How the District Council of Yankalilla transformed placements into real project delivery, stronger capability and better outcomes for community

For small rural councils, big ambitions often come with a familiar challenge: limited budgets, stretched teams and growing expectations from the community.

At the District Council of Yankalilla, that reality sparked a practical question with powerful potential. What if student placements were not treated as observational experiences, but as a genuine way to deliver meaningful council work?

The answer became Small Council, Strong Capability, a workforce development initiative that has reimagined how small councils can build internal capability, deliver priority projects and create valuable pathways for the next generation of local government professionals.

Now recognised with the Excellence in People and Culture Award at the 2026 LG Professionals SA 25th Annual Leadership Excellence Awards, the initiative is proving that innovation does not always require new funding. Sometimes, it starts with reframing what is already possible.

A small council with a smart idea

The program began with a University of Adelaide student placement at the Fleurieu Coast Visitor Centre in late 2023, followed by a school-based traineeship in February 2024.

Those early placements quickly demonstrated that students could contribute far beyond observation. With clear project scopes and supportive supervision, they delivered tangible outcomes that benefited both Council operations and the broader community.

Encouraged by these results, the Economy and Community team expanded the concept into a structured, multi-year program. By 2025, five students obtained via collaboration with the University of Adelaide, Flinders University, UniSA, Yankalilla Area School and Statewide Group Training SA were contributing across a range of disciplines.

Turning placements into real outcomes

Rather than shadowing staff, students were embedded into real projects aligned with Council priorities.

Two students conducted a comprehensive digital accessibility audit across Council systems, identifying gaps against Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and providing practical recommendations for improvement. Their work is now directly informing upgrades to Council’s website and digital services.

Other students supported Bee Squared with an internal service review and contributed to administrative improvements for the Opening the Door to Nature program. Each placement built on the last, creating a sequence of work that delivered compounding value over time.

Big results without extra funding

The outcomes have been significant:

• Five students successfully placed across multiple pathways
• Tourism social media followers increased by 214.2%
• Content interactions grew by 93.9%
• Approximately $33,000 in consultant costs avoided through student-delivered work
• A comprehensive digital accessibility audit completed
• Council brand materials updated to meet accessibility standards
• Documented processes embedded into business-as-usual operations.

Importantly, the program also delivered a direct employment outcome. The school-based trainee transitioned into a Council role, contributing across tourism, communications and governance while continuing her studies.

Building capability from within

The initiative has not only benefited students, but also strengthened internal capability.

Staff members Amy Wood, Ali Barnes, Tia Russell and Darren Burgess led the program, sharing supervision and mentoring responsibilities. For Amy and Ali, who were not in formal leadership roles at the outset, supervising students provided valuable, hands-on leadership development.

Students were fully integrated into the workplace, participating in team meetings, staff events and day-to-day operations. This created a realistic and supportive environment that enhanced both learning and contribution.

Learning and evolving along the way

Like any successful initiative, the program evolved with each iteration.

The team refined placement scopes, strengthened induction processes and engaged People and Culture and WHS teams earlier in the process. Evaluation standards were introduced to ensure continuity between placements and to continuously improve the experience for both students and staff.

One key insight stood out: embedding workforce development into everyday operations is far more effective than treating it as a standalone program.

A model ready to share

Recognition through the LG Professionals SA awards has reinforced the value of the initiative and its potential for broader application.

The District Council of Yankalilla is now sharing the model through the Southern and Hills Region Exchange (SHaRe), supporting other councils to explore how similar approaches could be adapted and scaled across the region.

At the same time, the program continues to grow. A new placement with Flinders University will focus on improving accessibility in Council’s most-used customer forms, ensuring the work remains aligned with community needs.

Small council, strong capability

What began as a single placement has become a repeatable, scalable workforce development model delivering real outcomes for Council, meaningful experience for students and lasting value for the community.

It is a reminder that innovation does not always come from additional resources, but from seeing existing opportunities differently.

For small councils facing big challenges, that shift in thinking can make all the difference.

Thank you to our partner McArthur for sponsoring the Excellence in People and Culture Award.

GIF: Features a variety of images from the Small Council, Strong Capability project, and those representing the project at the 2026 LG Professionals SA Leadership Excellence Awards Gala Dinner.