About the event

The Compass Student Leaders' Conference is back in 2026 and we are excited to have the opportunity again to gather in Canberra! 

Compass presents a strategic opportunity to gather key student leaders from around the country, in our nation's capital, to intentionally focus on their formation.

This conference is primarily for Year 12 student leaders. Through the Biblical themes of creation, fall and redemption, students will be encouraged to wrestle with how their faith, life, and leadership connect. 

Our hope at Compass is that, as student leaders are formed by the Biblical story and its vision for life, and as they consider how they are invited to participate in God’s unfolding story for the world, they might be inspired in their leadership at school and the opportunities they will have across their lifetime. Simply put, our hope is that:

  • their imagination might be transformed
  • they might wrestle with the implications of the gospel for every facet of our culture
  • they might bring life and creativity and blessing to our world

Compass is committed to supporting schools to develop leaders with a Christian imagination. Our hope is that students in Christian schools across Australia become leaders who:

Know the Gospel. Know Culture. Translate

Event Information

The Student Leaders Conference is aimed at Year 12 emerging student leaders who have demonstrated the potential to be influencers for Christ in society. Students who are willing to thoughtfully and actively engage will benefit the most. The

Student Leaders Conference is open to any student in Year 12 in 2025 who wishes to thoughtfully integrate faith and life. This learning event is designed to encourage creative, thoughtful and motivated students to ground lifelong self-leadership in the truth of scripture.

The 2026 Compass Student Leaders Conference will be held in person at a 4-star venue with high-quality teaching from our experienced Compass faculty, visits to Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, and the famous Compass bush dance. The conference sessions and some accommodation will be held at the Mercure Hotel. There will also be an overflow accommodation at the Abode Hotel which is a 2 minute walk from the Mercure Hotel.

Schools are to arrive on the 27th February with check in time from 2pm. There will be dinner provided that night but this is optional as some schools might choose to have dinner elsewhere or venture to the Enlighten Festival as some schools have done in previous years. Please let us know in the registration form what your school would like to do.

The conference will officially start on the Saturday, 28th February.

Click the links below to access the relevant resources for the event: 

Content Covered

Together we explore the following topics and themes:

  • Story and world view
  • God and Creation 
  • Being made in the image of God
  • Jesus the Christ
  • Fall and lament
  • New heavens and new earth
  • Engaging in culture and the mission of God
  • Gospel centred self-leadership

Faculty, facilitators and hosts

Compass is well known for the calibre of its teaching faculty who generously donate their time to keep costs low. Faculty are available throughout the conference and love to engage with students and teachers to go deeper.

Speakers

Mark Ryan
Executive Officer, Christian Schools Australia

Mark has a background in both education and theology and has a passion for exploring the intersection of faith and culture. After beginning his career as a PE teacher, he went on to study theology and ministry at Morling College in Sydney and has since completed a Master of Educational Leadership. Mark lives in Adelaide with his wife and three children, loves all things sport, and cycling through the beautiful Adelaide hills. Mark has worked as a pastor, teacher, and Assistant Principal, and is currently an Executive Officer for Christian Schools Australia. At a national level, he is invested in the formation of students and staff in CSA schools. Mark has been involved with the work of Compass for the last 15 years, and he loves to see student leaders gather each year, explore the Biblical story, and be inspired to lead according to the pattern of Jesus – living as God’s image for the sake of others and for the whole of God’s creation.

Graham Stanton
Lecturer, Ridley College

Graham is a Lecturer in Practical Theology at Ridley College, Melbourne, and the Director of the Ridley Centre for Children’s and Youth Ministry. His latest research is exploring how young Australians experience and understand God and the stories of how those beliefs have been formed. Graham lives in Melbourne with his wife and three young adult children. Graham enjoys long distance running in order to compensate for his hobby of enjoying cooking good food or eating good food that other people have cooked. Apart from Jesus, his personal heroes include Bruce Springsteen and Leslie Knope.

