Bisinella Developments will provide three emerging community leaders of the north and Lara with scholarships this year to Committee for Geelong’s Activate leadership programs. 

Bisinella Developments has provided 20 scholarships to the leadership program since it started supporting the initiative in 2017. 

Committee for Geelong (CfG) will run two Activate leadership programs this year, with the first eight-week course, Activate #10 running from April 23 to June 11. The second program will run from October 8 until November 28. 

Launched inGeelong in 2016, Activate supports emerging leaders in exploring the foundations of leadership. It also assists them in gaining confidence, knowledge, skills and strategies to lift their leadership capacity for personal, professional and community benefit.  

Almost 100 Geelong participants have taken part in Activate programs since they started. 

The Bisinella scholarships are available to three people from Lara or Geelong’s northern suburbs. Emerging leaders from these areas interested in receiving a scholarship are encouraged to contact the Committee for Geelong. 

Committee for Geelong’s Leaders Portfolio Business Co-ordinator, Victoria Strachan said Activate program participants developed a “strategic understanding of challenges facing the Geelong city-region, are able to build confidence and develop networks whilst setting themselves up for future leadership opportunities”. 

Each week participants listen to specialists who unpack different styles of leadership, for example values-based, strength-based, social and distributive leadership.  Each week a guest leader in the Geelong community is invited to address the group. 

“In the past, Bisinella scholarship applicants have had a strong desire to develop leadership potential and to give back to their community,” Ms Strachan said. 

“This year, three scholarships will be provided by Bisinella, which will give three applicants living in the northern suburbs of Geelong the opportunity to take part in the eight-week leadership program.” 

“The Activate #10 Bisinella scholarship recipients will join a new network of people and be able to apply their learnings both in the workplace and wider community. The Committee for Geelong is very grateful to Bisinella Developments for their ongoing support of the Activate program.” 

Earlier this month, Bisinella’s Managing Director Lino Bisinella hosted some of last year’s Activate scholarship recipients for morning tea. 

In attendance were Michelle Jokic, Department of Health and Human Services, Child Protection Practitioner, Mick Ryan, Barwon Health, Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer and

Rebecca Callahan, Colac Area Health, Barwon South West Homelessness Network Co-ordinator. 

They were joined on the day by Committee for Geelong’s Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Cromarty and Ms Strachan. Bisinella’s Director Matthew Bisinella and Chief Executive Officer Steven O’Neill also attended. 

Scholarship recipients praised the program, highlighting the many connections in the community they have made as a result of attending Activate. 

Scholarship recipient Mick Ryan, Barwon Health’s Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer said he thoroughly enjoyed the leadership program and appreciated “the experience of meeting peers that share the same ethics and drive for leadership to provide and give back to our community”. 

“I think that the Bisinella sponsorship is an incredible opportunity for the community, I am lucky to have been a recipient of this program it was a great experience.” 

Mr Ryan said there were many things he learned which he could apply to his work life. 

“At the end of each session we would do a problem solving activity. This was something that I have used in my work/life and has been a great tool to be able to think outside the box and have different opinions on how to achieve positive outcomes.” 

Bisinella Director, Richard Bisinella congratulated the four scholarship recipients who completed the last Activate course and said it was a terrific program supporting Geelong’s future leaders. 

“We are proud to be able to support residents from Lara and the northern suburbs of Geelong and are confident the skills they learn will be of great benefit to them on their individual journeys.”

 For more information about the Activate program and the Bisinella scholarships contact Committee for Geelong’s Leaders Portfolio Business Co-ordinator, Victoria Strachan on   5247 9512 or victoria.strachan@committeeforgeelong.com.au