ABCN Focus Program

ABCN Focus Program

Over the course of 3 weeks, we both had the pleasure to partake in the ABCN Female Focus Leadership program alongside around 12 other students. We worked with two ABCN leaders as well as a group of Insurance Australia Group (IAG) mentors over two Zoom call meetings and a city excursion. The entirety of the program was extremely worthwhile as we both learnt about ourselves, specifically our strengths, but also our weaknesses and how to deal with them as well as information about leadership. If you are looking into being a leader in Year 12 or for the future in general and also want to learn about yourself, this program is exceptionally beneficial. 

In the first Zoom call meeting, this was a time to meet the ABCN leaders and the mentors. We had an introduction to leadership: what that holds, what it looks like, and who are leaders in our life, followed by being separated into groups (2 mentors per 3-4 students) to discuss leadership and further introduce ourselves and get to know one another. We then came out of the breakout groups to share with the other groups on what was discussed in our personal group that we were in.

In the second Zoom call meeting, the students including us started to warm up to the mentors. We first off started by doing two worksheets. The first one included ticking off boxes on if we agree that a specific leadership quality was suitable to us. Once we ticked all the boxes, we then had a group discussion and talked about why we felt that the specific strength was our strength. We then had to do another task. That task being drawing a circle and describing a typical school day. Once that was done, we then had a discussion about some unhealthy habits/weaknesses we have discovered and what we could do for the next week to help us destroy that unhealthy habit. One main habit between all 14 of us is that we weren’t getting the usual 8-10 hours of sleep. We then got put into breakout groups (3 students 1 mentor per group) and talked about what we were talking about in a group discussion. 

Lastly, we travelled into the city for an excursion to meet the leaders and mentors in person as well as work in our groups again. We met at Epping station to then travel to Southern Cross Station. We got off there to which we had some free time to grab a Starbucks before we walked to the IAG building for the excursion. We then waited to be let in by one of the IAG mentors. Once we were let in, we signed in, got our own personal lanyards that are used to access and enter lifts and rooms. Shortly after, we got a tour of the IAG workplace before commencing the final session of the program. We sat in our groups that we got assigned in the two Zoom meetings whilst being taken through a presentation about famous female leaders and more. 

In several discussions in our group, it consisted of different topics such as not getting the usual nightly 8-10 hours of sleep, time management, a weakness of ours that we chose to reflect before the city excursion, and getting to hear from the mentors of their inspirational journeys leading to where they are today. After each group discussion, all of us would share what we discussed and also listen to what the other groups had to say. In the midst of the presentation and group discussions we had lunch catered on behalf of the IAG where we got to eat as well as socialise with our friends and the mentors. Wrapping up our time at the session, we got given certificates and took several photos. After the last official session we had about half an hour of free time. Some of us got something to eat for lunch and some of us ended up buying something for the long train ride home. Once we arrived back at Epping station we got dismissed and went home. 

What we’ve gathered from the three sessions is that it is okay to supposedly fail. We’ve also gathered that it is a rocky path to success and there are also numerous pathways to getting to what you want. 

What we have enjoyed is learning and talking about certain things that we didn’t know about ourselves. We have also enjoyed the experience of being able to talk to mentors and gather advice from them about our weaknesses, their weaknesses even and how they’ve overcome them. The most thing we’ve enjoyed overall is having the ability to do this opportunity as it definitely is a great one to experience. 

Overall, it was an invaluable experience and one of a kind opportunity that we will never forget and will forever cherish.

Mayah Obamwonyi 11A and Analise Gubecka 11C