Current professional development opportunities

Leading Through Crisis Workshop Series

As part of the MAV Councillor Health and Wellbeing Series, these sessions are guided by the principle that supporting self is integral to supporting others in the community during complex and overlapping crises, including bushfires, extreme weather events and other emergencies, often alongside ongoing social, economic and political disruption.

Through these sessions councillors will be provided with support to confidently and compassionately to community distress following emergencies, in particular:

• Understanding the psychological and emotional impacts of disasters over time.
• Strengthening personal emotional resilience and wellbeing to sustain effective leadership.
• Navigating high-emotion environments while maintaining good governance and role clarity.

The series adopts a trauma-aware, recovery-focused and practical approach, grounded in contemporary research, lived experience and local government realities.

Online

Session 4: Stress, High Emotion and Lived Experience – Supporting Community Healing
Date: Friday 5 June
Time: 12:15pm – 1:45pm
Location: Online (via Teams)
Cost: Complimentary

Click here to register

Social Media Self-defence for Elected Local Government Leaders

Some people are at greater risk of being the target of online abuse on social media, due to their public profile and being an elected official. This session is designed to provide elected and aspiring local government leaders with the knowledge and skills to keep safer online.

This complementary eSafety 1-hour webinar is designed specifically for elected and aspiring local government leaders and will:

• Outline eSafety’s role and our reporting schemes
• Examine tech-based abuse experienced by elected and aspiring local government leaders and the impacts on the individual
• Provide practical strategies to increase safety and minimise risk online
• Explore case studies that demonstrate how to respond to online abuse and make a report.

Online

Date: Wednesday 8 July 2026
Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Location: Online
Cost: Complimentary

Click here to register

Speaking with Impact

This dynamic workshop empowers Victorian mayors and councillors to become authentic and engaging communicators. Led by seasoned presentation and media trainers, Michelle Coffey and Maura Angle, you'll learn how to understand your audience and tailor your messages to resonate with communities, effectively informing key audiences. Specifically tailored for local government, it includes governance principles including the Mayor as Spokesperson, the Councillor Code of Conduct, and Media Policies.

With limited places available, this masterclass offers a rare chance to learn in a small, supportive group where every participant gets individual attention. You’ll explore how to prepare compelling speeches that align with strategic plans, using clear structure and impactful openings and closings.

Through storytelling techniques, you’ll learn to weave personal anecdotes and real-life examples into presentations making them memorable, persuasive and relatable. Focus is on the art of authenticity, speaking with sincerity and confidence.

By the end, you'll be equipped to deliver speeches that captivate, connect, and leave a lasting impression on your audience.

MAV Office

Date: Thursday 23 July 2026
Time: 9:30am – 4:30pm
Location: In person. MAV Office, Level 5, 1 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne
Cost: $800 excluding GST or Council Credit Points

Click here to register

MAV Office

Date: Friday 24 July 2026
Time: 9:30am – 4:30pm
Location: In person. MAV Office, Level 5, 1 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne
Cost: $800 excluding GST or Council Credit Points

*Registrations at capacity

Understanding Local Government Finances

This course equips councillors with the essential knowledge and skills needed to navigate the complexities of local government finances.

Led by local government finance expert Domenic Isola, you'll learn about financial responsibilities, and develop a range of practical skills including having oversight of council budgets, interpretation of financial statements and application of key financial management principles.

By the end of this course, councillors will be better prepared to make informed financial decisions for sustainable council operations that align with community needs and ensure sustainable financial health for their council.

This professional learning opportunity is an absolute must for all councillors as it meets the requirements of mandatory training related to financial management.

MAV Office

Date: Friday 14 August 2026
Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm
Location: In person. MAV Office, Level 5, 1 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne
Cost: $250 excluding GST or Council Credit Points

Click here to register