*** Expressions of interest for the Changemakers Community Leaders Program 2026 have now closed. ***
For emerging community leaders ready to step up and make their mark.
Tasmania’s community services industry is under pressure like never before. Demand is rising, funding models are shifting, reform is constant and the people doing the most vital work in our communities are stretched thinner than ever.
Digital transformation and AI are reshaping how services are delivered, while expectations around impact and accountability continue to grow.
The old playbook isn’t just outdated; it was written for a world that no longer exists.
What the industry needs now are leaders equal to this moment. Not just capable managers, but changemakers who can see the whole system and know how to move it. People who understand how decisions get made, who have the political know-how to influence them, and who can build the cross-sector coalitions needed to drive real, lasting change.
If that sounds like you — or like the leader you’re becoming — the Changemakers Community Leaders Program was built for you.
Over six months, you’ll sharpen your strategic thinking, build real confidence with engaging decision-makers, and forge trusted peer relationships with others who share your drive. You’ll leave with more than new skills. You’ll leave with the clarity, the network and the momentum to make a lasting difference in Tasmania’s community services industry.
Are you ready to take your leadership to the next level? Download the program prospectus and apply now and be part of Tasmania’s next wave of Changemakers.
The Changemakers Community Leaders Program 2026 will be run in-person in Hobart, Launceston and Campbell Town, with online workshops and peer learning circles in-between workshops.
Investment:
- TasCOSS Members: $950 (excl. GST)
- Non-Members: $1,400 (excl. GST)
Not a TasCOSS Member? Find out more about the many benefits of TasCOSS Membership and sign-up today.
Please be advised, there are ten (10) full scholarships available for diverse women in Tasmania’s community services industry. The Diverse Women Scholarship recognises that diverse leadership strengthens communities and builds a more inclusive, representative industry. This scholarship supports women in Tasmania’s community services industry — including trans and gender non-binary people — who face structural barriers to leadership and professional development because of their identity, background or lived experience. This may include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ women, women living with disability, and women from regional or socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. There is also four (4) full scholarships available for participants employed by Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) funded organisations. Please indicate if you wish to apply for a scholarship in the expression of interest form.
Apply now by completing the application form below. Hard copy available on request.
Expressions of interest close 5pm, Friday 17 April 2026. Successful candidates will be notified by no later than Wednesday 22 April 2026.
We are committed to making this program accessible to all. If you have any questions or need support to complete your expression of interest, please contact Danielle Conlan, Industry & Impact Officer, on (03) 6231 0755 or email Danielle.
This program is delivered with the support of the Australian Government and the Tasmanian Government:
The 2026 program features an exceptional line-up of guest speakers and mentors drawn from across Tasmania’s community services and policy landscape, including:
- Dr Lisa Denny, offering a practical systems thinking lens and tools to help leaders understand complexity and identify leverage points for change.
- Kym Goodes, exploring how to navigate the political and advocacy landscape in Tasmania with confidence and integrity.
- Jackson Fairchild, sharing practical insights into partnership-building, collaboration and collective impact.
- Alex Johnston, providing media training and guidance on engaging publicly with clarity and confidence.
- Innovative CEOs, including Donna Bain, Alison Lai, John Stubley and Heather Kent, sharing candid reflections on adaptive leadership, advocacy and leading through complexity.
Over six months, participants will build capability in:
- Leading in complex and changing environments;
- Understanding how policy, power and decision-making operate in Tasmania;
- Practical advocacy and political fluency;
- Systems-thinking to identify root causes and leverage points;
- Confident engagement with Ministers, advisers, councillors and media;
- Responsible digital and AI capability for community services;
- Measuring and communicating social impact;
- Building partnerships and coalitions for change;
- Strategic influence within and beyond their organisation; and
- Translating ideas into practical, implementable action.
- 28 May to 1 October 2026.
- Six core workshops (four in-person; two online); and
- Five online peer learning circles for reflection and consolidation.
- 1:1 individual mentoring matched with a senior industry leader.
- Designed to be accessible with workshops in north, south and central Tasmania.
- Workshop 1 — Leading with Purpose and Power
- Industry context, lived experience perspectives and personal leadership goals.
- 9am-5pm, Thursday 28 May 2026, Campbell Town
- Workshop 2 — Systems-Thinking in Practice
- Understanding complexity, identifying root causes and applying systems approaches in the Tasmanian context.
- 11am-1pm, Thursday 18 June 2026, online
- Workshop 3 — Policy, Advocacy and Influence
- How policy works in Tasmania, engaging decision-makers and working confidently with media.
- 9am-5pm, Thursday 9 July 2026, Launceston
- Workshop 4 — Measuring and Communicating Impact
- Outcomes-thinking, impact measurement and telling your organisation’s story with credibility.
- 11am-1pm, Thursday 6 August 2026, online
- Workshop 5 — Building Partnerships and Coalitions
- Collaboration, shared agendas and mobilising collective action for social change.
- 9am-5pm, Thursday 3 September 2026, Hobart
- Workshop 6 — Leadership in Action
- Translating insight into implementation, understanding how power operates in community services, reflection and forward planning.
- 9am-5pm, Thursday 1 October 2026, Hobart
- “Changemakers provided the important depth and dimension to my work and enabled me to be a more well-rounded and skilled leader in the health and community services industry. There is so much to learn about yourself and the world we operate in at work, so I’d strongly encourage anyone working within the industry to step up and make their mark by enrolling in the Changemakers program.” — Jess Tyler (Asthma Australia [Tasmania])
- “Changemakers gave me confidence to speak up and trust that my voice has value.” — April Swain (Home Base)
- “The program helped me build networks, both with other participants and with leaders working in various organisations.” — Ginny Toombs (Anglicare Tasmania)
- “The program brought together passionate changemakers from across Tasmania, providing space to share lived experience, explore systems thinking and develop practical strategies for community-led action.” — Louise Madden (Relationships Australia Tasmania)
