Former Inverell High School students Imogen McDonald and Han Worsley play key roles in Country to Canberra program

The New England region has a strong connection to the Country to Canberra program, which is a national not-for-profit aimed at empowering young rural women and non-binary people to reach their leadership potential.

Former Inverell High School students Imogen McDonald and Han Worsley were part of the program as teenagers.

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Han, 26, was the inaugural winner in 2014 and has been the chief executive officer of the organisation for the last three years.

Han, a passionate advocate in education, gender equality and public speaking, has been a speaker at the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, the Australian Medical Students Association, the Australian National University, and the Young Women's Christian Association.

"I was passionate about politics and leadership when I was at Inverell High School," Han said.

"Country to Canberra was the first thing I was a part of that really let me express myself in that regard.

"Julia Bishop was foreign minister at the time and I remember sitting and talking with her while she had a copy of my essay in her hand.

"It's all about getting out of your hometown to experience new things, but drawing on that upbringing to help prepare for the future."

Country to Canberra has again launched its annual Leadership Competition, where young people are asked to respond to a question about leadership in rural Australia.

The winners will be part of a free five-day Power Trip to Canberra for exclusive public speaking, leadership, and media training.

They will meet with chief executives and politicians, undertake leadership training, tour parliament and have access to ongoing mentorship and support.

This year, entrants will draw from their own lived experiences as they answer the 2023 Leadership Competition question: Strong communities, stronger futures.

Han lives at Jindabyne and works at the Country University Centre at Cooma, but hopes to return to the New England region at some point and is a qualified primary school teacher.

Ms McDonald was part of the program in 2019 and now helps with online mentorship in the organisation.

She is studying Law/Arts at the Australian National University in Canberra.

Both of them returned home to their former high school last year to run an empowerment workshop for the Year 9 girls.

"I grew up 50km outside Inverell, so coming from a place like that and going on to lead an organisation is something I didn't think would happen as a teenager," Han said.

Country to Canberra is open to rural students in Years 10-12.

Entries close on September 8 with criteria and further information at www.countrytocanberra.com.au.

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