The Western Bulldogs Leadership Project is sweeping into Victoria’s north west in 2017, with Mildura the latest regional city to become a part of the Club’s successful youth leadership program.

Established in 2013, the former Whitten Project encompassed five councils in Melbourne’s inner west before expanding to include Portland in year two, and Ballarat in year five.

This year, the program has expanded to include Creswick, Ararat, Bannockburn, Stawell, Warnambool and is now set to begin in Mildura next month.

Speaking to the Sunraysia Daily, program manager Adam Moedt said that a lesson that participants will take out of the program is that they don’t need a title to be a leader.

“It’s about young people wanting to take the community action, that’s who we are interested in working with; we don’t believe you need to have a badge that says school captain or SRC to be a leader within the community, Moedt said.

“If you look at our playing group, they demonstrate that on a weekly basis – Liam Picken is as much a leader as Bob Murphy is.  He doesn’t have the title of captain but what Liam does on a weekly basis is what we want young people to know they can do in their own communities.’

Northern Mallee Leaders executive Sharon Smith who was influential in bringing the program to the region saw a need for a youth leadership program in Mildura.

“I saw kids with so much potential who, just because of a lack of opportunities, were lost in the community and what they could contribute,”  Smith said.

Now entering its fifth year, the Western Bulldogs Leadership Project has seen over 250 young people successfully complete the program, and offers unique opportunities for young people to build confidence, make new friendships and develop skills that will enable them to become future leaders in their community.