Spark Leadership
Spark Leadership
BSB40520 Certificate IV in Leadership & ManagementLead now, not someday. Build the confidence to speak up, work with others and lead real projects with real people.
An 18-month program where you learn leadership by actually leading, with a Learning Coach and industry mentors in your corner. The experience you build is then assessed by Learnivation through recognition of prior learning (RPL) towards the nationally recognised BSB40520 Certificate IV in Leadership and Management.
in collaboration with
BSB40520 Certificate IV in Leadership and Management
Nationally recognised, gained through RPL
Real community impact
Run Be Connected digital workshops for over-50s
A small crew
Groups of 10 or less, so you’re never lost in the crowd
From $110 a week
Payment plans across the 18 months
Beyond the classroom
This isn’t school. It’s real leadership.
No lectures and no waiting until you feel ready. You’ll work on real ideas with real people, in real environments, learning to contribute, collaborate and adapt as things change.
Real ideas
Lead projects you actually care about, from a youth podcast to community events.
Real people
Work alongside like-minded peers, mentors and the community, including the over-50s you’ll teach.
Real environments
Placements across live workplaces, so your leadership is tested where it matters.
The Spark Leadership edge
Lead the room. Hold the conversation.
Spark Leadership grows the same people skills at the heart of all our leadership programs, with a real focus on the moments where leaders shine: running a workshop, hosting a podcast, interviewing a guest or guiding a group through a conversation that matters.
These are skills every industry is looking for, so whether you end up in a studio, a classroom, an office or running your own thing, you’ll walk in knowing how to bring people together and get the best out of them.
Facilitating groups
Running workshops and sessions that keep everyone engaged and on track.
Hosting and interviewing
Planning, recording and leading podcasts and interviews with confidence.
Conversational intelligence
Asking good questions, listening deeply and guiding one-on-one conversations.
Confident communication
Speaking up, presenting ideas and adjusting how you communicate for different people.
Teaching and mentoring
Helping others learn, like supporting over-50s to build their digital confidence.
Self-leadership
Managing your energy, priorities and wellbeing as you take on more.
Your journey
From leading yourself to leading others
Eighteen months, one crew. You start by building your own confidence, then step up to lead people and real projects.
Lead self
Build confidence, set your priorities and look after your wellbeing as a leader.
Lead others
Communicate with impact, facilitate a team and build strong working relationships.
Lead projects
Think critically, collaborate creatively and follow ideas through to real outcomes.
Three unit missions
Grow through three missions
The three missions run side by side across the 18 months, so you’re not just learning about leadership, you’re practising it every week. Tap each one to see what you’ll do.
Unit Mission 1Lead self
Personal and professional leadership+
Lead self
Personal and professional leadershipYou find your feet as a leader: understanding how you work best, setting real development goals and building the habits that keep you going.
Know yourself
Reflect on your strengths and set real development goals.
Healthy leader
Look after your wellbeing while you take on more.
Grow on purpose
Seek feedback and plan your own development.
Speak up
Share your ideas clearly with your crew.
Unit Mission 2Lead others
Communication, teamwork and relationships+
Lead others
Communication, teamwork and relationshipsYou step into leading people: facilitating your team, communicating with impact and building strong working relationships, including leading Be Connected workshops in the community.
Lead a team
Facilitate sessions and keep everyone on track.
Communicate
Adjust how you communicate for different people.
Build trust
Lead strong, respectful working relationships.
Teach others
Help over-50s build their digital confidence.
Unit Mission 3Lead projects
Innovation, planning and improvement+
Lead projects
Innovation, planning and improvementYou take real projects from idea to outcome, from workshops to a broadcast episode, thinking critically, using data well and finding ways to keep improving.
Plan it out
Coordinate a real operational plan.
Create together
Think critically and collaborate creatively.
Use data well
Use information and data to make better decisions.
Keep improving
Spot what could be better and make it happen.
Find your place
Who this program is for and what a day looks like
Emerging leaders (15–19)
School students, homeschoolers and school leavers who are ready to step up and lead real projects with real people.
Natural connectors
Young people who love people, conversations and bringing others together, even if they’re the quiet one in the room.
Community changemakers
Those who want to make a difference where they live, from running workshops for over-50s to hosting podcasts and interviews.
A typical Spark Leadership Wednesday
Wednesdays during Queensland school terms. Online learning sits in learn.learnivation between sessions.
Student showcase
Real projects. Real passion.
Take a sneak peek at one of our student-led projects. The STUFFit Yaps Podcast was ideated by Spark leaders Rae and Chloe, and this episode shows creative minds collaborating, building skills and leading with passion.
