New name, new impact: evokeAG. Groundbreakers program welcomes 2025 applicants
Applications for the evokeAG. Groundbreakers program open on Friday, 2 August 2024. We catch up with Emily Jones, outgoing program manager, to share how it’s evolved since 2019, the reason behind the name change in 2025, and what’s ahead for the successful five applicants.
Emily Jones, (centre) outgoing Groundbreakers program manager, with the 2024 cohort, Dr Katia Taylor, Sam Labert, Natalie Bell, Dr Roberta Marcoli and Guy Coleman.
The Future Young Leaders program began in 2019 at the first AgriFutures evokeAG. in Melbourne. It was an opportunity to celebrate diversity of thought and show support for agricultures emerging leaders by providing a platform for them to share their passions with an international audience.
Ten successful applicants presented their ideas on stage, and the Future Young Leaders program was positioned as “the voice of the future” for Australian agriculture.
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Since 2019, there have been three other cohorts of Future Young Leaders, and the program has evolved dramatically to provide tailored support. The evokeAG. team recognised how important the work that went into the lead up to the big event was, how crucial the professional mentorship competent is and how impactful providing post-event support will be to their continued development – these are the key evolutions.
Professional mentoring sets each participant up for success and ensures clarity in their key messages when presenting to the evokeAG. audience, and a post-event bursary gives them the means to continue to develop as industry leaders.
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In 2023 the program reduced its numbers to seven participants to provide a more intimate experience and intensify the mentorship component. Participants felt this gave them time and space to really challenge their ideas and find their ‘purple cow’ that would have people on the edge of their seats when they set foot on stage. I think they really found this in Adelaide 2023.
In 2024 numbers were reduced to five, further tailoring the program. We wanted to provide a valuable experience that didn’t just end for these remarkable leaders when they stepped off the stage. The bursary component was introduced to support the participants in realising their ideas or furthering their knowledge and skillsets.
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The program encouraged those with an existing innovation or research to apply, and we saw five Future Young Leaders who were already paving the way in their respective fields. However, you couldn’t deny that the passion of these people is what drew everyone in, not so much the innovation or research that they had originally applied with.
Q. There’s big changes ahead for 2025 – can you introduce us to the revamped, renamed program?
A. From the start, we knew the word ‘Future’ was never truly befitting the program participants who were not just aspiring leaders or people who would eventually become leaders. No, the cohorts of people we have seen come through this program are much more than future leaders.
They are already making waves in their respective industries and are leaders in their own right. They’re movers and shakers and subsequently ‘Groundbreakers’ felt fitting to describe the types of people you will discover when diving into this program.
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For the 2025 program we are focusing on IMPACT! You may not have your own startup or be working on a revolutionary piece of research, but if you can demonstrate that the work you are doing for the world, the nation, or just your small rural community is having a big impact on Australian agriculture and its people, then this program is for you.
The evokeAG. 2024 Future Young Leader cohort.
Q. What golden opportunities await our 2025 applicants?
A. First and foremost, it’s the relationships they build with their cohort and our team at AgriFutures Australia. The cohorts become very close; they’re each other’s cheerleaders well beyond the end of the program.
Each year we watch as their networks grow through their connection with AgriFutures and evokeAG., the people they meet at the evokeAG. event, and the media opportunities and attention that comes their way from being announced a Future Young Leader – or in this year’s case, a Groundbreaker.
The participants also receive in-depth group and one-on-one mentoring sessions with an industry professional. They become confident presenters, develop their speaking and storytelling skills, and fine tune their key messaging.
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They receive group media training to prepare them for interviews and other media opportunities, and a full day videography and photography shoot to capture their story and build their portfolio of professional images.
Return airfares, five days of accommodation, food, and taxi fares during the week of evokeAG. are all included in the program, as well as two in-person mentoring sessions with their cohort prior to and after the two-day event.
Their attendance at evokeAG. is inclusive of the official Welcome Event, and often participants will receive complimentary tickets and/or invitations to other sideline events over the week.
Finally, program participants receive a $3,000 bursary which will go towards their professional development or development and realisation of their projects. Deciding how to best utilise the bursary will happen in conjunction with the program manager and professional mentor, and participants have until the following financial year to make use of this.
Q. There’s been oodles of success stories over the program’s history – what’s a particularly special one?
A. Well, it’s pretty difficult to pick only one because there are just so many! But one fresh in my mind is Dr Roberta Marcoli. She was a 2024 Future Young Leader and did her presentation on the importance of clear science communication (as an ocean scientist herself) aquaculture, and sustainable fishing practices. As with all Future Young Leaders, Roby received A LOT of media attention and through this, as well as those she met at evokeAG. 2024, she has had countless opportunities in the short three months following the conclusion of the event.
Dr Roberta Marcoli, evokeAG. 2024 Future Young Leader.
Just after the event she continued communication with a professor from Curtin University who is now mentoring her and supporting her journey to bring her idea of ‘Aqua Bridge’, a science communications platform, to life!
She has also since been accepted as a facilitator for the Women in Seafood Australasia Leadership Program ‘Turn the Tide’, was a finalist for the Young Achiever category with the Queensland Seafood Association, travelled to China on behalf of the James Cook University to lecture on sustainable aquaculture practices at South Western University, China, went to Greece to chair a session and speak at the Genomics in Aquaculture conference and is hoping to do an iteration of her evokeAG. presentation at TEDX Sydney later in the year. Achieving all of this in less than four months post-evokeAG., I would say is an inspirational success story.
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Q. Your number one tip for nailing the application?
A. Authenticity and impact. Often you will be having a bigger impact on the people around you than what you even realise.
Key Dates:
- Applications Open: Friday, 2 August 2024
- Applications Close: Monday, 2 September 2024
- Final Selection: Monday, 16 September 2024
Eligibility:
- Australia and New Zealand
- Ages 18-30 (by 31 December 2024)
Click here to apply to the 2025 evokeAG. Groundbreakers program.