PRESTIGIOUS FELLOWSHIP FOR CAMPAIGNERS and ADVOCATES
IN PERTH

Submit your interest for the 2026 Perth Fellowship

THE PROGRESS FELLOWSHIP IS A
PROGRAM FOR LEADERS

The Perth Fellowship is a three-month intensive leadership program for organisers, campaigners, activists and changemakers in Australia to build the skills, courage and confidence to advocate for a more inclusive, diverse and fairer world.

THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

From August to November 2026, the program will offer a diverse cohort of 25 participants a suite of tools, tactics, strategies, frameworks and case studies in best practice community organising and senior campaigning to take your skills to the next level and amplify your impact. The fellowship will be delivered in a hybrid format, with two four-day in-person intensives and 12 online weekly evening seminars. You will learn from expert speakers across the social change sector who will share winning case studies and national best practice.

This is a unique opportunity to learn alongside a cohort of engaged peers across the non-profit, union and grassroots sectors to build and hone your capacity to better mobilise your communities and run strategic campaigns. Upon graduation, fellows go on to connect with the broader community network of 950+ fellowship alumni who remain engaged and support each other.

outcomes and skills

  • Developing 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

MEET THE FELLOWS

 950+ leading change makers in Australia have taken part in the Fellowship. Meet more of the fellows here.

  • Neelu Memon — Blind Sport NZ

    Neelu has a masters degree and worked with the NZ government in disability policy. She's also keen on running, cycling and winter sports. To raise awareness about the capacity of people with disabilities, she crowdfunded her way to the World Paracycling Champs in France, climbed Mt. Aspiring, and earned the title of the first legally blind person to complete the Coast to Coast.

  • Nathan Meteoro — Black Dog Institute

    Nathan is the Senior Project Officer at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lived Experience Centre and has worked at the Black Dog Institute for the past 4 years. Nathan has a background in psychology and has worked in various settings including research, disability support, and notably on LifeSpan, a systems approach to suicide prevention.

  • Rachel Deans — Market Forces

    Rachel is a former Melbourne Uni environment officer and started an internship with Market Forces in 2016. This quickly led to a campaigning position, with a particular focus on working with and empowering shareholders. She was the shareholder action campaigner for five and a half years and is now the superannuation fund campaign. She works with super fund members to hold their companies accountable to action on climate.

MEET THE FACILITATOR

A program delivered by leading Australian campaigners and non-profit experts.

Image of Anita. Anita has grey ear-length hair and is wearing a red sweater. She is standing in front of a garden.

ANITA TANG | 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.

UPCOMING DATES

2026 perth fellowship

Please note that the following dates are indicative and are subject to changes.

  • Opening Intensive - 10-13 August

  • Seminar 1 - 25 August

  • Seminar 2 - 2 September

  • Seminar 3 - 9 September

  • Seminar 4 - 16 September

  • Seminar 5 - 23 September

  • Seminar 6 - 7 October

  • Seminar 7 - 14 October

  • Seminar 8 - 21 October

  • Seminar 9 - 28 October

  • Seminar 10 - 4 November

  • Seminar 11 - 11 November

  • Seminar 12 - 18 November

  • Closing Intensive - 23-26 November

Submit your interest for the 2026 Perth Fellowship here

WHAT DOES IT COST?

The cost for participation in the Fellowship program is often paid by employers, and fees are priced according to the type of organisation and the annual budget. Large non-profit organisations, social enterprises and for-profit organisations cover more of the costs of the program, providing opportunities for smaller non-profit organisations, grassroots community groups and participants eligible for scholarships who experience higher financial barriers to accessing the program.

The cost of running the program remains heavily subsidised by Australian Progress. Program fees vary across various fellowships taking into account retreats, preparation, length of the program and location.

Please note that all participant fees listed below are specific to the hybrid format of the program, and also excludes GST.

Full Price | $6,500
For government, political offices, businesses, social enterprises, B-corps, education and government bodies servicing the non-profit sector.

