Upcoming events and trainings
Messaging 101 Workshop: Creating Winning Messages | 23 June
A one-day workshop on how to use messaging to build power and shift narratives. You’ll develop practical skills to craft values-driven messages that resonate with the right audiences and build solidarity across difference.
Messaging 101 Workshop: Creating Winning Messages | 26 June
A one-day workshop on how to use messaging to build power and shift narratives. You’ll develop practical skills to craft values-driven messages that resonate with the right audiences and build solidarity across difference.
Learn, adapt, win: lessons from the defence of Te Tiriti (Treaty) in Aotearoa (Webinar)
When foundational rights come under attack, movements need clarity, strategy and strong pathways to win. In this webinar, Māori activists will share how they developed a clear critical path to defend Te Tiriti o Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi) in the face of coordinated attacks. The conversation will focus on movement strategy, decision-making under pressure, and how we share lessons across borders to build campaigns capable of winning big when it matters most.
Solidarity in the face of division: lessons from unions holding the line (Webinar)
Far-right movements are gaining ground across the world – shaping political discourse, influencing public opinion and impacting communities. In this webinar, leading unionists from the UK and Australia will share what’s working and what’s not when it comes to inoculating members against far-right narratives.
2026 Perth Fellowship (Hybrid)
The Perth (Spring) Fellowship is our flagship leadership course for advocates, campaigners, activists and changemakers to build your skills in best practice campaign strategy, equip you with the skills, tools and frameworks to lead winning campaigns.
Management Masterclass
Management Masterclass is a unique training offering modules for managers to turbo-boost their skills in best practice management to lead their teams to win.
Foundations for housing justice: lessons from around the world (Webinar)
In the face of the global housing crisis, renters are building people power to win a future where everyone has a home. In this webinar, speakers from Scotland and Germany will share their insights from campaigning for rent controls and the expropriation of hundreds of thousands of rental housing units owned by corporate landlords. Together with Australian housing advocates, we’ll unpack what these lessons mean for building a powerful housing movement here.
Skill Seminar: Evidence-Based ADvocacy
A skills seminar on using evidence from social movement research to sharpen your advocacy, strengthen your strategy, and increase your impact.
Introduction to Campaigning Workshop
A two-day workshop for new and emerging changemakers to develop the vital skills to create systems change through strategic campaigning.
2027 Autumn Progress Fellowship (Online)
The Spring Progress Fellowship is our flagship leadership course for advocates, campaigners, activists and changemakers to build your skills in best practice campaign strategy, equip you with the skills, tools and frameworks to lead winning campaigns.
Media Spokesperson Masterclass
A two day training delivered by the Economic Media Centre to build skills in media engagement, message framing and interviews - equipping advocates to pitch stories, navigate risk, and shape public narratives without reinforcing opposition frames.
Skill Seminar: Research Skills for Changemakers
Build research skills to find credible information, understand power and decision-makers, sharpen messaging, collaborate effectively, and avoid misinformation in advocacy.
Corporate Campaigning Masterclass
The Corporate Campaigning Masterclass is a two-day training in winning campaigns targeting corporations. The masterclass offers a deep-dive into corporate structure and strategy, alongside skill building workshops shareholder activism, brand pressure, organising staff and litigation.
Progress 2026
Progress 2026 will return to Naarm (Melbourne) on 24-25 March, convening over 2,000 organisers, campaigners and changemakers will gather in-person and online to learn, share and collaborate.
Anat Shenker-Osorio, in Conversation on Persuasion and the State-of-Play in the U.S. (Sydney)
For one evening only, join Anat Shenker-Osorio in conversation with a local messaging expert. Understand principles of persuasion, learn about the state of play in the US, and take away proven strategies to undermine and diminish the power and reach of far-right actors – as well as observations, lessons and caution to ensure Australia doesn’t follow the same path as the US.
How to Make Believe: Principles of ‘Mobisuasion’ with Anat Shenker-Osorio (Melbourne)
A two-day training, led by messaging experts Anat Shenker-Osorio and Jay Marcellus, on essential elements of strategic communications. Delve into cognitive research on perception and persuasion, and learn to apply principles of “mobisuasion” and how to build effective messaging that activate and engage our base in order to persuade the conflicted middle.
Webinar: Confronting Authoritarianism and the Far-Right: Lessons from the USA
Join Anat Shenker-Osorio for an introduction to her messaging research and principles, and hear live insights from current strategies to confront the far-right and rising authoritarianism in the United States.
