Devolving Aspire

After four years the Centre’s Aspire program concluded this year. Over 45 participants from more than 20 countries, who speak more than 30 languages and work across over 90 organisations have participated in the program. The Aspire program offers governance and leadership training for young leaders and has been supported by the Islamic Council of Victoria and the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation.

Aspire has been delivered annually since 2017 equipping participants to build capacity and then share their expertise and knowledge with organisations and members from their own communities, and as a result, continue to innovate and initiate change.

For this final year of the devolution of the program, the Centre partnered with Happy Brain Education to offer leadership and governance training for young leaders of all faiths and genders.

The Aspire program has been gradually devolving to be owned and run by a community organisation and in doing so aims to improve community connection, reduce social isolation, and provide opportunities for diverse young people to be effective leaders whilst bridging the gaps in opportunities available in leadership and governance training.

Happy Brain Education will now take ownership of the devolved model for future iterations of the program.  

Teba Mazin, CEO of Happy Brain Education, says SZCC has been the familiar face of Aspire.

It has been a very smooth and organic process – and now the program has come full circle, to our community – and I’m looking forward to building on the solid groundwork and foundations laid by the SZCC and the participants.

The final cohort of participants graduated at an alumni dinner on 11 March 2022 to celebrate the program and for participants to reflect on the program.

Watch the graduation video