A YOUTH program run by the City of Greater Geelong to develop the region’s next generation of leaders has been nominated as a finalist for a state award.<\/p>\n
The LGPro Awards for Excellence promote and celebrate the outstanding work being undertaken and delivered by individuals and teams working in the local government sector in Victoria.<\/p>\n
This year’s awards span 11 award categories, with the city’s Youth on Board program entered in the Community Partnerships Initiative category.<\/p>\n
Run by the city\u2019s Youth Development Unit, Youth on Board is an innovative program encouraging young people to become board members of local organisations.<\/p>\n
It recruits young people aged 18 to 25 years, trains them in governance and supports them to be placed on boards of management.<\/p>\n
Along with a structured mentoring component, where the organisations provide a board member to mentor the young people in relevant components of board experience, the program also provides ongoing coaching, support and reflective practice to the young people and the organisations.<\/p>\n
Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan applauded the program and said it had the potential to shape the future leaders of Geelong and beyond.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur young people are the consumers of tomorrow, so it\u2019s vitally important that we have an authentic youth voice in the planning and decision making of local organisations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI congratulate the team providing this fantastic learning opportunity and wish them well as the program goes before the judges.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cr Jim Mason also praised Youth on Board and said young people engaging with local boards had several benefits.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe young people are destined to learn a great deal about leadership and governance, while at the same time the organisations will benefit from having a young voice presenting a contemporary world view.<\/p>\n
\u201cYoung people are naturally curious and will challenge the status quo, so the City\u2019s 18-to-25-year-olds will assist groups across Greater Geelong to tailor their organisations to attract a wider scope of consumers.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur Youth Development team can be proud of their efforts in devising this program and a nomination of this kind is a great reflection on their efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n
The program will continue to train and support new young leaders until there is a significantly higher number of young people serving as full board members of local organisations.<\/p>\n
Youth on Board strongly aligns with the recently released Victorian Youth Strategy, which is aiming for an increased number of young people on boards.<\/p>\n
The Youth on Board Program contributes to a unified approach to the youth sector between state and local governments.<\/p>\n
The winners of the LGPro Awards for Excellence will be announced at a celebratory dinner on May 25.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A YOUTH program run by the City of Greater Geelong to develop the region’s next generation of leaders has been nominated as a finalist for a state award. The LGPro Awards for Excellence promote and celebrate the outstanding work being undertaken and delivered by individuals and teams working in the local government sector in Victoria. […]<\/p>\n