Announcing the partnership at Parliament House in Sydney recently, CEFA chairman Nick Burton Taylor said the arrangement would see Rabobank become the major funder of 35 scholarships for young people across rural Australia to participate in the annual Young Rural Leaders Summit and implement follow-up projects benefiting youth in their local communities.

The Young Rural Leaders Summit program was successfully piloted by CEFA last year and was quickly embraced by Rabobank as an initiative that added great value to rural communities and enhanced the life outcomes of young participants.

The scholarships will be open to youth aged between 16 and 18, who are identified for their leadership in their school and community and who with the investment of added guidance and development will be strong leaders of the future. Participants will be chosen from throughout CEFA’s 36 member communities – across SA, New South Wales and Queensland.

Mr Burton Taylor said the involvement of Rabobank as a social partner to CEFA meant that this very important initiative of promoting the rural leaders of tomorrow could begin to reach its full potential.

“It is vital for Australia that we invest in developing the leadership capabilities of youth in the country," he said.

"The future of Australia’s rural communities will be in the hands of these young people, so it’s imperative that we provide the support that enables them develop to their full potential.

“The pilot summit program was an outstanding success with each student returning to their hometown and implementing a project that he or she devised. These projects addressed issues such as drug and alcohol abuse, youth depression and boredom due to lack of local facilities, all areas of serious concern in rural Australia.”