3, 2, 1... Launch of the 2026 Emerging Young Leaders Mentoring Program

 

On Saturday 18 April, participants in the 2026 Emerging Young Leaders Mentoring Program met each other for the first time at the program’s Mentor Training and Launch event.

 

Both mentors and mentees were able to get to know each other, as well as some participants from the 2025 program, in order to gain a better understanding of how the program works and start building the foundations of their mentoring partnerships.

The morning session began with the mentors gathering for intentional training and discussion on mentoring. Mentors covered topics such as the strengths-based approach, mentoring metaphors and support resources. One mentor commented, “My takeaway message was that the mentee is leading the relationship,” after a conversation about mentee-led sessions where mentees in the program build their leadership skills by initiating and preparing meetings with their mentor about topics of their choosing.

The mentees joined later in the morning for an overview of the program and a tour of Victoria’s Fire Services Museum and FRV Station One’s EVIE - Electric Vehicle for Incident and Emergency. The tours were full of fascinating information and everyone left with new facts and findings from the day.

Fire Services Museum President Tim Hughes conducted the tour and included many stories of the developing fire services and Victoria’s past emerging leaders for the participants to ponder over.

One of the mentees left the day feeling like, “Everyone is here to help, and I don’t have to be afraid to ask for it,” which is a perfect start to the six-month program.

Over the coming months, these CFA members will continue to develop leadership skills, work on personal growth goals, share valuable knowledge, clarify pathways, progression and aspirations as well as continue to engage and commit to brigade life. Their upcoming workshop promises to be not only a time of hard work but of rewarding relationship building as well.

For more information and updates about the 2026 Emerging Young Leaders Mentoring program, visit the Members Online page here.

The program organisers thank the Fire Services Museum of Victoria, Fire Rescue Victoria: Station One, Sodii and Dermal for their support.

 

Submitted by	Alex Reid