Strengthening Leadership
Across Regional Australia
Regional Leadership is member based organisation established to support regional communities to strengthen leadership in and for rural, remote and regional locations. Regional Leadership encourages new starters, established programs, community groups, organisations and individuals to become members of our community.
First established in 2012 as the Victorian Regional Community Leadership Programs Secretariat (VRCLP) with support from the Victorian State Government our purpose was to act as the peak body representing the programs across Rural and Regional Victoria.
Founding Members
Regional Leadership would not be possible today without the foresight of our founding members for which we are eternally grateful to:
History
The history of community leadership programs
2014
Our final Victorian program was launched Rivers & Ranges Community Leadership Program which has enabled Regional Community Leadership Programs to cover all rural and regional Local Government Areas across Victoria.
1997 - 2012
1997 Fairley Leadership (Goulburn Murray) was established with significant support from the Fairley Foundation.
1998 Loddon Murray Community Leadership Program was established.
1999 Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program was established.
2002 Leadership Wimmera commenced operation.
2005 Leadership Ballarat & Western Region was formed by the Committee for Ballarat.
2006 Leaders for Geelong commenced operation as a key program delivered by the Committee for Geelong.
2008 Northern Mallee Leaders (NML) commenced operation, after a short hiatus NML recommenced in 2013.
2012 Leadership Great South Coast was established
1996
The first regional Community Leadership Program commenced in the Gippsland region named the Gippsland Community Leadership Program they inducted their 20th cohort into the program in 2015.
1985
In 1989 the Hugh Williamson Trustees established and funded the Williamson Community Leadership Program (WCLP) based in Melbourne. Renamed in 2000 to Leadership Victoria the Program continues to evolve, fostering and developing a new generation of leaders.
The late Hugh D T Williamson requested as part of his last will and testament that "allocations be made to help individuals rather than institutions...Assistance to young people is not to be based on academic qualifications but rather on worthiness and need...as a reward for good citizenship, and for the development of leadership qualities." Hugh Williamson December 1985.
The WCLP was originally modelled on a Chicago based program. Leadership Greater Chicago has been operating on a tested model for 30 years cultivating Chicago’s business, public and civic leaders through a deeper understanding of the issues facing their community and each other, building a better Chicago.