LEAD Professional Development Association Inc.

09/10/2026

𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀

AI is fast becoming part of everyday practice, but its use in the for-purpose sector raises real risks around client privacy, embedded bias and the erosion of relational, culturally safe practice if it is used without risk assessment and skills. This workshop builds the confidence, professional judgement and ethical capability practitioners need to use AI safely and in alignment with sector values, including dignity, equity, cultural safety and trauma-informed practice.

This workshop will be delivered in a hybrid format, giving you the flexibility to attend in person or virtually. Register here ➡️ https://leadpda.org.au/professionaldevelopment/critical-thinking-in-a-world-using-ai-for-frontline-workers/

01/10/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲: 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 | 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 2026 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻!

💡𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲: 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘱𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘊𝘝?
I am not talking about the one that lists your qualifications, job titles, board positions or professional achievements.
Not the version sitting on your computer or LinkedIn profile.
I'm talking about your Invisible CV.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 ➡️ https://mailchi.mp/17604578585d/leaders-digest-lead-september-2026-edition

💡𝗨𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀, 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 & 𝗢𝗻-𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀 ➡️ https://leadpda.org.au/professional-development/

💡𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 ➡️ https://leadpda.org.au/jobs-board/

💡𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: Become a Member! ➡️ https://leadpda.org.au/become-a-member/

💡𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗫 𝗦𝘆𝗱𝘄𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_inthsMrntU

29/09/2026

𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 SydWestcares

In this 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗 x SydWestcares Member Spotlight, we sit down with a team that truly understands the community it serves.

Operating in the heart of Blacktown, SydWestcares embraces and reflects the incredible multicultural diversity of Western Sydney. Their work spans a broad range of services designed to support individuals, families and communities, with a strong focus on inclusion, connection and practical support.

A key part of our conversation is the value of Lived Experience. The knowledge, insight and perspective that comes from having personally navigated the systems and challenges that services seek to address. At LEAD Professional Development Association Inc., we believe lived experience has an important role to play in shaping stronger, more responsive services and a more empowered workforce.

This conversation comes at an exciting time, with LEAD Professional Development Association Inc. preparing to host a Lived Experience Symposium very soon, bringing the sector together to explore the value, challenges and future of lived experience in the for-purpose workforce.

Thank you to SydWestcares for sharing their story, their insights and their commitment to the Blacktown community.

Watch the full Member Spotlight to hear more about SydWestcares and the heart that drives their work.

Lived Experience, Local Impact: Meet SydWest Multicultural Services...

11/09/2026

𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸: 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

This National Child Protection Week, turn awareness into action by strengthening the knowledge, skills and confidence that help keep children safe.

Whether you're looking to refresh your knowledge or strengthen your skills, our 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 & 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴 professional development workshop will help you stay informed, compliant and confident in your safeguarding practice and responsibilities.

At LEAD Professional Development, we're committed to providing accessible, timely and practical learning opportunities that support frontline professionals when they need them most.

Click Here to Register ➡️ https://ams.leadpda.org.au/_events.registration/step1/eventid/40973?_gl=1*xcveir*_ga*MTEzMDgxNDg0NC4xNzQ4OTk0MTc3*_ga_06MPCYXFHJ*czE3ODkxMDQ2NTQkbzE2MiRnMSR0MTc4OTEwNDY2NSRqNDkkbDAkaDA.&_ga=2.182649702.1703920580.1789098072-1130814844.1748994177

03/09/2026

The Safer Communities Network (SCN) members came together for our quarterly Professional Development session on Communication Skills for Confrontational or Aggressive Situations, bringing together representatives from most partner organisations across the Safer Communities Network to strengthen how we de-escalate confrontation in the diverse settings we work in every day.

The session combined the trauma-informed neuroscience of aggression with hands-on, small-group practice, working through real-world conflict scenarios and unpacking how language, culture, trauma and neurodivergence can shape the way aggression shows up, so network members leave with practical, ready-to-use tools.

✅ There was unanimous consensus from workshop participants that the skills and strategies learnt during the session improved their knowledge and confidence in applying these approaches with their clients.

