Alyssia Kennedy knows what it feels like to leave school and realise that knowing how to pass exams is not the same as knowing how to navigate adulthood. Growing up in Tasmania, Alyssia saw firsthand the gap between what students are taught in the classroom and the practical life skills young people need when it comes to budgeting, understanding taxes, navigating Medicare, managing car expenses, and making confident decisions about work, study and life after school.

In this episode of Rural Leaders, Alyssia shares how one invitation to speak to a group of Year 10 students became the spark for her Life After School program, which is now supporting young people across Tasmania. What began as a single session at one school has grown into a broader advocacy effort, driven by Alyssia’s belief that all young people deserve access to practical, relatable tools to help them step into adulthood with confidence.

As part of this season’s exploration of the ARLF leadership practices, this conversation focuses on advocacy - the willingness to take action, speak up for a need, and work towards what could exist rather than accepting what already does. Alyssia reflects on the courage it has taken to grow her idea, the power of community and support networks, and the resilience required to keep going through some of life’s most difficult seasons.

This episode is a practical and inspiring conversation about identifying a gap, backing yourself before everything feels ready, and building momentum for change by bringing others with you. Alyssia’s story is a reminder that advocacy can start small, but with persistence, collaboration and purpose, it can create lasting impact for communities and future generations.

Some highlights:

• Why practical life skills like budgeting, tax, Medicare and car expenses matter so much for young people leaving school

• How Alyssia turned one school session into a growing program reaching students across Tasmania

• What advocacy looked like as she pitched the need for change to decision-makers at Parliament House

• Why leadership is not positional, but something we practise and grow into over time

• How grief, challenge and recovery helped Alyssia clarify what matters most

• What success could look like if practical life skills were embedded more deeply in schools and communities

• Why Alyssia believes that if you care about an idea, you should start the conversation and take action

Our host:

Oli Le Lievre is the host of Rural Leaders, an ARLP Course 28 alumni, and the founder of Humans of Agriculture.

Resources:

Upturned Tasmania

Life After School program

Australian Rural Leadership Foundation

Rural Leaders podcast