  • Deep exploration of meaning-making for leadership through the Leadership Development Framework – a unique participant profile and small group debrief

Express interest for 2025 program

2024 Williamson Program Pricing

Williamson 2024

Includes: 

  • Full Williamson experience
  • Option to add additional coaching sessions
Fees
Standard$18,400 (Ex GST)
NFP or self-funded$16,100 (Ex GST)

*Is your organisation paying for your Williamson place? If so, they will be invoiced for the bulk of the fee. You will be invoiced for a $2,200 portion of this total fee as your personal contribution to your development experience. NFP rate applies to individuals employed in an organisation registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission.

Program details are correct at time of publishing and are subject to change without notice. Please view our terms and conditions which includes information about our cancellation policy. Please check with your manager or relevant person in your organisation for approval before applying.

“ ”
The Williamson program is a leadership opportunity that will open your eyes to different ways of thinking rather than providing more of the same. Williamson provided me with a better way of engaging with issues and seeing other options and broadening my way of thinking. The program has made me a more effective leader, achieving better outcomes for my clients.

Adam Brooks (WCLP'13), Partner at Thomson Geer

2019-10-02T00:49:01+10:00

Adam Brooks (WCLP'13), Partner at Thomson Geer

The Williamson program is a leadership opportunity that will open your eyes to different ways of thinking rather than providing more of the same. Williamson provided me with a better way of engaging with issues and seeing other options and broadening my way of thinking. The program has made me a more effective leader, achieving better outcomes for my clients.

“ ”
For me, Williamson has highlighted the importance of people and communication in leadership. A common thread through the program was the importance of articulating your vision and understanding other people's motivations in order to bring them along with you. This has led me to be more conscious in how I communicate with others.

Shasta Holland (WCLP'17), Director System Stewardship and Data Reform at Department of Justice and Community Safety

2019-10-02T00:35:49+10:00

Shasta Holland (WCLP'17), Director System Stewardship and Data Reform at Department of Justice and Community Safety

For me, Williamson has highlighted the importance of people and communication in leadership. A common thread through the program was the importance of articulating your vision and understanding other people's motivations in order to bring them along with you. This has led me to be more conscious in how I communicate with others.

“ ”
There are important benefits to my organisation from participating in the Williamson Leadership Program. By Broadening our awareness and perspectives beyond our immediate workplace and comfort zones, we are far more able to challenge ourselves to be stronger leaders, and in doing this, offer far more to our clients and the community.

Anthony Coops (WCLP'12), Partner at KPMG

2019-10-02T00:31:29+10:00

Anthony Coops (WCLP'12), Partner at KPMG

There are important benefits to my organisation from participating in the Williamson Leadership Program. By Broadening our awareness and perspectives beyond our immediate workplace and comfort zones, we are far more able to challenge ourselves to be stronger leaders, and in doing this, offer far more to our clients and the community

“ ”
Williamson has allowed me to reassess and reframe my leadership journey to ensure that I am able to lead and motivate people in complex and volatile environments. I recognise that I sometimes need to be gentler on myself and step back on the balcony and enjoy the view. I have found a wonderful network of confidantes who will live in my consciousness and help me navigate my ongoing leadership journey.

Samantha Sharp (WCLP'17), Director of Commissioning and Performance at Western Victoria Primary Health Network

2019-10-02T00:46:36+10:00

Samantha Sharp (WCLP'17), Director of Commissioning and Performance at Western Victoria Primary Health Network

Williamson has allowed me to reassess and reframe my leadership journey to ensure that I am able to lead and motivate people in complex and volatile environments. I recognise that I sometimes need to be gentler on myself and step back on the balcony and enjoy the view. I have found a wonderful network of confidantes who will live in my consciousness and help me navigate my ongoing leadership journey.

“ ”
Hearing from a range of leaders on some of the complex issues we are grappling with in our society has been inspiring. The willingness of the speakers to be so open with what they have learnt, their core beliefs and their leadership journeys, has been extremely thought-provoking and shaped and changed my own leadership style and approach.

Sasha Torsi (WCLP'16), Head of Communications, Children & Families, Disability, Ageing & Carers at Department of Health and Human Services

2019-10-02T00:32:12+10:00

Sasha Torsi (WCLP'16), Head of Communications, Children & Families, Disability, Ageing & Carers at Department of Health and Human Services

“Hearing from a range of leaders on some of the complex issues we are grappling with in our society has been inspiring. The willingness of the speakers to be so open with what they have learnt, their core beliefs and their leadership journeys, has been extremely thought-provoking and shaped and changed my own leadership style and approach.”

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