This year James Rouel, Desmond Quinn, Rebecca Coll, Melissa Riches, Nicole McPherson and Roger Tozer have been selected from the Yarrawonga region as part of the CLP which aims to build community resilience and by doing so, enables participants to help build cohesion and resilience in their communities.
Moira Shire Council Chair Administrator Graeme Emonson PSM said that council conducted the inaugural community and civic leadership program specifically based on Moira Shire in 2024 and that program, by every measure, was an outstanding success.
“Leadership occurs at all levels of our community and it is important that we are concerted in our efforts to invest in leadership at all levels,” Mr Emonson PSM said.
“That’s exactly what this program provides. It is an opportunity for people to come together from right across the municipality to develop their collective and individual leadership capabilities and in turn, they will invest those back into the communities.
“The communities will be richer and stronger as a result.”
Administrator Suzanna Sheed in her last ordinary council meeting added that one of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry report was that council progress in developing leadership, and this program is very much based on fulfilling that.
“I think its terrific to see the enthusiasm among younger members in particular of our community who want to get on board, network and understand what leadership means in regional communities,” Ms Sheed said.
“We know well that we are living in aging communities so to develop and do what we can at every level to get the younger generations involved is really important and I know those who completed the last program were delighted with every aspect of the program.
“It does stimulate and develop peoples passion for things within their own communities so its really very pleasant for Moira Shire to be backing.”
The 2024 Community Leadership Program concluded in November with seventeen participants who successfully graduated from the program with fourteen new participants selected for 2025.
