Upcoming Programs & Events

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• 2025 Executive Leaders Program

  • Start
    29 Jan 2025
  •  
  • End
    29 Apr 2025
  •  
  • Schedule
    11 sessions
  • Location
    Various

  

  What role will you play in the future of local government?

  With a complex and continuously evolving sector, it is now more essential than ever that local government is prepared for the future. New services, new skills, local and global impacts and the ever-changing digital landscape have fundamentally changed expectations of both the nature and delivery of services.

  On completion of this program, participants will be able to:

  • Make progress on complex problems in an agile way
  • Navigate rapidly changing and evolving environments
  • Collaborate and work more effectively with different stakeholder groups
  • Make better decisions in uncertain, complex and ambiguous situations
  • Manage their energy to best serve their communities
  • See and consider multiple perspectives
  • Be more conscious of what is personally holding them back from delivering to their full potential

  • Build resilience through cognitive flexibility and a strengths-focused mindset

  • Apply strengths in addressing challenges, improving leadership effectiveness and driving team performance. 

  This program is for experienced senior local government leaders in regional and metropolitan councils and subsidiaries who are seeking to expand their thinking and leadership impact.

  Download the 2025 Prospectus

  
  

  Registration at our events and programs are open to Local Government Professionals Australia, SA members, council employees, employees of regional subsidiaries and Local Government Professionals Australia, SA invited guests.

  By registering for this program you will be subscribed to the LG Professionals SA mailing list. Should you wish to unsubscribe at any time, please email admin@lgprofessionalssa.org.au.

  
  

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• 2025 Strategic Management Program

  • Start
    06 Feb 2025
  •  
  • End
    15 Aug 2025
  •  
  • Schedule
    10 sessions
  • Location
    University of South Australia City West Campus, North Terrace, Adelaide and Virtual
  • Spaces left
    7

  

  Developed in partnership with UniSA and local government experts, the Strategic Management Program (SMP) has been designed to increase the skills and capabilities of leaders and managers in local government.

  Participants will build high-level leadership and management skills within a local government context, and learn technical skills to manage business functions and enhance innovation, strategic thinking, business acumen and operational excellence. 

  Download the prospectus here

  

  Registrations at our events and programs are open to Local Government Professionals Australia, SA members, council employees, employees of regional subsidiaries and Local Government Professionals Australia, SA invited guests unless specified otherwise on the event or program brochure.

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• 2025 Ignite Program

  • Start
    06 Feb 2025
  •  
  • End
    04 Feb 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    15 sessions
  • Location
    Various
  • Spaces left
    0

  Join waitlist

  
  

  The LG Professionals SA Ignite Program is a leadership learning path for supervisors, team leaders and coordinators in local government across South Australia.

  The focus of the program is to enable those who have limited experience in managing and leading people to develop the competencies required to be successful in their role. 

  Download the full prospectus here.

  
  

  Registrations at our events and programs are open to Local Government Professionals Australia, SA members, council employees, employees of regional subsidiaries and Local Government Professionals Australia, SA invited guests unless specified otherwise on the event or program brochure.

  By registering for this event/forum/program you will be subscribed to the LG Professionals SA mailing list. Should you wish to unsubscribe at any time, please email eve@lgprofessionalssa.org.au.

  
  

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• Women's Career Navigator Program

  • Start
    19 Mar 2025
  •  
  • End
    16 Apr 2025
  •  
  • Schedule
    4 sessions
  • Location
    LG House, 148 Frome Street, Adelaide SA 5000
  • Spaces left
    6

  

  The LG Professionals SA Career Navigator Program supports women to develop a strong, authentic professional identity and approach their career and work with positivity and proactivity.

  The Program equips participants with the knowledge, skills and confidence to:

  • build their professional presence and profile
  • maintain their cool in stressful and challenging situations
  • understand and navigate organisational politics and team dynamics with integrity
  • apply a Growth Mindset to personal and professional challenges to build resilience and wellbeing
  • set and pursue personal and professional goals.

  Designed to be highly interactive, with an emphasis on peer learning, the Career Navigator Program is made up of two 1.5-hour online sessions and a two-day in person workshop at LG House, which will equip you with skills and tools to dial down your inner critic, build your career courage and take charge of your life and career.

  • Aspiring leaders
  • High potential women
  • Women who may not wish to move into more senior roles, but who want to build their professional profile and cultivate greater influence and impact in the workplace.

  Download the full flyer here
  
  

  
  

  Registrations for this event are open to female Local Government Professionals Australia, SA members, council employees, employees of regional subsidiaries and Local Government Professionals Australia, SA invited guests. 

