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Western Bulldogs and the City of Ballarat have recruited 15 emerging youth leaders from years nine and 10 across the region to take part in the Bulldogs’ community program, launched on Thursday night.
The Whitten Project is the first in a suite of Bulldogs’ projects to fully roll out in Ballarat. There has already been some links to the club’s Sons of the West men’s health program.
The programs are part of an ongoing partnership between the Bulldogs and the City that is about more than football development and playing AFL games in Ballarat. Western Bulldogs have made clear that Ballarat is part of their ‘western front’.
Bulldogs community leadership manager Mark De Campo said the club wanted to support the Ballarat region in a holistic sense.
“We want to use our position as a football club for positive change,” Mr De Campo said. "These young people really are the future and potential future leaders. We need to invest in them and it’s important we spend time with them now.”
Project members will spend the next four months in sessions with Bulldogs’ players, coaches and staff but also Ballarat community leaders. Mr De Campo said it was important the Ballarat program retain a local flavour to best equip the students as leaders in their own community.
The program will feature two visits to Melbourne: one a behind the scenes visit to the Bulldogs’ home at Whitten Oval; the other, playing at half-time of the Western Bulldogs’ clash with Collingwood later this year. Excursions also include a visit to Ballarat Town Hall, for insight into local government.
Loreto College student Madie Dunn could hardly wait to get started.
“It’s important for my future, to see what it’s like to be a leader,” Madie said.
The Bulldogs have committed to playing AFL premiership matches in Ballarat for five years from next year and have signalled they are keen to play on beyond. Their Ballarat community hub is based in Mair Street.
Meanwhile, Bulldogs mascots Woofer, Butch, Barkly and Scout were busy filming a promotional video about town on Thursday to showcase Ballarat at half-time real soon. They even met up with the club’s real-life Bulldog Sid at Eureka Stadium.
