Apply to shape the future

AS 2024 approaches, Committee for Ballarat members are taking expressions of interest for the next intake of Future Shapers participants.

The community leadership program’s coordinator Adele Nairn said the aim is to attract a strong cohort, supported by their workplaces.

“Whilst the program’s focused on getting out and exploring what’s happening in the community, our participants learn a very transferrable leadership skillset,” she said.

“These skills are about being curious and stepping outside their workplace silo to see… how collaboration works in communities, to find good solutions.

“It’s important we have amazing organisations continuing to support the program, and putting people through it, but we’re also looking for people who haven’t put people through it before, but want to invest in their employees, and get the best out of them.”

The program is not just about skilling up, but creating grassroots networks, and professional peer-to-peer development.

Ms Nairn said Future Shapers participants work in groups to produce a major project for grassroots benefit.

“The research tells us when people feel more connected to their community, and like they belong, they want to be there and contribute,” she said.

“We see Future Shapers participants as those who want to take that next step into their contribution to community and workplace.”

The program was funded by the State Government as part of regional community leadership support, but that ended in mid-2023.

Ms Nairn said the committee is working with philanthropic and corporate partners to keep it going.

“We’ve been looking at what and who’s out there, and who’s keen to invest in this type of capability and capacity leadership development,” she said.

“We’ve had some fantastic conversations and pleasingly, we’ve already had the City of Ballarat come on board to provide a grant through their community partnerships program.

“We know there’s a lot of organisations that see merit in ensuring we have not only built infrastructure, but social infrastructure of people.

“For place-based solutions to come, we need to ensure we have the right people actively engaged in their community, and actively participating in their community.

“That’s exactly what this program is about.”

Visit the Committee for Ballarat website to apply.