Western Bulldogs Community Foundation

60+ VU student placements per year

Participants from 70 countries

Workshops for 600+ school students

The Western Bulldogs have a long-standing history as the community club of the AFL. The Western Bulldogs Community Foundation (WBCF) is the community services arm of the Club that delivers innovative and engaging community services for individuals and families living in Victoria’s west.

The WBCF recognises that the west is a diverse community with varying needs. To ensure programs reflect the needs of those within their backyard, they have worked tirelessly to identify and evolve program delivery in health and wellbeing, social inclusion, community advocacy and youth leadership.

About our collaboration

Since 2016, the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation (WBCF) and Victoria University (VU) have established an innovative, industry-leading partnership. Our staff and students work with the Foundation to build strong and vibrant communities in Victoria’s west.

In the latest phase of our evolving partnership, VU and WBCF collaborate to:

support more than 600 high-school students in the west through the WBCF School Workshop program, with VU as Presenting Partner
provide placements for more than 60 VU students of exercise science, youth work and community development
develop high-quality research into the Sons & Daughters of the West program to deliver tangible improvements
provide opportunities for our West Melbourne English Program students and staff to learn sports and develop social connections in the CALDplay program
create and participate in community events, including International Women’s Day
use both organisations’ positions for community advocacy.

Foundation programs

The foundation delivers programs addressing four key pillars: health and wellbeing (Sons and Daughters of the West, Best On Ground); youth leadership (Nallei-Jerring Leadership Program, Leaders of the Pack, Leadership Project, School Workshop Program); diversity and social inclusion (CALDplay, GOAL); and community advocacy.

Find out more

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

This partnership addresses the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Benefits for students & courses

This valuable partnership offers opportunities for students across a variery of courses with unique industry experiences. Courses that benefit from this partnership include:

Bachelow of Exercise Science (Sports Practice)

Bachelor of Exercise Science (Clinical Practice)

Bachelor of Psychological Studies

Bachelor of Youth Work

Research

Read about the important research that has been made possible through this partnership.

: Public Health Conference 2019 (PHAA), Vassallo, J.S. & Dell’Aquila, C. Western Bulldogs 'Sons of the West' Connects Men to Their Community.
FECCA Conference 2019, Always be yourself and stand up for what you believe in - African Australian Youth Kicking Goals with the Western Bulldogs.
ICCP 2020, Vassallo, J.S. (2020) Building male communities for better health through The Sons of the West.
ICCP 2020, Sharples, J.M. Shearson, K.M., Chapin, L., Morda, R., & Naslund, M. (2020) Community capacity building and health promotion through an interactive systems framework.
: Parkhill, A., Deans, C. L., & Chapin, L. A. (2018) Pre-leadership processes in leadership training for adolescents. Children and Youth Services Review, 88 (375-379).
Puxley, S., & Chapin, L.A. (2021). Building youth leadership skills and community awareness: Engagement of rural youth with a community-based leadership program. Journal of Community Psychology, 49(5), (1063-1078).
Deans, C. L. (2021) Exploring the impact of a large gender-sensitised health promotion program: the Sons of the West program. Public Health Research & Practice.
Vassallo, J.S., Shearson, K.M., Dell'Aquila, C., & Sharples, J.M. (2021). Outcomes of a gender-sensitized health behavior program delivered through a professional sports club. Psychology of Men and Masculinities.
: Georghiou, B. (2019) Exploring the leadership perspectives and experiences of female adolescents participating in the Western Bulldogs’ Leadership Project.
Quartarella, G. (2019) Youth Leadership Programs, Positive Youth Development (PYD) and Community Contribution.
Tandon, R. (2020). Exploring mechanisms facilitating engagement and positive change.
Daffey, J. (2020) Evaluation of a Leadership Program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth Living in Melbourne's Western Suburbs
: Quartarella, G., Morda, R., & Chapin, L. Exploring female adolescents’ perspectives and experiences of a youth leadership program.
Chapin, L. & Morda, R. Evaluation a remote program for youth leadership: YL on-line program.
Hobbs, Shearson, Naslund & Sharples. Facilitators and barriers of an on-line gender sensitised health behaviour program.
Vassallo, J.S., Shearson, K.M., & Sharples, J.M. Collaborative and innovative community health promotion: An investigation of the Sons of the West and Daughters of the West programs.
We hold an annual research showcase, which provides students and staff with the opportunity to share the findings of their research and projects with the Foundation and their partners.