Year 10 and 11 students from schools across the Shoalhaven participated in SCYLF, a program to develop leadership and life skills held at Watersleigh.

Avalon Bourne, program director at Sonder Youth and SCYLF, said this year had some of the best students yet.

"It was awesome. We had some of the best change makers and impact projects ideas that we've ever seen," she said.

"There were 12 project ideas that came out of it and there were three winners."

Students in groups developed ideas what would have an impact on the community and would also be feasible to run. Their pitches were judged by peers and program leaders.

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The three winning projects were Life Bridge, a project to connect local businesses and education providers to develop post-school options; Bio Enviro, focused on reuseable items and moving away from plastics; and Dark to Light, a group aiming to promote positive mental health and reduce suicide.

Next year, they will join Change Makers, a 10-week program targeted to help the winning projects get off the ground.

"We do a lot of skills development but we do some project planning, goal setting and then implementation of their project," Ms Bourne said.

"At the end of it they'll come back to the community and present the work they've done on their project."

As well at pitching ideas to improve the community, students at SCYLF participated in a range of activities including the SCYLF Olympics, workshops on communications skills, privilege and breaking down barriers and positive wellbeing activities.

The students had two notable guest speakers, including Wombat from The Block and Hawraa Kash, a spoken word poet from Wollongong.

Ms Bourne said the support of so many businesses in the Shoalhaven was great to see and vital to keep the program running.

"It's just overwhelming how generous they are and how much support they have for young people in this area," she said.