The Leadership Plus Internship Program connects one of Victoria's high profile Leaders with a person with a disability. The leaders come from Politics, the Public Service, Business or the Community Sector. Between three and five leaders are approached each year to provide an Internship opportunity. The interns are selected by Leadership Plus based on their potential to achieve leadership roles in the endeavours of their choice.

Aim of the program.

To give an emerging leader with a disability an opportunity to observe and work with a high profile Victorian leader.

Objectives.

· To enhance the leadership capacities of an emerging leader with a disability.
· To provide an environment for learning and experiencing leadership at the highest level.
· To provide the opportunity for the development of a relationship between the Intern and the Leader _that will open networks to the intern, and enhance the leaders understanding of the person with a _disabilities' capacity to make positive contributions.

The Process.

Between three and five Victorian Leaders are approached by Leadership Plus to express interest in providing an Internship opportunity. They are selected from the areas of Politics, Public Service, Business and Community. They may also come from the Judiciary or a Statutory Authority. The process continues:

· They will be asked to express interest in the first instance, and their final commitment depends on _having met with the Intern and discussed their expectations of the Internship with them.
· Leaders are selected/approached on the basis of their leadership achievement in the recent, past _and/or because their current area of work is topical.
· A candidate for each of the internships will be interviewed/met with to determine their suitability.
· A meeting with the Leader and Intern will be facilitated by Leadership Plus. This meeting will _determine wether or not the Intern and Leader are suited, and what expectations each have of the _Internship.
· A proposed program of activities will be drawn up by the office of the Leader, and discussed _either at the initial meeting or signed off on by both parties before the first activity begins.
· The intern will sign a confidentiality statement. It will be provided by either the office of the Leader _or Leadership Plus.
· The itinerary will be worked through using a timeframe that suits both parties. It is expected that _the entire Internship will take no longer than five to ten days. It is not anticipated that the Internship _be undertaken as a block, but rather that the timing suit the schedule of the leaders and the areas _of leadership being observed.
· Feedback will be sort from both parties at the end of the Internship, with suggested improvements _being included in the next year's program where appropriate.
· Both the Leader and the Intern will receive a Certificate of Participation from Leadership Plus.

Eligibility.

The Interns will be selected from those people with disabilities who have completed other Leadership Plus Programs or from the Leadership Plus database of suitably experienced people with an interest in developing their own leadership potential.

2004 Past Participants

1. LEADER: _____Minister John Thwaites, Deputy Premier, Minister for Water, _______________ Environment, and Victorian Communities
__INTERN: _____ Rick Boffa, Customer Service Consultant - Centrelink

2. LEADER: _____Fiona Smith, Chairperson Business Licencing Authority &
_______________ Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission
__INTERN: _____ Maria Cesarello, Disability Project Officer, Consumer Affairs Victoria,
_______________ Department of Justice

3. LEADER: _____Stephen Grant, CEO, Transport Accident Commission (TAC)

__INTERN: _____ Stella Young, Communications Coordinator - Arts Access

An Example of the Activities/Itinerary

VICTORIAN LEADER: MINISTER JOHN THWAITES
INTERN: RICK BOFFA

Monday 4 October 2004 - Commencement Date
- A day in the office full of internal meetings.
- It is also a day to prepare for media issues/events/meetings/ parliament etc. for that week.
Tuesday 5 October 2004
- Parliament sitting.
- A chance for Rick to attend with the Minister, the Institute of Public Affairs Australia (IPAA) & _Organisation for Economic Cooperation Development (OECD) Conference being held that day. _Rick will have the opportunity to attend this conference for the whole day.
Thursday 7 October 2004
- Parliament sitting.
- Municipal Association of Victoria Conference
Monday 25 October 2004
- Minister will be Acting Premier
- Community Cabinet day
Tuesday 26 October 2004 - Completion Date
- Minister will be Acting Premier
- Morning of media
- Afternoon of Department for Victorian Communities stakeholder meetings

Costs.

The intern should not incur any costs, with the exception of travel to and from the place where the activities are being undertaken. The Internship should be considered in the same light as a place of work with respect to costs.