The SGLN encouraged and paid for all our staff to attend the 2022 National Landcare Conference in Sydney. This paid huge dividends. It was a great professional development opportunity providing them with new ideas and contacts. It also built a great sense of camaraderie and pride in what SGLN is achieving. Ideally, we will offer this opportunity to our employees every year.

As a Landcare facilitator you need to take any opportunity to network with other Landcare facilitators and hear what’s happening in their regions. There are no textbooks for this line of work, but there are people who have many years’ experience who you can turn to.

Conferences are very motivating, and the presentations are informative, but it’s often a sideline conversation with someone you’ve never met that’s your take-home piece of gold.

A strong theme at the 2022 National Landcare Conference was youth engagement, which can be challenging in a rural area. Our team gathered ideas to trial in our region.

Landcare facilitators need to be realistic about how many new ideas you can take on board and consider them in context of how many hours and activities you’ve already committed to.

After a year in the job, I can say I really enjoy working in Landcare. I love the freedom of not being in a large, and often risk averse, bureaucracy. There are some support mechanisms you miss out on – I still haven’t organised my own uniform – but it’s up to the individual to take command of the role. There’s lots of opportunities to build on your strengths and seek out those who can support you with the things you need help with. The answer and support will be in your community somewhere. SGLN Landcare Facilitator, Nick Stephens.