STUFFit Yaps
A student-led video podcast from our Spark Leadership crew.
The live workplace
Lead in the real world, not just the classroom
Your work experience happens across live community environments, where your leadership makes a real difference to real people.
CABA Progressive
A not-for-profit community and business association connecting business with community through education. You’ll help run the Be Connected digital workshops, supporting people over 50 to build their confidence with technology.
STUFFit Student Film Festival
Step into planning, interviews and promotion for a real student film festival, working alongside the event team.
Youth Podcast
Ideate, plan and produce real episodes, like the STUFFit Yaps Podcast created by Spark leaders Rae and Chloe.
hours of work experience. Every Spark leader completes at least 30 hours of work experience over the 18-month program, across real workplaces and live community environments.
Nationally recognised
One qualification, 12 units
Assessed and issued by Learnivation (RTO 45570). You build your leadership through real projects and placements, then it’s formally recognised through recognition of prior learning (RPL) against 12 units.
BSB40520 Certificate IV in Leadership and Management
Show all 12 units +
Unit Mission 1: Lead self
BSBPEF401Manage personal health and wellbeingBSBPEF403Lead personal developmentUnit Mission 2: Lead others
BSBXCM401Apply communication strategies in the workplaceBSBLDR411Demonstrate leadership in the workplaceBSBLDR413Lead effective workplace relationshipsBSBXTW401Lead and facilitate a teamUnit Mission 3: Lead projects
BSBOPS402Coordinate business operational plansBSBSTR401Promote innovation in team environmentsBSBCRT411Apply critical thinking to work practicesBSBCRT413Collaborate in creative processesBSBXBD404Use big data for operational decision makingBSBSTR502Facilitate continuous improvementBefore you enrol
The important details
Everything you and your family need to know before enrolling. Tap any topic to open it.
Who delivers your training
Learnivation Pty Ltd (RTO 45570) is responsible for all assessment and issues your BSB40520 Certificate IV in Leadership and Management. Cultivate the Chaos delivers program activities, mentoring and work immersion on Learnivation’s behalf under a written third-party agreement. CABA Progressive hosts Be Connected work experience.
How the qualification works
Spark Leadership is a hands-on leadership experience. The evidence you build, your Portfolio of Leadership, is assessed by Learnivation through recognition of prior learning (RPL) against the 12 units of BSB40520. Results are Satisfactory or Not Yet Satisfactory, and you can add more evidence.
Entry requirements
No formal prerequisites. You’ll have a capability conversation, complete a core skills (language, literacy and numeracy) check as part of enrolment and need a Unique Student Identifier (USI). Learners under 18 need parent or guardian consent.
Work experience
At least 30 hours over the 18 months, including Be Connected digital workshops with CABA Progressive. Hours count once a placement agreement is signed and the host workplace is checked.
Fees and payment
$8,000 in total. Pay upfront, or pay a one-off $500 program deposit and then from $110 a week on a payment plan. Fees cover coaching, mentoring, work experience, learning resources and assessment. Refunds follow our fees and refund policy in the Learner Playbook.
Counting towards your QCE
Still at school? A completed Certificate IV may contribute credits towards your QCE. It depends on your learning account, so check with your school.
Safe and supported
Every adult working with our learners holds a Blue Card and placements are supervised. See our Learn Safe Guide.
Support while you learn
Your Learning Coach supports your learning and wellbeing every week, with extra support available if you need it. Everything about how we support you is in the Learner Playbook.
Gaining the qualification depends on meeting all assessment requirements. Course information is current as of October 2026 and may change; we’ll always confirm details with you before you enrol.
The practical details
Program at a glance
For parents and guardians
A structured, supported approach to real growth
Spark Leadership supports young people through guided, real-world development, with a Learning Coach, industry mentors and supervised work experience in the community.
You’ll get regular updates and weekly summaries of what your young person is working on, all through our portal. And you can always call Robyn or Dani.
- Confidence to communicate and share ideas
- Working well with others
- Resilience, problem-solving and adaptability
- Practical digital skills, including using AI well
- Giving back by supporting over-50s
- A nationally recognised qualification through RPL
Photo: Patricia Prudente on UnsplashProgram Q&AEverything learners and families ask us about Spark Leadership. Tap to open.+
The basics
When and where do sessions run?
Every Wednesday from 9am to 3pm during Queensland school terms, at 40 Howard Street, Nambour. The next crew starts on Wednesday 3 February 2027 and the program runs for 18 months.
What is the core focus of the program?
Learning leadership by actually leading. You’ll lead real projects, run community workshops and work with your crew, building a Portfolio of Leadership that’s assessed through RPL towards the BSB40520 Certificate IV in Leadership and Management (RTO 45570).
