The Future Shapers Ballarat program will receive a share in $1.8 million in funding to develop community leaders

Future Shapers Ballarat is one of nine regional leadership programs that will share in an announced $1.8 million in funding under the Regional Community Leadership Program.

Committee for Ballarat program lead Ellen Jackson said the funding was critical in allowing the continued quality and extent of the program to be delivered.

"It subsidises as a program that is additionally funded by participant fees which are generally paid by employers and local organisations, so it allows us to be able to provide above and beyond what we might be able to do otherwise," she said.

"It's a 10-month program, it's quite extensive - over 20 days of face-to-face content that the participants are involved in - we couldn't do that without this additional funding."

The program aims to achieve better representation for women, Aboriginal leaders, multicultural community members and people living with a disability in Ballarat, and covers project management, public speaking, advocacy and collaboration skills.

"We know that great community leaders come in all different shapes and forms, there's no one standard template for who makes a great community leader," Ms Jackson said.

"To be able to have representation across every aspect of our community really is increasing our chances of getting the best community leaders out there."

Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton agrees that leaders needed to reflect the community they represented.

"People from culturally diverse backgrounds are very important to the program, those with disabilities are very important to the program, those who are reflective of the community that we're part of - it's a really important measure for us," he said.

Future Shapers Ballarat, formerly known as Leadership Ballarat and Western Region, has run for the past 17 years.

Mr Poulton said the over 400 Ballarat alumni have gone on to a range of roles.

"We've seen a lot of graduates and alumni going to senior roles within their own jobs, but also importantly take up board positions for various community or not-for-profit or for-profit organisations," he said.

The overseeing peak body, formerly known as Victorian Regional Community Leadership Program, supports the nine regional leadership programs and the more than 4000 graduates across Victoria.

It sees more than 200 people participate across over 60 local government areas statewide each year.

Ms Jackson said it was an enormous privilege to be involved in the Ballarat program.

"Seeing those connections between the development work that we do with participants and then what they go on to do and how they have an impact on their community in really immediate ways, it's really exciting," she said.

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