About the event

The Student Leaders' Conference is for Year 12 student leaders. Through the Biblical themes of creation, fall and redemption, students will be encouraged to wrestle with how their faith and life connect. In 2022, the Student Leaders' Conference has a whole new vibe and is reinventing itself.  Meeting in state hubs all around the country, this event will bring its student leadership conference package directly to you. 

*Important update!*

The state-based conferences in Term 1 will no longer be an in-person event but will be carried out virtually using the on-demand package. At the stage, the Term 2 conference remains as an in-person event.

During the Student Leaders' Conference, we hope to inspire you to:

  • think deeply about the big questions of life
  • grapple with the depth and beauty of the biblical story and
  • challenge yourself on how you think and what you think.

Our vision for the Student Leaders' Conference is that you will recognise that we all lead ourselves out of some narrative—some framework of belief. Our contention is that genuine, people-impacting leadership emerges authentically out of a life grounded in the story of scripture. Taking responsibility for this grounding is the essence of self-leadership and the foundation of Kingdom influence.

We can't wait to see you there!

Event Information

Term 1 state-based conferences in SA, NSW and QLD will be carried out using the on-demand package.  At this stage, the Victoria conference in Term 2 remains as an in-person event.

Despite the changes, we remain committed to providing Compass materials to support all schools. The on-demand package will include video talks and participant's guide. Schools will be able to access those materials throughout 2022. 

Furthermore, Zoom sessions will be scheduled throughout the year which will give schools access to Q&A with Compass faculty and a point of connection with schools around Australia.

View Program Information

Delivery options

Here are 3 conference delivery options:

1. On-demand package with:

  • Follow-up Zoom sessions
  • Suggested program & support pre-conference
  • Flexibility of running the conference as you wish in your context

2. On-demand package with:

  • Follow-up Zoom sessions
  • Suggested program & support pre-conference
  • Find schools in your 'region; and set up a Compass hub together (covid-permitting)

3. If you're located outside of Victoria and keen to travel, you can still register for the Victorian in-person event. If this event cannot run in person, we will then convert your registration to the on-demand package

Zoom sessions

Monday 21 March, 7.30pm AEST

 Q&A with Compass Faculty

Monday 30 May, 7.30pm AEST

 Listen, Imagine, Create Feedback

Who is the event for?

The Student Leaders Conference is aimed at Year 12 emerging student leaders who have demonstrated the potential to be influencers for Christ in society. Students who are willing to thoughtfully and actively engage will benefit the most. The Student Leaders Conference is open to any student in Year 12 in 2022 who wishes to thoughtfully integrate faith and life. This learning event is designed to encourage creative, thoughtful and motivated students to ground lifelong self-leadership in the truth of scripture.

Content Covered

Together we explore the following topics and themes:

  • Story and world view
  • God and Creation 
  • Being made in the image of God
  • Jesus the Christ
  • Fall and lament
  • New heavens and new earth
  • Engaging in culture and the mission of God
  • Gospel centred self-leadership

Faculty, facilitators and hosts

Compass is well known for the calibre of its teaching faculty who generously donate their time to keep costs low. Faculty are available throughout the conference and love to engage with students and teachers to go deeper.

Speakers

Mark Ryan
Executive Officer, Christian Schools Australia

Mark has a background in both education and theology and has a passion for exploring the intersection of faith and culture. After beginning his career as a PE teacher, he went on to study theology and ministry at Morling College in Sydney and has since completed a Master of Educational Leadership. Mark lives in Adelaide with his wife and three children, loves all things sport, and cycling through the beautiful Adelaide hills. Mark has worked as a pastor, teacher, and Assistant Principal, and is currently an Executive Officer for Christian Schools Australia. At a national level, he is invested in the formation of students and staff in CSA schools. Mark has been involved with the work of Compass for the last 15 years, and he loves to see student leaders gather each year, explore the Biblical story, and be inspired to lead according to the pattern of Jesus – living as God’s image for the sake of others and for the whole of God’s creation.

