Introducing LBWR's new Executive Officer

Meet Jennie Courtney, Leadership Ballarat & Western Region's new Executive Officer.

Jennie joined LBWR in early September and brings to the organisation a wealth of knowledge and expertise.

She has over 12 years’ professional experience within the university sector in the areas of student recruitment, careers and employability, marketing and communications, alumni relations and fundraising.

Jennie most recently spent seven years working at England’s University of Oxford, where she honed her program development and project management skills.

“I look forward to getting out across the region and meeting our community partners, sponsors, employers, alumni and, above all, future program participants,” Jennie said.

Jennie works at the LBWR office on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. She can be contacted on 5332 1247, 0400 059 104 or via email at eo@lbwr.com.au

Applications open for Leaders Forum 2017

Applications are now open for Leaders Forum 2017, LBWR's experiential learning program for emerging community leaders.

A year-long program, Leaders Forum includes:

• Opening and closing residential retreats;
• Fortnightly sessions from February to November (either full days or evenings);
• A Canberra trip to Federal Parliament;
• Ongoing support from a Learning Partner;
• Pre-readings and online discussion groups; and
• Community forums and events.

Established by Committee for Ballarat in 2005, Leaders Forum now has a graduate base of almost 300 people.

For more information, visit www.lbwr.org/recruiting-for-2017.php or click here for the 2017 recruitment flyer.

 #walktogether short film

Be inspired by the stories of Leaders Forum alumni Jon Kanoa (2016), Nikki Foy (2015) and Deb Milera (2014), all recipients of the Bank Australia Indigenous Scholarship.

The #walktogether film was produced by fellow program graduate Michelle Dunn (2014) from MDP Photography & Video.

It was funded by the City of Ballarat's Community Impact Grant Program.

Click here to view the short film.

Show your support for our Indigenous community by sharing the film on social media, along with #walktogether.

 Halving Homelessness: Think Tank Ballarat

The response to Halving Homelessness: Think Tank Ballarat has been truly phenomenal.

On August 18, more than 150 people filled Ballarat's Housey Housey for the initial think tank.

In small teams of varying backgrounds and experiences, attendees came up with innovative approaches to halving homelessness in Ballarat. With the help of facilitator Kieran Murrihy from Foresight Lane, each team chose one idea to develop further.

Then, on September 8, it was back to Housey Housey for part two - the ideas pitch. Teams were given the opportunity to "sell" their idea to the Ballarat community with a two-minute pitch.

There is a compelling need to make sure projects that make a positive difference come out of this. We also need to make the most of the emerging network of changemakers and leaders that this process has highlighted.

To keep up-to-date with the initiative or become involved yourself, visit www.lbwr.org/think-tank-ballarat.php