Large Nonprofit | $4,800
For registered nonprofits with an annual revenue in Australia of over $3 million and local government offices.

Regular Nonprofit | $3,750
For registered nonprofits with an annual revenue in Australia between $500,000 and $3 million and political offices.

Small Nonprofit | $2,500
For registered nonprofits with an annual revenue in Australia of less than $500,000.

SCHOLARSHIPS

We offer scholarships to ensure the diversity of participants in the Progress Fellowship by providing partial ($1,100+GST) or fully subsidised places for organisations and individuals facing financial barriers to participating in the program. For every fellowship progress, we offer up to five subsidised places.

We typically prioritise scholarships for First Nations people, people with disability, people of colour, people with lived experience seeking asylum and unwaged changemakers.

If you’d like to enquire about a scholarship, email us at info@australianprogress.org.au.

THE FELLOWSHIP ALUMNI NETWORK

More than a program, a lifelong network.

Upon graduation, fellows join the Fellowship Alumni Network of 950+ leading changemakers and supportive peers who together provide each other with support, advice, collaborations and friendships for many years to come as they continue their careers working different roles across civil society movements.

Our alumni actively participate in closed online spaces, organise regular catch-ups, attend exclusive alumni events and share their expertise to future cohorts of the fellowship program.

See the list of alumni here

FAQ

  • Australian Progress exists to strengthen the capacity of civil society, so the fellowship program is primarily designed and curated for those working in civil society organisations. Typically, organisations pay all or most of the fee with fellows occasionally covering part of the fees themselves.

    The fee is typically priced according to your type of organisation and the annual budget of your organisation, even if you are paying for the fellowship (partially or entirely) yourself. We usually require employers to make at least some financial contribution, to demonstrate their commitment to the professional development of the participating fellow.

    If you are not employed by an organisation and don’t receive a salary, you are encouraged to apply for a scholarship. We offer limited scholarship places. In some instances if you are not offered a scholarship place we may offer you a place at an individual rate, similar to the Small Non-Profit Rate.

  • The program is primarily designed for people in full-time roles, however it is a time-intensive program that requires a significant time commitment. The program runs over 4-5 months and includes 8 full days of intensive sessions as well as a total 30 contact hours for evening seminars. Additionally, participants are expected to commit to 2-4 hours of homework, reading and reflection each week.

    We expect participants to be available for every retreat and 80% of seminars when they participate in the program, and catch up on any content when absent.

  • The opening intensive is essential as it covers foundational content critical for participants to engage with the remainder of the program. If you cannot attend the opening retreat, we are unable to accept you into the program.

    We require at least 80% attendance. This means missing one or two seminars is acceptable, if it is absolutely necessary. If you have commitments which you know will affect your attendance, but are still interested, please get in touch to discuss ways you can still participate in the program.

  • The program is typically designed for a range of leaders at all levels, including those with senior experience in public advocacy and campaigning. Often participants in our program hold various roles including Coordinators, Managers and Directors from different areas of expertise including campaigning, organising, digital, policy, media and more. However if you have some experience in advocacy, we encourage you to submit an application.

    For each cohort, we aim to ensure diversity across seniority, experience, sectors and identity to offer a space for changemakers in the fellowship program to learn from a diversity of perspectives.

  • The Perth 2026 Fellowship will be hybrid with two, four-day in-person intensives and 12 online evening seminars.

    Australian Progress do run online-only versions of the Fellowship. If that works better for you, please submit an expression of interest here and we will be in touch with future announcements and updates.

ALUMNI TESTIMONIALS

  • 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 Uy, Democracy in Colour

  • The Progress Fellowship 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 Progress Fellowship offered a comprehensive program that significantly enhanced my campaigning knowledge and practices. I continue to refer back to the program's content and skillset when planning next steps within my daily work. Learning amongst fellows from across the country who are working within diverse organisations was the best part of the program as you meet driven, like minded people who have now become long-term friends and a great cohort of people in which you can exchange knowledge.

    Ashley Dobozy, NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association