Who leads the program?
- Training and assessment: Dani Duncan and Kathy Bradley from Learnivation (RTO 45570) run the leadership sessions, assess your portfolio and sign off on your qualification.
- Program coordination and pathways: Robyn Cook from Cultivate the Chaos runs Mission Control, coordinates your projects and work experience and helps build your individual pathway.
What does a typical Wednesday look like?
You start with Mission Control, planning the day as a crew, then a leadership session with your Learning Coach. After lunch it’s work immersion: real projects, community workshops and placements.
The experience
What kind of projects will I lead?
Every crew is different, but projects include:
- your own youth initiative, from idea to outcome
- Be Connected digital workshops, helping over-50s build confidence with technology through CABA Progressive
- a broadcast episode interviewing a sponsor or community leader
- student-led media like the STUFFit Yaps podcast
Do I need to be a “natural leader”?
Not at all. Quiet thinkers, big talkers and doers all thrive here. You just need to be willing to try.
Do I need to have done Event Spark first?
No. Many learners step up from Event Spark, but you can start Spark Leadership on its own.
Is it suitable for homeschoolers?
Absolutely. Homeschoolers often thrive here because it’s project-based, collaborative and practical. Four of our 2025 homeschool Event Spark learners stepped up into Spark Leadership.
The qualification
What does RPL mean here?
Recognition of prior learning. You build real leadership evidence across the program in your Portfolio of Leadership, and Learnivation assesses that evidence against the 12 units of the BSB40520 Certificate IV in Leadership and Management.
How much work experience is there?
At least 30 hours over the 18 months, including Be Connected workshops. Hours count once a placement agreement is signed.
What are the outcomes?
You’ll leave with real leadership experience, a portfolio you can show employers and a nationally recognised qualification, if you meet all assessment requirements. Everyone’s path is different and no job outcome is guaranteed.
Does it count towards the QCE?
A completed Certificate IV may contribute credits towards your QCE. It depends on your learning account, so check with your school.
Practical questions
What if I miss a Wednesday?
Talk to your Learning Coach. We help you catch up through learn.learnivation and your next session.
Is it safe?
All adults working with learners hold a Blue Card, and every placement is supervised under a signed placement agreement.
How much does it cost?
$8,000 in total. Pay upfront, or pay a one-off $500 program deposit and then from $110 a week on a payment plan.
Who can I contact for more information?
- Robyn Cook, Vocational and Program Coordinator and Mentor, Cultivate the Chaos: 0458 723 590, [email protected]. Your main contact for projects, work experience and general program coordination.
- Kathy Bradley, Learning and Assessment Coach, Learnivation: 0432 862 019, [email protected]. Kathy looks after the accredited training and assessment.
- Dani Duncan, Mentor Learning Coach, Learnivation: 0412 557 088, [email protected]. Dani can help with anything about the qualification, learning challenges or the program.
A collaborative program
Learnivation & Cultivate the Chaos
Spark Leadership is designed and delivered together, so you get structured training, coaching and mentoring alongside real projects, real people and real places. Running at 40 Howard Street, Nambour, on Wednesdays from 9am to 3pm.
Learnivation
Where your learning is guided and recognised. Your Learning Coach, your structure and your RPL assessment towards the BSB40520 Certificate IV in Leadership and Management.
Your contact for the BSB40520 qualification and enrolmentExplore our community projects →
Cultivate the Chaos
Where things come to life. The projects, mentoring and community spaces where you step up, collaborate and lead with people who’ve done it before.
Your contact for work experience and community projectsVisit Cultivate the Chaos →
Getting started
Ready when you are
Spread across the 18-month program with a payment plan, plus a one-off $500 program deposit. That covers your coaching, mentoring, work experience and RPL assessment towards your nationally recognised BSB40520 Certificate IV in Leadership and Management.
Prefer to pay upfront? The total is $8,000. Scholarships and grants may be available, so ask us what you might be eligible for.
Have a chat
Book a capability conversation, or give Robyn or Dani a call with any questions. We’ll work out together if it’s the right fit.
Book a capability conversation0458 723 590
0412 557 088
Enrol
Complete your enrolment through the Learnivation portal. Your core skills check is part of enrolment, so we can shape the learning around you from day one.
Start your enrolmentYour leadership starts now
You don’t need to have everything figured out. You just need to be willing to try.
Small groups of 10 or less, so every learner gets real coaching and real responsibility.
Questions? Robyn 0458 723 590 · [email protected] · Dani 0412 557 088 · [email protected]
A collaborative program by Learnivation and Cultivate the Chaos · Learnivation Pty Ltd · RTO 45570