The Western Bulldogs Community Foundation (WBCF) and Victoria University (VU) have strengthened their close ties with a partnership that will see the roll out of an impactful and engaging new initiative.
The WBCF School Workshops, presented by VU, aim to provide at least 600 secondary school students a year with the tools to succeed and thrive.
Each school selects the number of co-designed sessions and topics best suited to the needs of the students, which are presented by experienced professionals from the Foundation and VU.
The workshops will focus on mental health and resilience, leadership skills development, education pathways, employment pathways, social responsibility, gender equity and goal setting.
“We are so proud to formally confirm this invaluable partnership with the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation,” VU Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Shoemaker said.
“Beyond our deep, shared history of delivering accessible programs tailored to the needs of the west, we have a united vision for the future – one that is committed to addressing inequity in all its forms.”
WBCF and Government Relations General Manager, Kashif Bouns, said the partnership could not have arrived at a better time.
“At the Foundation, we take pride in delivering evidence-based programs co-designed in consultation with our community,” he said.
“This has been made possible through our long-standing partnership with VU. It's truly wonderful to deepen this collaboration, creating more opportunities for young people in Melbourne's west through customised school workshops.”
Previously, the two organisations have collaborated on many significant projects, including research into ground-breaking Foundation health & wellbeing initiatives Sons of the West and Daughters of the West.
They have also engaged VU students from the West Melbourne English Program to participate alongside culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities through the Foundation’s CALDplay program.
There will also be exciting new opportunities for VU students to ‘learn in the workplace,’ with a number of work integrated learning placements on offer to enhance opportunities for students interested in social work, community services and youth work.
This partnership reinforces the commitment made by both organisations to support, nurture and improve communities across Melbourne’s west.
The Western Bulldogs Community Foundation and VU have a history of collaborating successfully on programs focusing on youth leadership, diversity, social inclusion, and social advocacy.
