The Journey Within: Fostering Courage and Self-Awareness in Leadership

2025 Westpac Social Change Fellow, Abraham Kuol, is dedicated to empowering South Sudanese youth and reducing their engagement with the Youth Justice System. Here Abraham shares his reflection on the Fellowship’s Leadership Development Residential Program and fostering leadership that is both grounded and transformative.

Discovering the Power of Vulnerability

The Leadership Development Residential Program was such a unique and wonderful experience. You don’t know what to expect going in, all you need is an open mind and a suitcase. Over the course of a few intense, transformative days, you're immersed in deep reflection, challenging conversations, fun activities, and shared vulnerability with an inspiring cohort of changemakers. 

 

You leave with a thousand questions, about yourself, your purpose, your leadership, but at the same time, you leave with deep clarity. Clarity about the kind of leader you are or want to be, the change you want to create, and the community that will walk alongside you on that journey.

 

It’s hard to put into words what it truly means to be authentically vulnerable. The Leadership Development Program creates the space, and the safety, to explore that.

Stepping Into Leadership with Intention

It’s not just about building leadership skills or sharing your story; it’s about learning how to lead from a place of honesty, courage, and deep self-awareness. The program doesn’t just teach vulnerability, it invites you to live it in real time, alongside others who are doing the same. 

 

You gain strength and inspiration from the vulnerability of those around you. In the shared stories, quiet courage, and honest reflections, you realise that the weight of leadership isn’t something you carry alone. 

 

And then comes the shift, you begin to see that leadership isn’t a burden, it’s a privilege and responsibility. A responsibility to shape the world we all dreamed of as kids, the world we believed was possible. 

Clarity, Purpose and Community

This Leadership Development experience teaches you about so much more than leadership, it’s an invitation to go inward. It challenges you to be introspective, to confront your assumptions, and to grow in ways you didn’t expect.

 

More than anything, it empowers you to lead with purpose, wisdom, and courage, from a place of authenticity.

 

The leadership development residential wasn’t just about leadership skills; it was about connection, clarity, and stepping into leadership with intention and heart. It’s an experience that will stay with me and continue to shape the leader I am becoming. I’d encourage all leaders, no matter where you are on your journey, to take part in this amazing program. Be brave, be bold, be you!

Are you a social change leader looking to accelerate your growth and impact?  

Apply for a Westpac Social Change Fellowship today and you could receive up to $50,000 to invest in your personal development and join network of passionate changemakers like Abraham, working to create a more inclusive and sustainable future for all Australians. 

 

Applications for 2026 close on Thursday 3 July at 5pm (AEST).