  By registering for this program you will be subscribed to the LG Professionals SA mailing list. Should you wish to unsubscribe at any time, please email admin@lgprofessionalssa.org.au

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• LG Professionals SA Community Development Network Forum: Exploring Inclusion in Local Government: Beyond Plans and Policies

  • When
    03 Apr 2025
  •  
    9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
  • Location
    Virtual

  Register

  
  

  Join the LG Professionals SA Community Development Network for their first Forum of 2025: Exploring Inclusion in Local Government: Beyond Plans and Policies.

  Local governments play a crucial and hands-on role in fostering inclusive communities, where they welcome and support people in a variety of situations, all with unique needs. These demographics include living with disability, neurodivergent, culturally diverse, newly arrived, First Nations, LGBTQIA+, youth and aged populations and a range of other individuals and groups.

  Strategies, frameworks, and legislation help guide this work, however, in true community development style, the stories of good practice within our communities is where inclusion really starts to come alive.

  Join us for an engaging online session where we’ll share short stories illustrating the power of authentic inclusion, together with the latest initiatives that councils are adopting when approaching inclusion. This session is for anyone involved in working with communities.

  Further information on these short stories is below:

  Inclusion across council: Driving change through authentic engagement 
  Kelly Morris, Community Inclusion Project Officer, City of Tea Tree Gully

  The City of Tea Tree Gully Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) community reference group, with lived experience of disability, has encouraged council to enhance its approach to disability and neurodiversity. Authentic engagement with this group has influenced Elected Members and departments across the council, leading to the installation of many varied initiatives; of which this presentation will touch on three:

  1) Changing Places facilities
  2) a series of autism regulation projects
  3) the development of inclusive playgrounds, accessible events, and expos.

  Learn how this group formed and how their stories and advocacy have driven meaningful and embedded changes across council.

  
  

  Building Understanding and Inclusion Through Human Library Events
  Abdulsalam Hamid Juma, Community Development Practitioner, City of Charles Sturt

  Abdulsalam will share insights from an innovative initiative that brings communities together through storytelling, shared meals, and meaningful partnerships.

  This model fosters genuine connection by engaging with ‘human books’ - individuals from diverse backgrounds, including refugees, asylum seekers and First Nations peoples, who share their lived experiences in a supportive space.

  Learn how collaboration and community-led approaches build empathy, strengthen relationships, and inspire deeper inclusion beyond policies. Discover key insights and explore how this partnership-driven model can be adapted in local government settings to create lasting impact.

  
  

  Enriching the Lives of Riverland & Mallee Young People Through Creativity, Theatre and Play
  Sam Wannan, Artistic Director and Fleur Kilpatrick, Associate Artist, Riverland Youth Theatre

  Riverland Youth Theatre (RYT) enriches the lives of young people in the South Australian Riverland and Mallee through creativity, theatre and play. They make art with and for community, and empower children and young people as artists, makers, storytellers, learners, and doers. They offer professional development for teachers and artists, opportunities for parents/carers to interact creatively with their children, community arts-based projects and, crucially, a safe place for all children and young people to be themselves.

  RYT are deeply committed to providing a space that is safe, inclusive, and joyful for all children. Inclusion, accessibility, and affordability is central to how they work and the activities they offer. They acknowledge that there are many barriers that may prevent young people and their families from engaging with art. They proactively work to dismantle these barriers, embrace difference and welcome our beautiful, diverse community. 
  

  
  Integrated planning vs multiple plans: A cohesive, outcomes-focused approach
  Erica Gurner, Social and Cultural Sustainability Planner, City of Marion

  Inclusion is about both, values - how we approach and consider all people, and also context - who we are including and what we're including them in. Different groups often need nuanced approaches and within a council, this can lead to the creation of multiple overlapping plans that can become overwhelming. 

  An outcomes approach to strategic planning can help tie plans together in an integrated way, by telling one overall story and branching off into the sub-stories of different groups as needed.

  At the City of Marion, our new Regional Public Health Plan (RPHP) makes visible the health and wellbeing system in the council and tells the story of the outcomes we want for the whole community. We are working towards using this plan as an umbrella, with other plans branching off and reflecting nuanced inclusion needs and approaches for different sectors of the community. These plans include our DAIP, Reconciliation Action Plan, Multicultural Plan, and Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging Plan. We are also looking at how some of these other plans can be consolidated. 

  
  

  Intercultural City
  Vesna Haracic, Manager Community Diversity & Inclusion, City of Salisbury

  Intercultural Salisbury is a leading initiative that celebrates and fosters cultural diversity within our community. Through innovative programs like Intercultural Workshops and Diversitours, we create meaningful opportunities for connection, understanding, and inclusion. Diversitours is Australia’s first cultural tourism project of its kind, offering immersive experiences that showcase the rich cultural heritage of Salisbury’s diverse communities. These initiatives not only promote social cohesion but also position the City of Salisbury as a model for intercultural engagement, demonstrating how embracing diversity enriches our local identity and strengthens community ties.
  
