About Us
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
Who we are
The Odyssey Leadership Foundation helps young Australians speak with confidence and lead with integrity.
We partner with proven DGR-1 charities to deliver practical public-speaking and leadership outcomes—supported by fast, transparent micro-grants.
Why “Odyssey”?
Leadership is a journey. We draw on Homer’s timeless ideas:
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xenia (care for the stranger)
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métis (prudence and craft)
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anti-hubris (restraint)
Translating them into modern governance and everyday practice.
Our vision
Every young Australian has the opportunity to speak clearly, act, and lead ethically,
strengthening their communities to become the leaders of tomorrow.
Our mission
Equip youth and educators with the skills, confidence, and character to lead—through evidence-based speaking programs,
ethical leadership training, and targeted micro-grants to DGR1 partners.
Our Story
Our founder is an ADF veteran who learned leadership the hard way—on flight lines, in briefing rooms, and under pressure. He saw talented people asked to lead with little training or mentorship. Later, in the civil sector, he found the same pattern: leadership expected, seldom taught. It wasn’t a workplace quirk—it was a system failure.
He turned to history and philosophy and found words for what was missing. Xenia—care for the stranger. Métis—prudence and craft. Restraint—the antidote to hubris. As public life grew more polarised and performative, we stopped forming leaders who could serve the common good. Institutions chased headlines; communities wore the cost. Young people learned from what they saw—and too often, it wasn’t worthy of them.
So we chose a different path.
The Odyssey Leadership Foundation exists to change what the next generation sees and becomes. We focus on the practical building blocks of character and voice: speaking with clarity, listening with respect, and leading with integrity. And we move resources quickly to where they count—through fast, transparent micro-grants paid to eligible DGR1 charities that are already doing the work in schools and communities.
We believe civil service should serve the public, and business should serve customers and shareholders with respect. Profit matters; so do honesty, stewardship, and the dignity of those affected by our decisions. In an age of misinformation and noise, we equip young Australians—and the adults who guide them—to tell the truth clearly and act with courage.
This is how we begin to repair trust. One student. One classroom. One micro-grant at a time.
Join the journey. Your gift helps a young Australian find their voice—and use it for the common good.