Health and wellbeing aren’t just about services. They’re shaped by the culture we create – one of care, connection and shared responsibility. The Annual Program cohort recently visited Wodonga to explore what wellbeing looks like in practice – across systems, identities and everyday experience.
Trent Dean, CEO of Gateway Health, shared his personal and professional journey, sparking a conversation about empathy, equity and the kind of leadership that meets people where they are.
In the afternoon, the group visited the Multicultural Community Farm – a vibrant two-hectare space along the Murray River with more than 270 garden plots, shared by community members from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. Originally established by the Bhutanese community, the farm has become a place to grow culturally important food, maintain traditions, and support one another. Josie Maxwell and Harka Bista led the tour, highlighting how it is a space where connection, care and wellbeing grow alongside the crops – offering not just produce, but a strong sense of belonging.
The day closed with a community projects panel featuring AVCLP Alumni Alyce Fisher, Sergeant Michael Savage and Sophie Enders. Each shared their experience leading or contributing to community-centred projects – giving the cohort insight into how ideas take shape, what it means to work alongside community, and the different paths people take to create local impact.
