Connect21 is a media and arts conference held annually. It’s an opportunity for people to network in the Christian media sector – from not-for-profit or ministry, to television or film, radio, education and more – and form relationships and potential national partnership opportunities.
The purpose of the conference is to reimagine, stretch and consider how we think, create and speak well in our cultural moment. In a normal year, over 250 leaders, communicators, influencers and content makers come together. This year, despite the pandemic, over 1696 individuals came together in a completely virtual environment. Over five days, from 30 August to 3 September, nearly 2,200 screens viewed content. There were huge screen set-ups for staff to join and be part of the conversation, including up to 50 people tuning in on the one screen in New Zealand, as well as in Adelaide, Hobart and Perth. In terms of ratings, sessions all scored at 4.2 and above out of 5 for both content and relevance. Excelsia College promoted our courses and exclusive Christian Leadership scholarships throughout the various sessions. In conjunction with Christian Media & Arts Australia (CMAA), Excelsia announced 11 scholarship recipients for the Graduate Certificate in Christian Leadership beginning February 2022.
The winners are:
1. David Turrell, CEO of 1079 Life Adelaide
2. Connor Allbury, Media Marketing Manager at 98five Sonshine FM Perth
3. Mercy Jeremiah, Office Coordinator at 1WAY FM Canberra
4. Naomi Dalton, Production Sound Mixer at ACCTV (Australian Christian Channel)
5. Nathan Scowen, Digital Platforms Manager at Vision Christian Media
6. Leigh Ockey, Video Content Producer at ACCTV Team (Australian Christian Channel)
7. Jenny Anderson, General Manager at 1WAY FM Canberra
8. Joy Revela, Digital Content Producer/Presenter at 89.9 The Light FM Melbourne
9. Rebecca Seabrooke, Weekday Breakfast Radio Host at 1079 Life Adelaide
10. Lucy Holmes, Breakfast team at 89.9 The Light FM Melbourne
11. Scott Curtis, Content Director at 1079 Life Adelaide
The Christian Leadership course is primarily focused on equipping leaders to understand the psychological, spiritual and developmental effects of change such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. The course provides a practical framework that can be applied to areas such as ministry services, Christian education, human-focused social enterprises and not-for-profits, aged care and healthcare and the human resources sectors. The course will equip compassionate leaders that not only can look after their people well but can also adapt to change. This diverse and practical course includes units on counselling, pastoral leadership, and Christian education.