We acknowledge the support of the Paul Ramsay Foundation (PRF), whose investment in strengthening community networks across Mt Druitt is helping build the capacity, connections and collective capability of local organisations. Through supporting place-based collaboration and leadership, PRF is enabling services to work together more effectively to achieve stronger outcomes for children, young people and families in the community.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part and brought their experience, honesty and energy to the room. This is what a genuinely connected network looks like in action.

These professional development opportunities are strengthening collaboration across the Safer Communities Network.

03/09/2026

This Learning Circle is an opportunity for the workforce supporting children, young people, families and communities to come together in a facilitated conversation about the sector’s experiences with the new Coercive Control legislation. As is always the case, please come prepared to discuss examples of how the legislation has impacted the communities with whom you work and how local agencies can work together to wrap services around the individuals and families we support.

𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘊𝘪𝘳𝘤𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘌𝘈𝘋 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.

If you have missed any of the in-person workplace-based sessions, please join us for this online session.

Register Here ➡️https://shorturl.at/n4aHy

02/09/2026

AI is fast becoming part of everyday practice, but its use in the for-purpose sector raises real risks around client privacy, embedded bias and the erosion of relational, culturally safe practice if it is used without risk assessment and skills. This workshop builds the confidence, professional judgement and ethical capability practitioners need to use AI safely and in alignment with sector values, including dignity, equity, cultural safety and trauma-informed practice.

𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙚: 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘈𝘐 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴.

Join us in person by registering today, with an online access link also available➡️ https://shorturl.at/8vAXo

20/08/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴, 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲?

In our latest LEAD Member Spotlight, our CEO, Sharmily Mukherjee, sat down with Rumbi Mabambe, Executive Director of Chain Reaction Foundation, to discuss the organisation's vision, the impact it's making across communities, and its commitment to empowering young people to thrive.

A key theme throughout the conversation was the power of partnership. Lasting impact doesn't happen in isolation. It happens when organisations, communities, educators and employers come together with a shared commitment to supporting people to reach their full potential.

We were particularly inspired by Learning Ground, Chain Reaction Foundation's innovative initiative built around the principles of Person, Place and Purpose. Through this work, young people are supported to develop confidence, strengthen connections, find their place in the community and build pathways towards meaningful futures.

It was also fantastic to hear from the team behind the scenes, whose passion and dedication shine through in everything they do. Their commitment to supporting young people was evident in every story shared.

One of the highlights for us was hearing that LEAD Professional Development Association Inc. is seen as more than just a training provider. We were proud to hear staff describe LEAD as part of their team and a trusted partner in learning and growth. That's exactly the kind of relationship we strive to build, working alongside organisations to develop people, strengthen capability and create lasting outcomes.

We're proud to partner with organisations like Chain Reaction Foundation, whose work is changing lives and strengthening communities every day.

A big thank you to Rumbi and the entire Chain Reaction Foundation team for sharing their story and the incredible work they do.

When young people are given the opportunity, support and sense of belonging they deserve, remarkable things can happen.

What does it take to help young people truly belong, grow and thriv...

12/08/2026

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗷𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀! 👖

The LEAD PDA team recently traded our usual workwear for denim in support of Jeans for Genes Day. Joining communities across Australia in raising awareness and supporting children and families impacted by genetic disorders.

While our jeans made for a fun team photo, the cause behind them is what truly matters.

Did you know? 1 in 20 children are born with a birth defect or genetic disease, including conditions such as cancer, cystic fibrosis and life-threatening metabolic disorders. That’s 12 children born every minute worldwide!

By wearing our jeans, we’re helping shine a light on the importance of research, support and creating brighter futures for children living with genetic conditions.

At LEAD PDA, we’re proud to come together as a team to support initiatives that raise awareness, strengthen communities and contribute to meaningful change.

For information about the cause ➡️ https://fundraise.jeansforgenes.org.au/

11/08/2026

𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲
𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦?

This was one of the questions we asked in LEAD's recent Workforce Professional Development & Wellbeing Needs Survey. The responses were both powerful and revealing...... 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲

https://mailchi.mp/750ee48b38ea/leaders-digest-august-13733932