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Applications for tCA’s Community Organising Fellowship close 30 September. Our intensive course for campaigners and organisers involves three residential workshops (17 days total) spread over 6 months, a structured and participatory curriculum, and a practical, applied approach. Scholarships are available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander campaigners, coal and gas campaigners (especially in impacted communities) and organisers focused on climate change issues.

Our 100 graduates and this year's cohort form a strong national network of skilled organisers, equipped with the skills to exercise leadership, identify, recruit and develop leaders, forge diverse alliances and coalitions, work well with groups, facilitate campaign strategy and hold decision-makers to account.

We're determined to make the Fellowship as accessible as possible. The sliding scale for contributions is negotiated on an individual basis, with many participants receiving partial scholarships or heavily subsidised places. Read all about the Fellowship here, download the application form here and check out our amazing graduates here. Drop James a line to learn more.

This month’s eNews includes two new campaign strategy tools. Strategy as a House provides a simple structure developing a campaign strategy. The foundation of a robust strategy is an understanding of context and a rigorous understanding of the problem we’re working to remedy and an analysis of the issues (parts of the problem and solution) we might focus on. On this foundation, we then construct our theory of change and analysis of power, an analysis of decision-makers, allies and influencers. Finally the roof – our tactics.

The second tool is a Campaign Strategy Planning Template with 14 elements that follow the same logic as the campaign strategy house. It starts with situational analysis, goals, objectives and power analysis, then works through to tactics. The template is a Word doc with headings, tables and prompts, stream-lining the process of creating your strategy. It's written with community organisers in mind, including a simple structure to apply the idea of five circles of commitment. We've also created basic templates for power mapping and critical path analysis. If strategy is your thing, go crazy!

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Great online resources

Enews subscribers regularly share with us the websites and online resources they’re developing, discovering and learning from in their community organising. Enjoy this month’s batch and be sure to drop us a line to suggest links for the next enews.

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Campaign strategy as a house

Strategy as a House is a basic mud map to help you and your team develop a campaign strategy. The foundation of a robust strategy is an understanding of context and a rigorous understanding of the problem you seek to remedy. Next, you'll need an analysis of issues that are part of the problem and part of the solution. On this foundation, you …

Read more.

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Campaign strategy template

This template simplifies the process of developing a campaign strategy, with 14 headings in a logical sequence and practical advice for developing each element of strategy. tCA's website also has MS Word templates for critical path analysis and power map.

Read more.

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Power mapping template

Who can make the decision you need to influence (your primary target)? Who influences them (your secondary targets)? Who use exercises influence for/against this decision? A power map is a simple yet powerful tool to map decision makers and focus your energy where it makes the greatest impact. Here's a basic MS Word template to construct your campaign's power map.

Read more.

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Critical path analysis template

What interim outcomes or smaller changes do you expect you'll need to achieve along the road to achieving your campaign objective? A critical path can help keep your team focused. Here's an MS Word template to fast-track the process of creating your campaign's critical path analysis.

Read more.

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myer foundation

The Myer Innovation Fellowship program (applications close 30/9)

The Myer Innovation Fellowship program provides support to individuals rather than organisations. The program seeks exceptional leaders across all sectors (private, public and non-profit) and from all types of professional backgrounds. For us, the idea is king. We will consider both quality of the break-through idea and the capacity of the applicant to implement this idea. Fellows will each receive $120,000 …

Read more.

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governance healthcheck

VCOSS Governance Healthcheck

VCOSS has developed this free online tool to assess your organisation's governance. All Board/Committee members need to do is answer a series of questions, either as individuals or as part of a group. You will then be presented with tailored tips and recommendations to improve organisational governance.

Read more.

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unicorn

The unicorn activity: Political lobbying role play

This role play activity, developed by the Centre for Australian Progress, is an interactive workshop to help people experience a political lobbying meeting in a light-hearted way. The role play involves people being from either the Minister for Magical Creatures, or the NGO “Unicorn Revive”. People have the experience of planning a delegation meeting (if from the NGO) or of planning …

Read more.

