Selwood is one of Bendigo's top football products and will be lending his support to the next generation of players in his ambassador role.

The "Joel Selwood Bendigo Development Squad" features AFLCV's under-15 boys and youth girls squads.

"I've been lucky enough to be invited by Rick (Coburn, AFLCV development manager) and the guys in Bendigo to be a part of it," Selwood, 25, said.

"I remember the start of my pathway was at under-15 level and the beginning of a career that I'm now playing out."

Selwood, who has played 160 AFL games and in three premierships with the Cats since being drafted from the Bendigo Pioneers in 2006, is as passionate about junior development as he is determined to put his head over the ball in the heat of battle.

"I've been a part of the Auskick program for a few years now. That's at a junior level and this is the next step for these guys," Selwood said.

"Bendigo is the place I grew up and unfortunately, we didn't have anyone drafted this year.

"But it's a place I always want to see do well and we've got to have kids developing at a rate of knots where they are eligible to come up and play with not only myself, but at any (AFL) club."

The under-15 boys will play in next year's V-Line Cup and the youth girls will compete in the Subway Shield, with both to be contested in April.

Coburn said AFLCV was thrilled Selwood - this year's Geelong best and fairest, All-Australian captain and Brownlow Medal runner-up - had thrown his support behind the development squad.

"The role of the ambassador is that of a role model... someone for the boys and girls to look up to and to aspire to become as young footballers," Coburn said.