Join us for our upcoming lunchtime sessions
There has been a growing interest from people across the annual ChangeFest gatherings to continue to learn, connect and collaborate throughout the year. And so, we are very pleased to announce the launch of the ChangeFest Learning Network – a regular opportunity for all of us across the movement to share practice and learn, to connect and build, and to take a deep breath and reflect.
The ChangeFest Learning Network will provide us all with the opportunity to listen and hear from each other in ways that will help us in our own work for community-led system change – whether it be in communities, government, large for purpose organisations and businesses.
The ChangeFest Learning Network is a long-term plan – working developmentally to create diverse opportunities for learning and relationship building. The first phase, from now until the end of 2024, is a ‘try, test and learn’ phase – a series of monthly lunchtime sessions on the third Tuesday of the month (online). Each event will be free and provide opportunity to explore a story of community led change – and an opportunity to connect with each other across the ChangeFest movement and build on the stories and insights we heard from CF24 in Mildura.
Session 1 – Tuesday 17 September 2024, 12.30 – 2.00pm AEST
Western Downs Futures, with speaker Renee King
Register FREE through Humanitix
This session will be a Zoom meeting format and registered attendees will receive the access link one day prior to the event. After we hear from Renee and the story of Western Downs Futures, there will be opportunity to reflect and connect with fellow attendees. As we value the live experience, the sessions will not be recorded.
The Narrative: changing the story of catalytic events to mobilise a collaborative effort.
Stories bring us together. They shape our society, norms and rules. The stories we hold about our communities rationalise the way that power is held in community and give us insight into the dominant perspectives or ideas that bring people together or pull them apart. When Renee came to the Western Downs, the dominant story about the region was a story of disadvantage. Floods, Fires, Emergencies, “…Lack of this, We need that…” It’s a story we shared all the time when we began our place-based journey. But our community told us that to make change for our towns, we must change our story. In our very first Learning Network event, Renee will share how Western Downs Futures are taking back their narrative to mobilise this work.
About Renee
Renee King is a dynamic community builder with a deep-rooted passion for remote and regional Australia, inspired by her unique upbringing in the lush jungles of Papua New Guinea. Renee channels her expertise in community development to spearhead the Western Downs Futures, a community-led and government-enabled place-based collective impact initiative.
Click here to register through Humanitix
Upcoming Sessions
More info to come, so subscribe to the ChangeFest mailing list to be notified.
Session 2 – Tuesday 15 October, 12.30 – 2.00pm AEST
Barkly Aboriginal Alliance
Session 3 – Tuesday 19 November, 12.30 – 2.00pm AEST
The ChangeFest Statement in Action: What does this mean in your context?
ChangeFest Learning Network – 2025 Program
We are also developing the Learning Network opportunities for 2025. If you have a story or a challenge you want to share at a lunch time session – or build collective action around, please get in touch at changefest@changefest.com.au. We are particularly keen to highlight stories that embody principles of the ChangeFest Statement, namely:
- Shared leadership: between First Nations and other Australians
- Collaboration: recognising the roles we each play in changing the systems and the need to work together on complex challenges
- Power: that effective place based change is when communities are enabled to lead and work in collaboration with other decision makers and power holders.