The Workshop presents our most comprehensive training, our Foundations in Framing and Narratives Online course. This training is designed for people who want to talk more effectively about their issues to deepen understanding, unlock action, and build support for the solutions needed in their area.

Run over 9 weeks, at around 4 hours a week, it provides more detail, examples, exercises, content, and time to practice what you have learned than our 1-day or Live Virtual trainings.

We'll teach you how you talk more effectively about your topic, so that you can shift unhelpful mindsets in your area and help people understand and support the solutions that will make the biggest difference to people’s lives. 

Delivered within an online platform over nine weeks, beginning Monday 5 May 2025, 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 three live zoom sessions with the trainers, an introduction session and two sessions to explore content throughout the course.

WE RECOMMEND YOU SPEND FOUR HOURS A WEEK:

 - working through the course content
 - doing the activities
 - connecting with your group.

KEY DATES:

Course starts: 5 May 2025
 Live Zoom #1 - Introductory session: Date TBC
 Live Zoom #2 - Exploring course content with your trainer: Date TBC
 Live Zoom #3 - Exploring course content with your trainer: Date TBC

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:

• How to create long lasting change by shifting how people think and talk about your topic
• How to see the current unhelpful ways people think and talk about your topic AND move to helpful ways of talking that will shift people's thinking
• Who to work with for greatest impact. The difference between the loudest people and those who have the ability to bring about change
• Why having a concrete meaningful vision for a better world is critical for opening a door for people to think deeply and differently about the big problems and solutions
• Why connecting with what matters to people is key to them engaging with information in new and different ways. And why what matters to most people is often not what we assume
• How to frame better explanations for people. Why explanatory pathways with clear cause and effects are more impactful than facts and data on their own
• How to construct 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

WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE WITH:

• A new lens through which to approach your communications
• A framework to identify the communications around you and their likely effect on people’s thinking   
• An understanding of the challenges you face  
• A set of strategies to connect with people and deepen their thinking on your issues
• A template to create effective stories and to think about your strategic media and communication
• A renewed sense of hope

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.

EARLY BIRD PRICING: available until 6 April 2025

WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THIS TRAINING

"100% recommend! This is such important content and desperately needed in so many critical topics, which can often be communicated so much more effectively." - Melanie Vautier, Ministry for the Environment

"If you are frustrated by the prevailing attitudes towards communicating and engaging with your target groups, this is the course for you. It is the right amount of theory and practical - you don't walk away going - "how the heck am I going to apply that to my work" - you walk away with the knowledge, templates and toolkit to have a crack" - Kate Leach, Hamilton City Council

"This has been one of the best courses i have been on, and so timely with all going on at both the micro and macro levels in the behaviour change sector. It has really refreshed and inspired me to share my learnings, but also put my learnings into practice" - Sarah Wilson, New Plymouth District Council

"It's great, everyone should do it." - Alanah Knibb, Self-employed (Science Communication Artist)

"The Narratives for Change Online Foundations course is extremely comprehensive and relatively easy to learn, if you fully commit to the time needed to complete the course. If you're working in systems change or communications for social change, this will revolutionise the way you approach advocating for and communicating about changes that will make the biggest difference to peoples lives"

"Worked well; the content was really useful and insightful" - Junior Armstrong, Sport New Zealand

You can learn more about our work at our website: https://www.theworkshop.org.nz/