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occupy love

No justice without love: why activism must be more generous

Frances Lee writes: "I want to be a member of a thriving and diverse social movement, not a cult or a religion... I believe that social justice activists must be committed to rooting out supremacy, dogmatism, and unhealthy behaviors inside themselves while fighting for justice in society. And that means prioritizing the building of healthy relationships both with ourselves and with …

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Upcoming learning opportunities and events

For details of other workshops and learning opportunities, visit our calendar.

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CfC group

C4C Fundraising and communication fellowship | Jan-May 2019, Melbourne

Climate for Change are looking for a new group of up to 25 committed volunteers to join in 2019. You will learn and work with a small, hard-working team to design and implement an ambitious real-life fundraising project in a fun and supportive environment. This is a great opportunity for someone wanting first-hand experience in the not-for-profit sector, while gaining fundamental …

Read more.

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People Power: The Study of Strategic Nonviolent Resistance [Free online course]

People Power: The Study of Strategic Nonviolent Resistance [Free online course]

The International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, in partnership with Rutgers University International Institute for Peace, is pleased to announce a call for applications for an eight-week, moderated online course: People Power: The Study of Strategic Nonviolent Resistance. This free, moderated course will take place on ICNC's online learning platform, from September 6 to November 1, 2018. Applications close 28 August. …

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Changeology Master Class and project incubator workshops | 10-11 Sept, Melbourne

Changeology Master Class and project incubator workshops | 10-11 Sept, Melbourne

You’ll use the Changeology methodology to devise targeted change projects that are buzz-worthy, fun, game-like, social, so people want to “come and play”. We’ll mix change psychology, design thinking, and creativity techniques, all wrapped up in a solid program logic. Participants leave with prototype projects and persuasive communications ready for their first public outing. It includes Les’s enjoyable crash course on the psychology of behaviour change, with a focus …

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Community directors conference | 14 Sept, Melbourne

Community directors conference | 14 Sept, Melbourne

There's nothing quite like standing shoulder to shoulder and working for a cause. But if your board's not working well the whole thing can start to feel too hard, too painful. Sometimes just a small tweak can create enormous change. But how do you know where to focus? At the Community Directors Conference 2018 you'll hear solutions to some of …

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Changeology Master Class and project incubator workshops | 20-21 Sept, Sydney

Changeology Master Class and project incubator workshops | 20-21 Sept, Sydney

You’ll use the Changeology methodology to devise targeted change projects that are buzz-worthy, fun, game-like, social, so people want to “come and play”. We’ll mix change psychology, design thinking, and creativity techniques, all wrapped up in a solid program logic. Participants leave with prototype projects and persuasive communications ready for their first public outing. It includes Les’s enjoyable crash course …

Read more.

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NFP people conference

Not-for-profit people conference | 19-20 November, Melbourne

The Not-For-Profit People Conference is Australia’s largest event focused on how to attract, manage, train and retain the best people for the NFP sector. Over two days and twenty-nine inspiring sessions, join five hundred senior leaders and team leaders, HR professionals and board members, volunteer managers and CEOs to explore the NFP sector’s most pressing people issues: leadership; managing people …

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social movement technologies

2018 Online author talks for organisers (various dates, starting 17 January)

As organizers and activists, it’s not always easy to stay abreast of the latest thinking and writing about movement-building. Yet it’s vital to bringing more wisdom, creativity and inspiration to this work! And connecting to others deeply committed to movement-building can help us re-charge. Here is a series of online talks by authors of some of the most important recently-published …

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groupwork institute

Groupwork Institute of Australia training calendar

The Groupwork Institute of Australia are the collaborative education and training arm of Commonground Training Resources Inc. We have been leaders in facilitation and collaborative management for more than 30 years. Our approach has two levels: Practical skills and processes that are easy to understand and simple to use Building emotional intelligence so these tools can be applied to a …

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ourcommunity

VCOSS 2018 training calendar: Our Community

Upcoming training opportunities on grant writing, successful boards, effective meetings, governance, media, online essentials, campaigns that sizzle, and being an effective spokesperson. Our Community has developed a suite of affordable, practical training to help community sector staff, volunteers and supporters keep abreast of their responsibilities and learn how to lift their organisation from ordinary to extraordinary All training is delivered by …

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