Our Narratives for Change Foundations online training is for people who want to understand and use better narratives for talking about the big issues. Changing how we talk about big issues helps shift mindsets and helps people understand and support changes that will make the biggest difference to people’s lives. Foundations is where you can start your training journey with The Workshop.

Delivered within an online platform over eight weeks, beginning Monday 14 August, Foundations allows you to move through weekly modules in your own time each week. You’ll collaborate with The Workshop trainers and other people on the course through forums and small group work. Because most of your learning happens within the Moodle platform, this course is suited to people who prefer a more flexible format. You will still need to meet with your small group of 3-4 people each week in real time, at a time that works for all group members. There are two live zoom sessions with the trainers, an introduction session and a Q&A session near the end of the course.

This course is our most comprehensive training and provides more detail, examples, exercises and content than our 1-day Foundations training.

We recommend you spend around 4 hours a week:
- working through the course content
- doing the activities
- connecting with your group.

KEY DATES:

Course starts: 14 August 2023
Live Zoom introductory session: Tuesday 15 August, 12.30 - 1.30pm
Live Zoom Q&A session: Friday 29 September, 12.30 - 1.30pm

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:

• Recognise how Narratives for Change can help build support for the changes you are working towards in your work

• Explore how to create long lasting change by shifting mindsets

• Consider which common habituated communication and persuasion techniques are not useful in creating the changes you are working towards

• Try out new narrative tools in your communication

• Explore some of the dominant, unhelpful narratives that exist and consider which apply in your area of work

• Recognise, name and describe some of the helpful narratives to amplify in your area

• Learn who to focus your communications on and who to work with

• Learn the importance of values in connecting with your audience and building support for the changes you want to see

• Learn how to create a clear concrete vision and better explanations to build hope, deepen understanding, and engage your audience

• Practice writing an effective story using the key narratives for change communication tools we teach in the course

• Investigate a narrative strategy for your area of work, including who to work with and who to focus on

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Scientists, researchers, writers, advocates, campaigners, communicators, organisers, fundraisers, policy makers, and leaders of organisations who want to deepen people’s thinking on complex issues.

Anyone who wants to motivate people to support big social and environmental issues over the long-term, and build a more just, sustainable and democratic world.

HOW WILL I LEARN?

ONLINE
Each week there will be new material for you to work through at your own pace online:
- Lessons to read and watch
- Individual activities
- Discussion forums

POD GROUPS
Each week you will meet with your pod group (small groups of 3-4 people) in real time to:
- Work through pod activities
- Discuss reflections on your learning

SUPPORT AND LEARNING FROM YOUR TRAINER
Your trainer will primarily support your learning within the online platform. They will do this by:
- Providing insights and responding within discussion forums
- Providing feedback to the group on your activities
- Answering questions about your work

Your trainer will also join you for the live Zoom introductory session and the final live Zoom Q&A session.

Early bird pricing ends 14 July 2023