The Western Bulldogs today launched The Whitten Project, a new innovative youth leadership initiative aimed at identifying and growing emerging leaders in Melbourne’s West.

The Whitten Project will provide 40 boys and girls from the West with exciting opportunities to engage in their community and develop leadership potential through the vehicle of sport – especially football.

An AFL first, this unique initiative will be delivered in partnership with Maribyrnong, Melton, Moonee Valley, Hobsons Bay and Brimbank councils, the AFL, AFL Victoria, SportsWest and the State Government with support from Victoria University and the Western Region Football League (WRFL).

The inaugural Whitten Project Squad includes a broad range of young people from diverse backgrounds across the West who have demonstrated leadership within their communities. 

The Squad is made up of year 9 and 10 students, aged 16 years-of-age or under, selected from nominations received from each of the participating council areas.

Launching the Project today at Whitten Oval, Bulldogs Chief Executive, Simon Garlick said the unique initiative demonstrated the power of football to extend beyond the playing field.

 “We are incredibly excited to be working with our partners, especially our local councils in the West and the Victorian State Government, to help invest in our region’s young people and support them to become the leaders of the future in our community’, Garlick said today. 

“The Whitten Project is yet another example of our Club’s commitment to our backyard in the West and demonstrates that we are truly the Community Club of the AFL”.

Garlick said that it was apt that the project be named after one the West’s greatest sons, Ted Whitten, who played a record 321 VFL games for Footscray over a career that spanned 20 years.

“Ted Whitten is arguably the best representative of the Dog’s famous ‘Bulldog Spirit’ and through this unique program his leadership, courage and conviction will continue to stand as an inspiration for a new generation”.

This unique and exclusive experience aims to build upon the emerging strengths of participants by growing leadership capacity through an elite sporting environment and community and educational experiences, whilst promoting life-long learning, fair play, respect and health. 

The Project Squad will participate in an eight month program under the direction of a full-time sporting educator and mentor based at Whitten Oval.

Each young leader will have access to a range of experiences including access to the Western ‘Inner Sanctum’ both at the Club and on match day, participation in a half-time AFL9s game at Etihad Stadium, leadership sessions with Bulldogs Coaches and staff, including Jason and Brendan McCartney and skills clinics with Bulldogs players.

Each young leader will also complete a ‘Community Leadership Project’ in partnership with their local municipality.   

For more information on the Whitten Project, click here.