  

  Yitpi Yartapuultiku Aboriginal Cultural Centre Co-Design
  Matthew Rose, Program Lead - Yitpi Yartapuultiku Aboriginal Cultural Centre,
  City of Port Adelaide Enfield

  Matthew will share his experiences working with Aboriginal community in a Country-centred way to create powerful public places. Yitpi Yartapuultiku is a new and exciting Aboriginal cultural destination in the heart of Port Adelaide. Every aspect of the design shaped by cultural knowledge of Custodians. Through deep listening throughout the co-design process, cultural practices and narratives have been integrated to ensure authentic representation of Aboriginal history and culture. 

  
  

  LGBTQIA+ Youth Inclusion – Creating safe spaces for the rainbow community 
  Ally Stewart, Studio 20 Youth Centre Coordinator,
  City of Onkaparinga 

  The City of Onkaparinga will share their youth led initiative and the program development journey of the organisation’s first LGBTQIA+ youth group, Spark. 

  Developed in 2023, the program was born out of community feedback where a gap had been identified for young people identifying as LGBTQIA+. This presentation will discuss: 

  • The gaps and needs identified in community and why these spaces are so important 
  • The development of the youth program and how it runs today. 

  Steps staff have taken to make spaces safer for LGBTQIA+ young people and community.

  
  

  
  

  

  Registrations for this forum are open to Local Government Professionals Australia, SA members, council employees, employees of regional subsidiaries and Local Government Professionals Australia, SA invited guests.

  By registering for this forum you will be subscribed to the LG Professionals SA mailing list. Should you wish to unsubscribe at any time, please email admin@lgprofessionalssa.org.au.

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• LG Professionals SA People and Culture Network - Sick Leave Transfer Invoicing

  • When
    08 Apr 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Virtual (via Zoom)

  Register

  
  

  Join us for a one hour online session with Sathish Dasan, Principal at Norman Waterhouse Lawyers who will provide an update on the recently released Sick Leave Transfer Invoicing advice. 

  This session will be delivered via Zoom. Please note time change from 11AM-12PM to 10AM - 11AM. 

  Registrations for this event are open to Local Government Professionals Australia, SA Network Members, and Local Government Professionals Australia, SA invited guests.

  By registering for this session you will be subscribed to the LG Professionals SA mailing list. Should you wish to unsubscribe at any time, please email admin@lgprofessionalssa.org.au

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• 2025 Management Challenge

  • When
    09 Apr 2025
  •  
    7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
  • Location
    Adelaide Showground - Goodwood Road, Wayville SA 5034

  
  

  The Management Challenge is a simulation-based team building, learning and networking program using real local government themes—the types of issues that a senior management team in a council would most likely face.

  The teams are challenged to respond to a series of tasks in a unique one-day, fast paced, ‘pressure cooker’ environment. Some tasks will require written responses (such as a council report or recommendation document), and some will take the form of role plays or presentations and the teams are also scored on observations of how well they display energy, synergy, effectiveness and creative thinking.

  View the prospectus here.

  Registrations for this event are open to Local Government Professionals Australia, SA members, council employees, employees of regional subsidiaries and Local Government Professionals Australia, SA invited guests.

  By registering for this event you will be subscribed to the LG Professionals SA mailing list. Should you wish to unsubscribe at any time, please email admin@lgprofessionalssa.org.au.

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• Managing Your Time, Energy and Priorities

  • When
    29 Apr 2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    LG House, 148 Frome Street, Adelaide SA 5000
  • Spaces left
    15

  Register

  
  

  This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills to improve your time management approach to your daily and weekly workload - work smarter, not harder!

  You’ll dive into issues that are preventing you from reaching optimum effectiveness and develop a range of techniques and strategies to better manage your time and get more out of your day.

  This course will be delivered in person at LG House, 148 Frome Street, Adelaide. 

  For more information, visit lgprofessionalssa.org.au/managing-your-time-energy-and-priorities.

  

  Registrations for this event are open to Local Government Professionals Australia, SA members, council employees, employees of regional subsidiaries and Local Government Professionals Australia, SA invited guests.

  By registering for this event/forum/program you will be subscribed to the LG Professionals SA mailing list. Should you wish to unsubscribe at any time, please email eve@lgprofessionalssa.org.au.

