2019 Aspiring Leaders

Please join us in welcoming our aspiring leaders for 2019

Adam Kent, Returned Services League, Sponsor: Warrnambool City Council

Jason Eats, Yambuk and Codrington Wind Farms

Ben Fraser, Portland Observer Sponsor: Committee for Portland

Andrew Povey, Wannon Water

Brendan Donahoo, Emmanuel College Sponsor: Hugh Williamson Foundation

Anthony Dufty, Corangamite Shire

Kate Roache, Country Education Partnership

Kelly Barnes, Western Ag Sponsor: Agriculture Victoria

Ashlee Scott, Warrnambool Racing Club

Bradley Collins, Self Employed Dairy Farmer, Sponsor: Gardiner Foundation

Jan Mackenzie, Lyndoch Living

Tafadzwa Chitava, Gunditjmara Aboriginal Cooperative Sponsor: Wannon Water

Jason Cay, Southern Grampians Shire

Nikki Edwards, Portland District Health Sponsor: South West Community Foundation

Juan Donis, Warrnambool City Council

Amy Silvester, South West TAFE

Rachael James, Westpac Bank, Sponsor: Gardiner Foundation

Sophie Baulch, Wannon Water

2018 Program Graduates

Please Join us in welcoming our newest Alumni: 

• Blessing Furusa, Sinclair Wilson
• Kate Haberfield, Wannon Water
• Andre Barr, AB Electrical
• Penny MacDonald, Corangamite Shire
• Julie Neeson, Shearer Woolhandler Training 
• Melanie Bennett, Glenelg ShireCouncil
• Phil Dennis, DET – The School forStudent Leadership – Gnurad Gundidj Campus
• Tony Harrison, Lyndoch Living
• Trevor Carr, Portland Aluminium
• Lauren Peterson, Grattons Gate DairyFarm
• Richard Wade, Moyne Shire
• Julie Perry, Warrnambool City Council
• Mark Brennan, Primary CarePartnership
• Alison Quade, Southern GrampiansShire
• Peter Gaffy, WestVic Dairy

2018 Closing Retreat

It was with joy and some sadness that the group came together one last time before graduation to reflect on their personal journey, their learnings from the community projects and their professional development throughout the program.

The Closing Retreat was not the end of their leadership journey as many participants shared in their own vision for the future and defined their goals moving forward. The 2018 participants will now join an extensive list of LGSC Alumni across the Great South Coast, who are influencing change as they each continue on their leadership journey.

Actively Contributing to our Community

Volunteerism and the contribution volunteers make to our region was fitting the theme for our final Program Day. Volunteering is worth in excess of $25.4billion (excluding travel) to the Australian economy. And whilst this economic value is often overlooked, participants dug deeper as we broke down the construct of the hierarchy of valued volunteer roles in our community and the barriers that people may experience to being able to contribute and participate as volunteers in our community.

The fact is there are so many voluntary roles that need to be filled for everyday programs and services that help our community function and to improve our wellbeing.

As an example, when the Warrnambool and District Hospice began the death rate at home in Warrnambool was at only 15%, it is now over 50%, this valuable service provides both volunteers and the families of those needing palliative care, compassion and the capacity to live their remaining time in their home. The respectful approach to both the Hospices’ volunteers and the families utilising this service is inspiring.

Another example is Foodshare. In 2017 Warrnambool Food Share fed over 12,500 people including 2000 families, that is over 6000 local children who would’ve gone hungry without their assistance. Together with community donations Food Share has then been able to redistribute over 125,000 tonnes of food to families of need. This highly efficient program runs with the support of 3,600 volunteer hours each year and many local individuals and businesses contribute with generous donations of resources such as transport costs.

The leadership, positive culture and passion was evident at the Warrnambool SES led by Commander Georgio Palmeri. Professionalism and expert training coupled with passion creates a formidable force when faced with emergencies and the lives saved and impacted from this cohort of volunteers is amazing.

Regardless of what you do or how often you do it, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you – the volunteers of our community.

With thanks to SES Warrnambool Commander Georgio Palmeri for hosting us, Dr Bernadette Northeast, Dr Eric Fairbank, Director of the Warrnambool and District Hospice and Dedy Friebe Executive Officer, Foodshare.