Graham Stanton
Lecturer, Ridley College

Graham is a Lecturer in Practical Theology at Ridley College, Melbourne, and the Director of the Ridley Centre for Children’s and Youth Ministry. His latest research is exploring how young Australians experience and understand God and the stories of how those beliefs have been formed. Graham lives in Melbourne with his wife and three young adult children. Graham enjoys long distance running in order to compensate for his hobby of enjoying cooking good food or eating good food that other people have cooked. Apart from Jesus, his personal heroes include Bruce Springsteen and Leslie Knope.

Sophie Gerrie
Lecturer, Tabor College

Sophie is the Head of Undergraduate Studies for the Faculty of Ministry Practice at Tabor, lecturing in Biblical Studies and Practical Theology. Sophie has previously completed a Bachelor of Social Science with a focus on youth work, as well as a Master of Divinity. She has been working in the church and Christian NGO space for the last ten years in the areas of children, youth, young adults, justice, and pastoral ministry. Sophie loves learning new ideas and skills, reading non-fiction, listening to podcasts, collecting indoor plants, and drinking coffee. Sophie is passionate about the interplay between what we learn about who Jesus is through the Word and the way it shapes how we live. Her particular interests are in the biblical ideas of kingdom, justice and shalom. She is currently studying both Greek and Hebrew, with the view of starting doctoral studies very soon!

Jeff Nagle
Director, Heritage Leaders

Jeff heads up leader-formation consultancy, Heritage Leaders and is also campus pastor at Coast Community Church on the NSW Central Coast. Prior to this, Jeff served as CEO of the Compass Foundation from 2017- 2019 and was co-founder of ethical supply-chain analytics firm, FairSupply. Jeff has worked for nearly two decades in the international development sector, serving as COO with Compassion Australia, CEO of International Justice Mission Australia and currently serves as Chairman of MAF Australia. Jeff’s area of interest is the formation of leaders and teams in difficult contexts. Jeff has qualifications in visual arts and media, education and business, and holds a Masters Degree in Global Leadership through Fuller Seminary. Jeff lives on the NSW Central Coast with wife, Shelley, and two teenage children. He still thinks he’s a surfer.

Matt Stackhouse
Chaplain

Originating from Canada, Matt moved to Australia and then the US and then back and forth a bunch of times growing up, which explains his weird accent. He loves teenagers most of the time, which has helped him teach year 7-12 for 20 years. He's married to Natalie, who has been lovingly patient with him for nearly 25 years (hard to believe he’s that old!), they have three spirited girls who keep them on their toes. He’s worked as a Chaplain, helping young people explore and deepen their faith and had some pretty incredible experiences leading teams of students to Manila, Darwin and Nepal as a Missions Coordinator. Matt has degrees in Business and Theology and a Master’s in Education…but he doesn’t have a PHD like Graham and he probably won’t ever get one. Currently, he directs an entrepreneurship program that trains, equips and develops student entrepreneurs. He also sometimes gets to do some coaching and consulting with Jeff at Heritage Leaders, he absolutely loves that. As much as possible, he tries to get in the ocean, have meaningful conversations with friends, be with his family and help people gain a deeper understanding of their identity, purpose and vocation.

"The atmosphere during this conference was amazing! I am looking forward to going to school confident in my faith and knowing that I have grown closer to others in my team.”

A little about Compass

By hosting places of intensive formation, Compass aims to encourage people to:

  • Ground their self-leadership in the full arc of the Biblical story
  • Participate in God’s project of renewal in all of life’s domains, and
  • Lead just lives, marked by the sovereign order of relations between God, people and all creation.

Learn more

South Australia

Delivery: Virtual

Registrations Close: 9 February 2022

NSW & ACT

Delivery: Virtual 

Registrations Close: 23 February 2022

Queensland

Delivery: Virtual 

Registrations Close: 14 March 2022

VIC & TAS

Delivery: In-person at Ridley College, Parkville

Date: 28 - 30 April 2022

Registrations Close: 14 April 2022

Western Australia

Information coming soon

Register

Conference Costs

In Person Events 

$350pp +GST for students and $200pp +GST for staff

Virtual Events

$500 +GST per school

On-Demand Package Available

This event is available on-demand, ie for streaming of the video resources at a date that best suits your school, in the event that you are unable to attend and meet with other schools in your respective state.

Cost: $500 +GST per school

This on-demand option is available until 30 July 2022.

 

Student Leaders' Conference for Year 12 student leaders

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