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• Advanced Project Management

  • When
    06 May 2025
  •  
    9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    LG House, 148 Frome Street Adelaide SA 5000
  • Spaces left
    12

  Register

  
  

  Project management is something we do every day in local government and it’s an area we should be leaders in.
  
  Beyond providing you with essential knowledge and skills to plan, manage and execute projects on time and on budget, this program takes a deeper dive into project management theory and looks at both operational and strategic elements of project management.
  
  Best suited to those who have some project management experience behind them, and those that have completed the Introduction to Project Management course.

  This course will be delivered in person at LG House, 148 Frome Street, Adelaide. 
  

  For more information, visit lgprofessionalssa.org.au/advanced-project-management.

  
  

  Registrations for this event are open to Local Government Professionals Australia, SA members, council employees, employees of regional subsidiaries and Local Government Professionals Australia, SA invited guests.

  By registering for this event/forum/program you will be subscribed to the LG Professionals SA mailing list. Should you wish to unsubscribe at any time, please email eve@lgprofessionalssa.org.au.

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• People and Culture Network Forum

  • When
    08 May 2025
  •  
    9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
  • Location
    TBA

  

  Registrations for this forum are not yet available. Please continue to check this page as further details will be provided closer to the event.
  

  

  Registrations for this forum are open to Local Government Professionals Australia, SA members, council employees, employees of regional subsidiaries and Local Government Professionals Australia, SA invited guests.

  By registering for this forum you will be subscribed to the LG Professionals SA mailing list. Should you wish to unsubscribe at any time, please email admin@lgprofessionalssa.org.au.

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• 24th Annual Leadership Excellence Awards Gala Dinner

  • When
    09 May 2025
  •  
    6:30 PM - 11:30 PM
  • Location
    Adelaide Convention Centre, North Terrace Adelaide

  Register

  The Local Government Professionals Australia, SA Leadership Excellence Awards Program recognises outstanding achievement and innovation in local government. The association is pleased to present a program that not only recognises excellence, but contributes to the advancement and improvement of local government as a sector.
  

  Join us to celebrate the achievements of local government professionals.

  Event Details:

  • Pre-Dinner Arrivals: 6:30pm

  • Dinner: 7:00pm

  • Dress: Cocktail

  Registrations close Monday 28 April 2025 unless sold out prior.

  For assistance, please email mhay@lgprofessionalssa.org.au or phone 8224 2080.

  This event is only open to people employed by a council or other local government entity unless they are event sponsors or corporate partners. 

  Note: A cancellation policy applies to this event. Please view the policy here before registering. 
  

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• 2025 Emerging Leaders Program

  • Start
    29 May 2025
  •  
    9:00 AM
  • End
    28 Nov 2025
  •  
    5:00 PM
  • Location
    Various Locations
  • Spaces left
    0

  Join waitlist

  

  The Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) is a program aimed to provide participants with a greater level of comprehension and understanding of local government; increased understanding of leadership concepts and practices and how to integrate these learnings into the workplace, increased confidence; enhanced self-awareness; an appreciation of and an ability to work with different personality types; the opportunity to challenge their assumptions. 

  The 2025 Emerging Leaders Program has currently sold out. Please join our waitlist in case a place becomes available.

  Download the prospectus here.

  
  

  Registrations at our events and programs are open to Local Government Professionals Australia, SA members, council employees, employees of regional subsidiaries and Local Government Professionals Australia, SA invited guests unless specified otherwise on the event or program brochure.

  By registering for this event/forum/program you will be subscribed to the LG Professionals SA mailing list. Should you wish to unsubscribe at any time, please email admin@lgprofessionalssa.org.au.

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• Introduction to Project Management

  • When
    28 Jul 2025
  •  
    9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    LG House, 148 Frome Street Adelaide SA 5000
  • Spaces left
    20

  Register

  
  

  Project management is a fundamental skill in our modern workforce, as it ensures that what is being delivered is not only right, but that it also delivers against the business opportunity - so it's important that we get it right.

  This course is designed to cover the basic principles of managing projects to help you plan, control and organise activities to ensure that you are delivering successful projects every time. It is best suited for staff who may be new to managing projects or have not previously undertaken any formal project management training.

  This course will be delivered in person at LG House, 148 Frome Street, Adelaide. 
  

  For more information, visit lgprofessionalssa.org.au/introduction-to-project-management.

  
  
  

  Registrations at our events and programs are open to Local Government Professionals Australia, SA members, council employees, employees of regional subsidiaries and Local Government Professionals Australia, SA invited guests unless specified otherwise on the event or program brochure.

  By registering for this event/forum/program you will be subscribed to the LG Professionals SA mailing list. Should you wish to unsubscribe at any time, please email eve@lgprofessionalssa.org.au.

  
  

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