The Perth Fellowship, delivered in-person and online, is our flagship leadership course for advocates, campaigners, activists and changemakers in Australia and Aotearoa who are looking to change the world through public advocacy.
The program offers all participants a suite of tools, tactics, strategies and case studies in best practice community organising and campaigning to take your skills to the next level including — campaign strategy, community organising, message development, corporate campaigning, First Nations justice, media engagement, digital campaigning and more.
The Progress Fellowship will feature two four-day in-person intensives and 12 weekly online seminars delivered with expert speakers. This is a unique opportunity to learn alongside a cohort of peers to build and reinforce our capacity to better mobilise our communities and run strategic campaigns for systems change. Read more about the Fellowship program here.
OUTCOMES / SKILLS
Introduction to campaign strategy
Campaign strategy and tactics in practice
Strategic capacity and strategic tools
Tactic selection and evaluation
Campaign simulation
Story-based strategy
Campaign research and corporate campaigning
Evaluating campaigning
Messaging and message development
Target audiences
Decision maker engagement and the policy cycle
Introduction to community organising
Social movement theory
Introduction to public narrative
Power and privilege in campaigning
Introduction to digital campaigning
Social media, online fundraising and email campaigning
KEY DATES
All times listed at Australian Eastern Time:
Opening Intensive: 10-13 August — 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Seminar 1: 25 August — 6:00PM to 8:30PM
Seminar 2: 2 September — 6:00PM to 8:30PM
Seminar 3: 9 September — 6:00PM to 8:30PM
Seminar 4: 16 September — 6:00PM to 8:30PM
Seminar 5: 23 September — 6:00PM to 8:30PM
Seminar 6: 7 October — 6:00PM to 8:30PM
Seminar 7: 14 October — 6:00PM to 8:30PM
Seminar 8: 21 October — 6:00PM to 8:30PM
Seminar 9: 28 October — 6:00PM to 8:30PM
Seminar 10: 4 November — 6:00PM to 8:30PM
Seminar 11: 11 November — 6:00PM to 8:30PM
Seminar 12: 18 November — 6:00PM to 8:30PM
Closing Intensive: 23-26 November — 10:00AM to 5:00PM
FACILITATORS
Chris Bedding
Lead Facilitator
Chris firmly believes that a few people with the right mix of skills and resources can change the world. As part of the Love Makes a Way movement for refugee rights, he engaged in and led nonviolent direct action and social media campaigns. Chris was involved in the campaign for marriage equality and is currently part of a team advocating for a ban on LGBTQIA+ change and suppression practices in WA. He is currently Executive Officer of Faith Workers Alliance, a new workers collective organisation. Chris trains in a wide range of topics with Evolve WA and is an experienced media spokesperson. He completed the Progress Fellowship in 2020.
Anita Tang
Facilitator and Organising Director
Anita is passionate about building people power to secure public policies that benefit the community, with a particular focus on people needing care and support due to their disability or life circumstances. At Cancer Council NSW, Anita led the development of the grassroots advocacy approach that led to significant campaign wins on smoke-free legislation, cost of chemotherapy, access to treatment and policies to protect people from known cancer risks. Now her focus is on increasing the impact of the advocacy work of NGO’s by helping them unlock the potential of their grassroots supporters.
COST
$2,500+GST: Small Non-Profit | Individuals - For non-profits with an annual budget in Australia of less than $500,000, as well as individuals not affiliated with an organisation.
$3,750+GST: Regular Non-Profit - For non-profits with an annual budget in Australia between $500,000 and $3 million.
$4,800+GST: Large Non-Profit - For non-profits with an annual budget in Australia of over $3 million.
$6,500+GST: Full Price - For government, political offices, social enterprises, b-corps and businesses servicing the non-profit sector.
$1,300+GST: Partial Scholarship - For individual community campaigners who lack any organisational support. Scholarships are very limited, and their availability is subject to sponsorship procurement. Full scholarships are also available.
To ensure more equitable access across our trainings and events, a limited number of full and partial scholarships ($1,300+GST) are available to grassroots advocates, community groups and start-up/small organisations. We welcome and prioritise scholarship applications from First Nations people, people with disability, people of colour, people with lived experience seeking asylum and unwaged changemakers. To apply for a scholarship, please select the scholarship option on the application form here or contact Phong at phong@australianprogress.org.au.