Erica Jones
Development Co-ordinator - Salvation Army

Erica brings over two decades of diverse experience in ministry, leadership, and management roles, including serving as a Lead Pastor, working in the Drug and Alcohol sector, and contributing to the Mental Health and Youth sectors. Her qualifications include a Post Grad degree in Theology, an MA in Leadership, an MBA in Project Management, and Coaching Accreditation. Outside of her professional life, Erica is dedicated to her family, enjoying life with her husband, four children, and two sons-in-law. She finds joy in outdoor activities like hiking and water sports, along with a love for her dogs and HOT weather. Erica is a dynamic leader with a strong commitment to positive change and family values.

Jeff Nagle
Director, Heritage Leaders

Jeff heads up leader-formation consultancy, Heritage Leaders and is also campus pastor at Coast Community Church on the NSW Central Coast. Prior to this, Jeff served as CEO of the Compass Foundation from 2017- 2019 and was co-founder of ethical supply-chain analytics firm, FairSupply. Jeff has worked for nearly two decades in the international development sector, serving as COO with Compassion Australia, CEO of International Justice Mission Australia and currently serves as Chairman of MAF Australia. Jeff’s area of interest is the formation of leaders and teams in difficult contexts. Jeff has qualifications in visual arts and media, education and business, and holds a Masters Degree in Global Leadership through Fuller Seminary. Jeff lives on the NSW Central Coast with wife, Shelley, and two teenage children. He still thinks he’s a surfer.

Matt Stackhouse
Chaplain

Originally from Canada, Matt's childhood was spent moving between Australia, US and back again before finally settling in Australia in 2001. His passion for working with young people led him into education, where he has spent nearly 25 years teaching HSC English, HSIE and Biblical Studies subjects for Year 7-12. Matt thrives on creating practical, hands-on learning opportunities and has loved teaching in a wide variety of contexts, helping students connect their learning to real-world applications. Matt is married to Natalie for nearly 25 years and they have three spirited daughters who keep life full of adventure. Over the years, Matt has led students on life-changing trips to Manila, Darwin, and Nepal, fostering opportunities for young people to develop global awareness and a heart for service. With degrees in Business and Theology, as well as a master’s in education, Matt combines his expertise with genuine care to empower students. Currently, he balances multiple roles, including serving as the Coordinator of the LEAP Year Program, where he helps students build practical skills, resilience, and a strong sense of purpose. Outside of work, Matt finds joy in the ocean, meaningful conversations, and investing in his family. He is deeply committed to helping others uncover their identity, purpose, and vocation with clarity and confidence.

"I loved the accepting and energetic environment that everyone provided.  It felt right to be there in that moment with all young leaders with like minds and how comfortable I felt talking about God with the others there.  I really enjoyed the experience, and I'm glad I was given the opportunity to go.”
"The conference was amazing!! It was really awesome to meet heaps of other young Christian leaders who had a passion for God, and were all united for the same purpose and hearing what they do at their schools. Meeting them restored my faith in this generation and gave me a renewed passion for God and for my school."
Tillie.

A little about Compass

By hosting places of intensive formation, Compass aims to encourage people to:

  • Ground their self-leadership in the full arc of the Biblical story
  • Participate in God’s project of renewal in all of life’s domains, and
  • Lead just lives, marked by the sovereign order of relations between God, people and all creation.

Learn more

Compass Conference Details

REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED!

Date: 27 Feb - 3 March 2026

Delivery: In Person

Venue: Mercure Hotel, Belconnen ACT

Registration closes on: 12th December 2025

(Registrations will not be accepted after this date)

Conference Costs

Costs including accommodation, catering and activities:

Student: $969 +GST

Staff: $969 +GST

Costs including catering and activities, minus accommodation:

Staff: $590 +GST

Student: $590 +GST

How to Register

  1. Click on the 'Register Now' button.
  2. Fill in the Conference Registration form.
  3. Halfway through the form, you will find a download link to the COMPASS 2026 Registration Template. Download the template and complete the attendee details. Once the template is completed, save it as: Yourschoolname_Compass26.
  4. Returning to the Registration Form, upload your completed template file in the space provided.
  5. Complete the rest of the registration form and submit.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

Student Leaders' Conference for Year 12 student leaders