Young leaders from across Australia converged on the nation’s capital this week to influence the future of the Olympic Movement on the road to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
Sean Bell from Yass High School was one of just 25 students attending the summit, having been selected from nearly 1000 nominations to be part of this years’ Australian Olympic Change-Maker program.
Hosted by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), the summit featured workshops, leadership development sessions, and the opportunity to problem-solve alongside Olympians Noemie Fox, Emma Jeffcoat, Brodie Summers, Conor Nicholas and Nathan Katz.
Sean and the other Change-Makers explored how sport can be a powerful tool for leadership, personal growth, inclusion, well-being, and social impact.
Change-Maker culminated in a presentation at Parliament House where students pitched their ideas to influential members of the Australian Government and Olympic Movement including Milano Cortina 2026 Chef de Mission Alisa Camplin AM, Los Angeles 2028 Chef de Mission Anna Meares OAM, Olympic gold medallist, Chloe Dalton, Olympic silver medallist Elka Whalan and AOC CEO Mark Arbib.
All Change-Makers participating in the summit also received a unique medal produced by the Royal Australia Mint and presented by the Mint’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Emily Martin.
The students and their teams presented some truly groundbreaking ideas and left the sessions inspired to create change within their communities.
“Yeah, pretty good to meet a bunch of new people, being the only person from Yass and you know, rural New South Wales, along with another bloke in Bathurst was great,” said Sean.
“It’s been fun.”
Olympian Elka Whalan also hosted the summit and was excited to connect with young voices from across the nation and invite students into the Olympic movement.
“The Olympic Change-Maker Summit is about the next generation showing their passion, creativity, and commitment to making a difference through sport.What’s most exciting about today’s event is that these students are not waiting for permission to lead. They’re already shaping the future, and we’re proud to support them. We look forward to seeing how these Change-Makers continue to grow, inspire others, and contribute to a more inclusive and vibrant sporting landscape across Australia – particularly with the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games on the horizon.
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