2024 Leadership Program

The 2024 RAC Ignite Leadership Program has officially wrapped up, and what an incredible journey it has been.

About the program

Over the course of two months, 28 passionate young leaders came together to learn, collaborate, and create solutions for a safer, more sustainable, and better-connected Western Australia. Co-developed with our partner Millennium Kids, this immersive program took participants through hands-on masterclasses and an unforgettable leadership camp. Along the way, they gained valuable skills, insights, and connections, leading up to the final pitch event at RAC Arena, where Matthew and James were crowned this year’s winners!

The program was designed to equip budding young leaders with the tools and knowledge needed to turn bold ideas into real-world solutions. With expert mentorship, hands-on learning experiences, and a supportive community. The program provided a platform for young changemakers to explore their passions and tackle key challenges facing WA today.

Networking and launch event

In the first week of the program, participants were given the opportunity to network with industry experts at a launch event at RAC. Each participant was joined by a mentor or industry peer of their choice, and the evening was spent mingling and sharing excitement about the beginning of the program.

Exploring big ideas and learning from experts

The program kicked off with the first masterclass, which introduced Design Thinking and the Big Question: Together, how can we create a safer, more sustainable, and better-connected WA? Through interactive activities and expert guidance, participants explored problem-solving frameworks that would shape their projects throughout the program.

Next, participants travelled to Preston Street’s Como Theatre for the second masterclass, focusing on Building Sustainable Cities. Using Preston Street as a living lab, they worked alongside local changemakers to understand real-world urban challenges through the lens of mobility, and develop innovative solutions to improve safety, sustainability, and community connection.

Leadership camp in Margaret River

A key highlight of the program was the three-night leadership camp in Margaret River, where participants had the opportunity to bring their ideas to life. Based at Fair Harvest, they explored the challenges they wanted to solve and gained hands-on experience in tackling real-world issues. Participants also explored the region by chatting with locals who are driving positive change, and travelling by bike, foot, and bus to gain real-life experience about local issues related to road safety, sustainable transport, and community connection.

Beyond the workshops and problem-solving sessions, participants embraced the true spirit of camping, sharing meals, playing card games, and gathering around the campfire for marshmallow toasting and late-night discussions. They also enjoyed cycling, snorkelling and a caving cultural experience, which included a Welcome to Country, recognising the connection to Country and the traditional owners of the land. This cultural exchange highlighted the importance of diversity in shaping road safety solutions that reflect local communities. These moments helped build strong friendships and a sense of community, making the camp an unforgettable experience.

As the program progressed, the third masterclass provided pitch training and mentoring with RAC’s public speaking expert Hayley Scott, helping participants craft compelling presentations. With expert guidance, they learned how to communicate their ideas effectively, refine their solutions, and build confidence ahead of the final event.

The grand finale: pitching to the judges

After a month of learning and planning, it all came down to the final pitch event. The 13 participant teams presented their ideas to an esteemed panel of judges, showcasing their innovative solutions for WA’s future. The competition was fierce, with each team demonstrating incredible creativity, determination, and passion. The top three pitches were selected and had the opportunity to present their ideas to an audience of over 150 industry professionals, family members, and community supporters at RAC Arena.

Matthew and James took out the top prize with their idea to gamify bike riding and walking through the RAC Go app, empowering young people in WA to build essential road navigation skills before they start to learn to drive. Their project aims to improve road safety awareness among young teens, enhancing their confidence and competency as future drivers, all while promoting healthier and more sustainable transport habits.
For their winning pitch, Matthew and James each received $2000, while all participants were awarded a $500 RAC Parks & Resorts voucher to celebrate their hard work and dedication. Learn more about the top three pitches and how these young thinkers are shaping solutions for the future.

For the first time, there was also a People’s Choice winner, as decided by the guests at the celebration event. This was won by Molly, Leo and Amit, who had the idea of V-Road Ready—a program designed to help young and inexperienced drivers gain confidence on the roads through novel and dangerous situations in a risk-free VR environment.

A huge thank you to all of our participants: Aiden Hill, Akaash Singh, Ali Asad, Amit Kunnath, Angela Shaw, Angelique Pinto, Carmen Bangma, Christina Nguyen, Diya Joseph, Erika Mari Teng Gui, Greta Bushell, Hien Tran, Isaac Corey Henderson, James Clark, James Della Gatta, Jasmin Ely, Joshua Plummer, Katharine Whitehead, Leo Larkins, Lucy Jakob-Boyle, Matthew Menezes, Mehar Bhatia, Meleva Thorn, Mina Delplanque, Molly Huang, Nathan Lotsos, Rebekah Thompson and Will Lewis.

What’s next?

The 2024 Ignite Leadership Program has set the stage for a new generation of changemakers, and we can’t wait to see how these young leaders continue to develop their ideas and make an impact.

Want to be part of the next wave of changemakers? Submit your expression of interest below!

Register your interest