TESTIMONIALS
Here is what our fellowship alumni have said about their experience in the program:
The Progress Fellowship was something I wanted to do for many years, and when I finally did it, my only regret was that I wish I had done it earlier. It was four months of connecting with extraordinary campaigners and organisers, being challenged and tested, building and rebuilding your skills, and leaving with fresh eyes and fresh ideas. It gave me the chance to reflect on what it is I do, and try to do, and think more deeply about my work, than I have, in a long time, and I left with a clearer perspective on things, some new tools -- with more energy! The classes were all very stimulating, the readings always hit the mark, and most of all, miss the terrific companionship of an inspiring group of activists from across the country. — Pas Forgione, Anti-Poverty Network SA
The Spring Fellowship was an incredible experience. I connected with so many amazing people doing such impactful work. I learned so many new skills, tips, and perspectives, and concluded the program with an overall sense of gratitude and optimism for a brighter future. — Chloe Rattray, Out for Australia
The breadth of the topics covered and the calibre of the facilitators and speakers reflect the thoughtfulness and care that went into designing this Fellowship. It provided a space for me to not only up-skill and connect with a new network of fellow campaigners, but more importantly feel part of a genuine community where I did not feel ‘othered’. I felt truly seen, uplifted, and supported in ways that affirmed my humanity. — Kaz, Democracy in Colour
I just finished my Progress Fellowship today, and one of the results is I want to be more present in the progressive community. Because what I took from the exceptional experience was the relationships. If you're considered it, do it. The people we met as participants, the facilitators, and the speakers were professionals, empathetic, interested, curious, and it felt like being in a group of the superb. I really damn enjoyed it. — Simon Green, Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS)
In the rush of day-to-day activism, it can be hard to take the time out to re-think strategy or learn new approaches. The Fellowship was an invaluable opportunity to learn from dozens of case studies, brilliant organisers and a wonderful group of fellow travellers. — Gem Romuld, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)
The fellowship has given me the frameworks to start thinking critically about each and every moment in the trajectory of a campaign. I feel so much better equipped to analyse and apply different tools to the campaign context I'm in. It has given me the chance to learn from an incredible cohort of campaigners and advocates who approach challenges from different perspectives and schools of thought. — Stacey Batterham, Fair Agenda
ACCESSibility
We will work with you to ensure that you can fully participate in the fellowship program. If you are a successful applicant, we will ask you for any access needs during the on-boarding process.
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Location - The venue will be located in Perth CBD.
Wheelchair accessibility - The venue will physically accessible with disabled parking bays and no stairs required to enter the venue.
Accessible bathrooms - Accessible, gender-neutral bathrooms will be available.
Breaks - Breaks will be organised regularly throughout the intensives including meal breaks. This includes morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea.
Breakout spaces - During intensives, we will use breakout spaces, with group sizes ranging from pairs, through to groups of 5-10 for discussions and workshop activities.
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Zoom - During the online seminars, we will be meeting via Zoom. You will be required to join via desktop or a portable device to make navigating the materials easier. See here for accessibility documentation for Zoom; including a list of keyboard shortcuts here.
Video norms - During the online seminars, we will encourage everyone to have your cameras on if you feel comfortable, but we will not require you to do so.
Chat - On Zoom you will be able to use the chat function. Participants will be asked to introduce themselves in chat, and to enter responses in the chat.
Captions - We will have auto captions enabled in Zoom.
Google Docs and Digital Documents - We will be sharing fellowship training materials over Google Drive, Google Docs and Google Slides. All documents, forms, and surveys will be provided in accessible formats.
Early access to slides - A view-only version of the slide deck can be supplied early if this supports your participation.
Pre-reading materials - We will provide a selection of pre-reading materials for you to read ahead of the fellowship. They will be provided in different formats including Google Docs, PDF and various websites.
Recordings - We do not supply recordings, but can record sections of the workshop if needed to facilitate your engagement. You will receive a copy of the presenter slide deck and other resources. Where video or audio content is included during the training or in any of the resources, we will aim provide audio descriptions, captions or transcripts as needed.
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Setting norms - As a cohort, we will set expectations at the start of the opening intensive to ensure everyone can comfortably participate in the fellowship together.
Guest speakers - Any guest speakers will be notified about any access needs ahead of time, and we will do our best to ensure that speakers are briefed to ensure their presentations are accessible.
Other additional support - In your participant info form, we will ask you for your access needs. If you require something in place that is not already arranged, or if you need more information about any part of the fellowship, we will work with you to provide this.
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If you have any questions about accessibility, please contact Phong at phong@australianprogress.org.au.