Passionate about Australia’s future and want to play a role in achieving a better and fairer society? The John Curtin Young Leaders Academy is for you!
Inspiring the next generation of Labor Leaders
The John Curtin Young Leaders Academy is a political leadership learning and development program for young Australians (aged 35 and under) who align themselves with Labor’s values, and are passionate about wanting to help create a better and fairer Australia.
This program aims to educate, train, and equip inspired individuals with the tools to win the battle of ideas and become the next generation of effective, successful Labor leaders and activists.
The 2025 Young Leaders Academy will taken place across Friday 5th – Sunday 7th December in Melbourne. Applications are now open and will close for submissions on COB Friday 26 September 2025.
Over the course of one year, participants will take part in a three day leadership retreat with workshops and guest presentations on leadership, campaigning, and ALP history; undertake a flexible internship with the JCRC in a specialised area; and meet with mentors who will provide counsel and connections to participants on their journeys. Participants will also have ongoing access to the JCRC community of political, union and business leaders.
By participating in this program, individuals are given the chance to broaden their political and policy-making knowledge, critical thinking and communication skills. Participants will also get to know themselves, and their leadership style and development needs through dedicated sessions on leadership and personal development. At completion, participants will be referred to as ‘Curtin Scholars’.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to connect and collaborate with like minded individuals who are actively driving change across various sectors – business, community and disability, economics, politics, health, and more.
We particularly encourage working and lower-income middle-class Australians living in middle and outer suburbia and the regions to apply.
THE ACADEMY
HOW TO APPLY
Participation in this program is granted via a competitive selection criteria and interview process.
APPLICATION FORM
We are thrilled for you to start this application journey with us.
To apply for the Young Leaders Programme, the following needs to be submitted by 26 September 2025:
Please have the above letter ready to attach, ahead of starting your application form.
Please note that you cannot save your responses until you click “submit” at the bottom of the application form. We strongly recommend that you read through the application first and prepare your answers in a Word Document before submitting them into the form. Only once you click “submit” and receive an automated email confirming your submission, will you know your application was successfully submitted.
Within 5 working days of your submission, you will receive an email from the John Curtin Leadership Team confirming that your application has been received. If you do not receive a confirmation email within 5 working days, please contact us at info@curtinrc.org.
Young Leaders are individuals who are already making a difference where they are. They are known for the values and principles they live by and are committed to not only bringing about change in their communities but also growing and developing their potential. Our Young Leaders can align their own personal value set to Labor’s values, and are passionate about working hard towards a better and fairer Australia, considering politics and government as a serious career option for their future.
Young Leaders are innovators and dreamers. They are never complacent or content with how things are; they are always aspiring to greater heights, rising to new challenges, and willing to learn more.
Young Leaders typically demonstrate many of the following characteristics:
The John Curtin Leadership Academy is carefully designed to develop an entire set of competencies in order to grow a pool of knowledgeable, articulate, emotionally intelligent and resilient leaders who can one day lead the Labor at a national and state level.
These competencies include a wide range of practical and philosophical knowledge of politics, critical thinking and communication skills, as well as a high level of self-awareness and resilience over the course of one year.
Young Leaders will also enjoy a high level of interaction with senior leaders in the labour movement.
The academy entails:
The John Curtin Young Leaders Academy is designed to allow participants to continue with their normal occupations while on the program. During the course of the year, Young Leaders will participate in a weekend-long leadership retreat and will undertake a 3-month flexible internship with the John Curtin Research Centre. Young Leaders will meet with mentors and leadership coaches over the course of the program. There is a high degree of flexibility, with a strong focus on learning and development of each participant.
Before the leadership retreat, participants will be notified of travel arrangements. As the 2025 leadership retreat is taking place in Victoria, the JCRC will make all travel arrangements for Young Leaders who live outside of Victoria so that they can travel to and from the retreat.
All costs directly related to the John Curtin Young Leaders Academy are covered by the JCRC.
A national group of approximately 15-20 Young Leaders are selected annually.
The John Curtin Young Leaders Academy is open to all young Australian citizens between the ages of 18 and 35. These applicants must share Labor’s vision and values of social justice, fairness and equality. They must have proven themselves to be passionate leaders set on making a difference in Australia.
There are no specific qualifications required to apply. The John Curtin Young Leaders Academy is open to all Australian citizens between the ages of 18 and 35.
Applicants must be aged 35 or younger when they start the program at the leadership retreat in December 2025. Applications that do not adhere to this criteria will not be reviewed.
Applicants must be aged 18 or older when they start the program at the leadership retreat in December 2025. Applications that do not adhere to this criteria will not be reviewed.
Applicants will receive an automatic system email confirming they submitted a form online.
Applications are reviewed by the JCRC and applicants will receive a confirmation email within 5 working days, indicating whether their application package is complete or incomplete. If you do not receive this confirmation, please contact the office.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview.
The preferred method of communication is e-mail: info@curtinrc.org
At the John Curtin Research Centre, we rely on the generosity and support of individuals like you to advance our mission of policy development and advocacy.