Leadership for Women in Local Government Program

Supporting gender equality by encouraging women to become community leaders.

The Victorian Government is committed to uncovering and developing diverse female leadership potential, with a target of at least 50 per cent women councillors by 2025.

Advancing gender equity is central to creating a fairer and more inclusive society. Women were elected to council in record numbers at the last local government elections in 2020, and now comprise 43.8 per cent of councillors in Victoria. Despite this, 30 of the 79 councils across Victoria had either one third or less female candidates or elected councillors. This shows that there is still untapped potential, and more work needs to be done.

To address this, the Victorian Government announced funding for a leadership program for women in local government in the 2021 State Budget.

The Leadership for Women in Local Government Program will be delivered by the Institute of Community Directors Australia and is offering a total of 120 places in a new community leadership program. It will give participants the inspiration, knowledge, and skills to succeed in local leadership roles, with a focus on campaigning as a candidate for the 2024 local government elections.

There are 60 places available for the program’s first intake in 2022. The selection criteria for these places are centred on reflecting the diversity of local communities and priority will be given to women who aspire to standing for local council election in 2024.

While the program is designed to develop leadership skills, it will also provide participants with ongoing connections and mentoring and equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to run a successful local government campaign.

Local Government Victoria welcomes applications from women of all ages and cultural backgrounds in urban, regional, and rural locations across Victoria. Women who are Aboriginal, live with a disability or identify as LGBTQI+ are especially encouraged to apply.

Applications are expected to open in mid-April and more information will be available here.

If you would like more information about the Program, please contact Local Government Victoria at [email protected].

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