Des Hudson OAM

General Duties Policing 1989 - 1995 at various police stations.

Initially working as a School Resource Officer (SRO) from 1995 - 2005 and liaising with all schools, both primary and secondary across Ballarat & District, to them morphing into the Youth Resource Officer (YRO) role when Victoria Police dissolved the Police in Schools Program.

As a Youth Resource Officer I continued to liaise with all schools in and around Ballarat, but also monitored local youth offending trends in age cohorts 10-14, 15- 17, 18-24 years. A focus was to try and identify key causal and risk factors, explore diversion pathways, form key partnerships with local agencies that were able to provide youth support to both the individual and families.

Ballarat was the focus of a significant community based crime prevention program. I represented local police command as a subject matter expert and proposed the development of MAST (Multi Agency Support Team) that would case manage a young person who was at risk of entering the criminal justice system, had disengaged from education and had been reported as a Missing Person. Police were initially the gateway referral pathway, which has now been broadened out to allow education to directly refer as well.

I championed various other proactive programs such as Cyber Safety Awareness, Road Safety Programs, Party Safe Strategies, Schoolies, Ssmart Assk Program, You the Man, Blue Edge / Force Blue.

I have always been in very high demand from schools and am highly regarded for my public speaking and presentation skills. In any 12 month period I would generally have over 10,000 youth contacts from our local community.

Around 2019, following the second death in 12 months of a Year 8 student who died by suicide, I became aware of Youth Live4Life. I researched the program and explored the content and felt that it was an excellent model for the local Ballarat community.

Initially, I spoke with two local secondary school principals who instantly became enthusiastic about the program. I then presented to all of the state secondary school principals about Live4Life and they were unanimously supportive. I was able to propose the concept to each of the private and independent principals and secured their support.

Looking at the Live4Life funding model, it appeared that the cost to implement the program in other areas had fallen to the local community. I proposed an alternative funding model where individual schools would fund each of their individual students that participated in the program and this was agreed to be each individual school.

I encouraged the City of Ballarat CEO and Director of Community Well Being to look at the model and consider the appointment of a 1 EFT position who would act as the local program coordinator. This was agreed and the program had its genesis. Sadly, during the background years and training staff in Mental Health First Aide and the facilitators who would deliver the Teen and Adolescent Mental Health Programs, a further 4 secondary students from the Ballarat area died by suicide, including one student that was found deceased the morning that we were to publicly launch the project.

I have also trained as a Mental Health First Aider and am also qualified to deliver the Teen and Adolescent Mental Health Programs as an Organisational Instructor to support larger schools that don't have enough staff trained.

I worked with the Ballarat Community, and in particular, the Ballarat Friends of India Network who donated $80,000 to our LIve4LIfe local Ballarat Program.

I have also participated in the external evaluation project via University of Melbourne

Longest serving councillor in the post amalgamated City of Ballarat.

Elected in 2002 and then re-elected in 2005, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 & 2024.

Served 3 terms as Mayor, 2015/16, 2022/23, 2023/24

Served 2 terms as Deputy Mayor 2008/09, 2013/14

Mayoral responsibilities include being the principal spokesperson for the City of Ballarat, maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders, including state and federal government representatives, business and community organisations.

Represented Ballarat nationally and internationally at various conferences, and have addressed international mayoral congresses at the League of Historic Cities Conference in 2016, UNESCO Creative Cities Conference in 2024.

Inaugural Chairperson of the network which has continued to current day.

Deliver the annual Out of the Shadows Walk to mark the International Day of Suicide Awareness.

Partner with Lifeline Ballarat for the delivery of free community education suicide awareness training "Safe Talk" and Asist Suicide Prevention Training.

Advocacy for improved mental health services for the Ballarat region.

Current Chairperson, Coordinator and Facilitator of local Ballarat Blue Light Programs.

Delivery of the monthly Blue Light Underage Disco / Dance Party Event, managing staff which includes local police members and volunteers to over see events which can attract up to 200 participants.

Facilitation of the Blue Edge / Force Blue Program. This is an 8 week program for secondary students whereby they engage in physical fitness training with sworn members of Victoria Police and teachers.

Assist with the facilitation of each monthly ride day at the Beaufort Motor Cycle Track. The emphasis is on Ride, and not Race, we provide a safe environment for riders aged 5 years through to 18 years to develop their motorcycle skills. We manage 3 tracks for the different levels of riders. A great community event that regularly sees over 150 riders participating.