This month, the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) together
with online training centre Learning Seat launched Australia’s first comprehensive digital training and professional development centre for Councillors and Mayors.
The Local Government Leadership and Learning Centre (LGLLC) will provide Councillors and Mayors in the Australian and Asia Pacific region with specialised online training, addressing the unique requirements and responsibilities of the Local Government sector.
VLGA Vice President, Warren Maloney, said 78 courses are currently available through the online centre, and new courses will be progressively added.
“Twelve of these are Certificate or Diploma courses,” he said. “Participants in remaining courses will receive a certificate recognising their participation. This will not only assist them with their Local Government role, but also in their day to day careers.”
Courses included on the site cover:
- Councillor induction
- candidate training for individuals nominating
for Council - negotiation skills
- relationship management between Councillors
and CEOs - women in elected office
- media training
- general business skills, including IT,
leadership and communication skills.
Warren Maloney said the site also details
51 group face to face programs, which will be run in a traditional classroom manner.
“Some issues, such as land use planning, have a lot of information and data to be absorbed,” he said. “This information will still be available online, but we will also hold face to face sessions to allow for classroom discussion and policy development.”
The centre is available 24/7, nationally and internationally and also incorporates details of other resources relevant to Local Government, as well as a two year training calendar. It is free for any Councillor or Mayor to sign up to the site and access information, with course fees varying depending on their depth.
Warren Maloney said LGLLC is a one stop learning and training shop that is cheaper than traditional education methods, and avoids the hassles of travel and accommodation.
“Users can complete courses in their home at their own pace, and can even bookmark where they are up to and pick it back up again at a later time,” he said. VLGA is already working with the Philippines, Indonesia and other Asian countries on face to face classes, and will incorporate multilingual courses on the online site.
Learning Seat’s partnership with VLGA and the establishment of the comprehensive LGLLC follows the development of the original Councillor induction program created for Randwick Council in 2007.
For further information contact Warren Maloney on 0408 323 607.
