Connecting ambitious professionals with each other and the community to build towards the future of Mildura. That is the bridge the Mildura Young Professional Network (MYPN), ran by a committee of dynamic volunteers, has been building for 12 years. Marina Hacquin spoke to members about the vision of the group in the present and the future. Pictures: Ben Gross
MYPN was formed in 2006 to give aspiring young business leaders a space to share common issues and challenges through social events and professional development opportunities.
The launch, held in the Theatre Club at the Mildura Brewery, was attended by more than 120 people.
Besides a monthly gathering around a glass of wine, the group has been fostering personal and professional growth in recent years, with the committee pushing for more partnerships with local organisations and businesses.
With an average of two monthly events, generally open to the public, MYPN now appeals to a broader audience but the focus remains on young professionals, group president Ashleigh Phillips says.
“Our monthly drinks used to be on a Thursday, which we switched to a Friday,” she says. “Small moves like that instantly tripled the amount of people we had on those monthly nights.”
Moving to a new town requires to build a network from scratch, while living in a region for years can trigger the desire to form new connections.
For former group president Russell Lamattina, having a membership made up of half non-Mildura natives and half locals, enhances opportunities for these connections to be made.
“Having newcomers (in the group) gives us appreciation of challenges new people face when they move to town, and how we can make them feel welcome,” he says.
“And the more newcomers feel connected to the community, the more likely they are to stay in the mid to long-term.”
“I stepped into my role because I thought we were catering for something that was needed,” Ash says.
“You look at the doctor shortages, or where you have industry needs – I think we are part of that, to help filling it.
“It’s not a monetary value you can put onto someone to get them to stay in a community like Mildura, it’s about helping them make these connections so that they feel involved in the community.”
The ambitious project, however, doesn’t come without challenges.
Organising two monthly events, as well as managing inquiries and new memberships require a dedication sometimes difficult to sustain for busy young leaders.
With about 25 paid memberships, and many more one-off event participants, the small committee works on a limited budget, with the support of local sponsors and the Mildura Council.
“When you are a non-for-profit, the financial part is hard because you have ongoing, yearly-based costs such as the insurance, the website, post-office boxes, to pay,” Ashleigh says.
“We have been getting more involved in the social media space.
“We’ve only created a Snapchat and Instagram account this year. But it can be hard to manage on a volunteer basis because it’s quite time-consuming.”
