Exactly 1 year ago we welcomed LEAD’s CEO, Sharmily Nagarsekar.
A year on, we celebrate her accomplishments in building relationships, establishing strategic partnerships, facilitating, and collaborating with Community Sector Service Providers and practitioners and accelerating LEAD’s subject-matter-expert facilitated professional development opportunities in areas of emerging needs.
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Here are some of the highlights from this past year under Sharmily’s leadership….
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Superbly organising the LEAD Hand-in-hand: Make it Happen… Make it Matter conference. This conference- our first since Covid restrictions- was a wonderful opportunity for over 100 delegates on each day to come together and hear subject matter experts, community leaders and current researchers in the field of child youth, family and community work. Day 2 was dedicated to First Nations people and the importance of their inclusion and voices. Sharmily coordinated with multiple speakers over both days and was advised by an Aboriginal Reference Group for Day 2.
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Success in having LEAD’s Aboriginal Workforce Development Program (AWDP) contract extended until 2025. Sharmily also led the creation and implementation of the organisation’s 4th Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
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This year marked the beginning of operations of LEAD’s new entity, LEAD Connect, which has successfully established a social enterprise iShine which aids women from CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) backgrounds to transition into the Australian workforce. Sharmily was the backbone of this important new initiative. LEAD Connect’s other first year highlight is the Digital Literacy initiative which assists older people with the digital skills that they need to support their day-to-day in the current climate.
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The Linker Network one of Sharmily’s passions, having been involved in its development in Western Sydney, saw the establishment of the Blacktown Linker Network with key community sector services. This new Linker Network will help to improve collaboration between these providers and help provide more seamless services to community members needing support.
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Community of Practice: The next round of workshops will focus on “Privacy and Cybersecurity Policies”
26 July Windsor – Register Here
27 July Lithgow – Register Here
2 August Seven Hills – Register Here
3 August Springwood – Register Here
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This year saw the launch of ‘Growing school-community partnership’ with Cumberland Council and service providers in the Cumberland LGA. Promoting Family-school-community partnerships actively supports children’s development and learning.
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Sharmily in partnership with Daniel Gobena from MECA has been instrumental in the start of the “Pillars of Resilience” initiative in the Blacktown LGA. This initiative is a year-long educational program to establish connections between CALD people and community/religious leaders in the Blacktown LGA. Workshops will be held for leaders to equip them with accidental counselling, child protection, family wellbeing, problem solving and managing loss and grief. The aim is that these community leaders will be able to use their knowledge and skills to better support their community members. This program will culminate in a Pillars of Resilience Committee, which will continue to serve as an avenue for communication.
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Sharmily advocates for self-care within the LEAD team and throughout the wider community. To support this, she has come up with a 15-Minute Well-Being Series, where practitioners throughout the Community Sector are able log on for 15 minutes over a 12-week program, to learn valuable relaxation and stress-relieving techniques. These techniques will not only help participants personally but will give them the skills to pass it on in practice – to their clients.
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Continuing LEAD’s endeavour to better support the Community Sector workforce in NSW, Sharmily led the launch of the e-Induction Package for TEI Workers. This package is aimed at making the onboarding process seamless and efficient for time and resource-poor TEI service providers, when hiring new staff.
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LEAD prides itself in offering valuable and exclusive benefits to its members. Sharmily has spearheaded the commencement of our LEAD membership campaign, with even more benefits for our members to enjoy!
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LEAD continues to outdo itself in the quality and quantity of professional development opportunities and customised workplace-based experiential learning opportunities. In partnership and continued communication with Community Sector, the last 12 months witnessed a wide range of subject-matter-expert facilitated workshops in areas of emerging needs.
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Under Sharmily’s stewardship, LEAD is thriving! On behalf of the board I would like to congratulate her on the wonderful achievements of Lead PDA and Lead Connect over the past year.
We look forward with anticipation to what is next!
Kerry Thomas
LEAD Board Member.
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