HANNAH Farhall knows she wants to make a positive difference in Ballarat and is open to possibilities.
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The Damascus College year nine student is Country Fire Authority junior member with Elaine and plays lots of sports, including netball, soccer and hockey.
But she wants to do more to help her community.
Hannah is keen to learn skills to make an impact and understand more about what makes this region tick.
She is part of Western Bulldogs Leadership Project, which got to work from the AFL club’s new Mair Street base this week.
This is the second year the project has run in Ballarat, expanding on western suburbs-based programs.
Part of the six-month course is an active approach to community empowerment with participants to focus on an issue in their community, like youth mental health or homelessness.
The group will meet with community social and welfare leaders, which Hannah said should help with direction.
“I’m leaving it open for my project because I’m not too sure yet,” Hannah said.
“I wanted to join the program to get to know more people and boost my confidence...I’m really excited to get started.”
Participants across the inner-west and western Victoria gathered for a leadership camp in Williamstown earlier this month. This included participants from new programs in Portland, Ararat and Stawell.
Western Bulldogs youth development coordinator Jenna Browne said it was important to get participants all in the one space and getting to know each other and what the project was all about.
Each project group has a strong local flavour. The Ballarat group will gain insight from community organisations like mental health initiative headspace Ballarat, youth training and employment network Highlands LLEN and Centre for Multicultural Youth Ballarat.
Ms Browne said the aim was for participants to know services in their own town for a better understanding of their community’s demographics, while workshops would also build leadership skills and teamwork.