MAV launches new leadership series for councils navigating compounding challenges

The Local Leaders Series: Leading Through Crisis and Complexity and Complexity brings together municipal leaders for an applied, cohort-based learning experience focused on real governance challenges facing councils today.

Delivered in partnership with the Melbourne Centre for Cities, the Melbourne School of Design, and other contributors, the program reflects a shift away from traditional training toward practical, collaborative learning. MAV CEO Kelly Grigsby said the initiative responds to the rapidly evolving challenges facing local government.

“Councils are increasingly navigating interconnected pressures, from climate impacts to financial constraints and rising community expectations,” Ms Grigsby said.

“Global challenges from climate change to the impact of AI and national priorities like social cohesion, addressing the housing supply shortfall and delivering the energy transition all require strong, adaptive leadership at the local level.”

“This series is designed to strengthen leadership capability while enabling councillors to work together across sectors and levels of government to address complex, shared challenges.”

As part of MAV’s focus on building leadership capability across local government, the program offers a mix of in-person and hybrid sessions across metropolitan and regional Victoria, including a City Leadership focused session at the University of Melbourne and a regional session at Castlemaine Institute. Participants will engage with senior municipal leaders, academics and industry experts while developing a live governance challenge from their own municipality. Places in the inaugural intake are limited to ensure a highly interactive experience.

The Local Leaders Series forms part of MAV’s continued investment in supporting effective local leadership for Victorian communities.

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