Student Leadership

Learning, Serving, Leading

It is rewarding to be able to work with the student leaders of Barker College. Throughout the school community there are a wide range of activities that provide many and varied opportunities for students to develop skills that ultimately help them mature as future leaders.

All students are involved in the PC and SE program where attributes of ‘Servant Leadership’ are embedded in the program. Further leadership development occurs in Cadets, OED leadership development courses, Compass Award program, the Grange program, the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, as well as selection on the SRC, sports teams, music ensembles, Junior School Captains, Middle School Senior, House Leader, Prefect or volunteering as a Monitor. These all present students with the opportunity to learn, serve and lead.

Developing student leadership is an important priority as an exit skill for Barker students. There is growing evidence in the business and corporate world that administrative structures embrace both flexibility and innovation. This then requires a shift in leadership structures that can accommodate the rapid changes that occur in a modern, global economy.

Barker has embraced a ‘Servant Leadership’ model that is the overarching goal of both the formal and informal leadership development within the school. We believe that it upholds the Christian Ethos of the school and is also an excellent preparation for students entering this evolving workplace.

A servant leader is committed to the growth of people and the community they lead. Coupled with the ideas of emotional intelligence developed by Daniel Goleman, Barker is implementing some explicit teaching of these qualities in order to develop purposeful leaders for the future.

Future Leaders

In the Junior School the program is based around the Bounce Back Program. This stage we call "My Family and I".

In the Middle School the program begins with the individual and moves to the community. This stage we call "Me to Us".

In the Senior School the program begins with Leadership Styles and moves to Life Skills and Leadership. This stage we call "Us to Them".

Informal opportunities to develop these servant and community leadership qualities are found in the many and varied service activities that engage Barker students. These include;

• Visitation to the Clarke Road Special School
• Support of the Tra-Xuan School in Vietnam
• Crossroads – Hong Kong
• Koala habitat and bush regeneration in the Hawkes Nest Region
• Gardening for elderly and disabled in regions around Jindabyne, Mittagong, Moss Vale, Gloucester, Dungog, Lithgow, Bathurst

Through this program we are seeking to develop;

• Student understanding of who they are within the community they live
• A contagious culture of serving others
• Leadership qualities that will serve communities

Dean Bunn
Director of Student Leadership Development