Leadership 2025
The pivotal event for Australian civil society leaders at Old Parliament House, Canberra, and online.
FWD+Organise 2024
FWD+ORGANISE 2024 is a two-day conference convening 300 community organisers and digital campaigners to come together and share practical skills, learn innovative approaches to advocacy, and build lasting collaborations to win systemic change.
Media Spokesperson Training
The Economic Media Centre’s Media Spokesperson Training is a two-day program for change makers working on issues connected to economic and social justice.
First Nations Media Training
Build your confidence and skills in telling your story, your way. Speak up on issues that affect your community. Learn how to engage with the media to shift the narrative and build First Nations justice.
Training of Trainers Workshop
A three-day workshop designed for advocacy leaders to build the skills and confidence to deliver high impact training and facilitation.
Webinar: People, Power, Change with Marshall Ganz
A webinar featuring global community organising expert Marshall Ganz from Harvard University discussing his upcoming book, ‘People Power Change: Organizing for Democratic Renewal’ in conversation with Wil Stracke, Assistant Secretary, Victorian Trades Hall Council.
Common Threads
A three-day summit designed for and by First Nations people to connect, yarn, share, learn, strategise and plan for action.
Briefing: “By Us, For Us” - A Disability Messaging Guide
Join the Disability Advocacy Network Australia and Australian Progress for the launch of a groundbreaking research project to build widespread support for transformative disability policy change.
Webinar: Philanthropy - An Insider’s Guide for Fundraisers
Join Sue McKinnon and Rathana Chea together with Australian Progress Philanthropy Director, Cathy Kirwan, in our webinar as we share insights and advice into the world of philanthropic fundraising.
Webinar: Ready to Raise with Martin Paul (REGISTRATIONS NOW CLOSED)
Join fundraising expert Martin Paul at our two-hour Ready to Raise webinar to explore why fundraising matters and what organisations need to do to make their fundraising thrive.
Passing the Message Stick | online BRIEFING
First Nations-only briefing of the next phase of Passing The Message Stick, a groundbreaking message research project that has been designed to find the messages that build widespread support for transformative change on First Nations justice and self-determination. Running in Adelaide (July 28), Sydney (August 9 & 10), Melbourne (August 11) and Perth (August 21).
First Nations Advanced Media Workshop Training
Free two-day advanced media training workshop, designed by and for First Nations advocates and community members. Build confidence and skills in telling your story, speaking up on issues that affect your community and how to engage with media. Includes opportunity to join network of First Nations spokespeople with ongoing support.
Passing the Message Stick | public briefings
First Nations-only briefing of the next phase of Passing The Message Stick, a groundbreaking message research project that has been designed to find the messages that build widespread support for transformative change on First Nations justice and self-determination. Running in Adelaide (July 28), Sydney (August 9 & 10), Melbourne (August 11) and Perth (August 21).
Briefing: Passing the Message Stick Launch
Join us at the launch of Passing the Message Stick, a groundbreaking message research project to find the messages that build widespread support for transformative change in First Nations communities.
Briefing: Passing the Message Stick Launch (First Nations Only)
Join us at the launch of Passing the Message Stick, a groundbreaking message research project to find the messages that build widespread support for transformative change in First Nations communities. This event is for First Nations advocates and community only.
Winning Policy Advocacy Workshop
A two-day training offering campaigners and organisers the skills and strategies to advocate for policy reform under a federal Labor government.
Webinar: Government Relations in the New Parliament
Join government relations experts from Human Rights Law Centre, Australian Conservation Foundation and Hands Off Our Charities as we learn how Parliament works in this new context, how policy reforms are made under Labor, and how we can best position our campaigns to win.
Webinar: Winning Reform in the New Political Context
Join us in a special webinar to find out who’s who in the new Parliament, what to expect from the Labor government and the crossbench, and tips for how you can best position your campaigns to win.
Media Spokesperson Training | Disabled Peoples’ Organisations (FULL)
A two-day training for changemakers working on issues connected to economic justice combining media theory and practical interview simulations to equip you with media communications skills to maximise campaign success.
Looking for another event or training? Fill out our expression of interest below and we’ll be in touch with future dates.
Flagship events
Progress
We regularly host Australia's largest social change conference.
Our biennial convening of civil society CEOs at Old Parliament House.
A summit for Australia’s leading digital campaigning and organising experts.