💌 Applications are now closed for Co-Design Practitioners 2024.
Express your interest below to be the first to hear when applications open for our 2025 training!
🌏 Program description
Designed and delivered by Emma Blomkamp, Co-Design Practitioners integrates best practice in experiential learning, creative and participatory approaches to public and social innovation, ethical principles, and practical knowledge of the joys and challenges of co-design with diverse communities in Australia and Aotearoa.
By the end of the eight-month program, you will be confident to design and lead collaborative and participatory activities with a wide range of colleagues, partners and community members. You will be able to identify and address issues related to power sharing, so-called ‘hard-to-reach’ communities, consultation fatigue, building trust, and understanding impact. You will also observe and gain skills in remote engagement and online facilitation.
Co-Design Bootcamp
Squad 2 (2021)
📒 Course overview
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Co-Design Practitioners is hands-on and fully immersive. Expect a mix of activities to support learning-by-doing, complemented with academic rigour and grounded in the reality of working with diverse communities.
The program consists of individual, pair and small group activities interspersed with presentations and facilitated group discussions.
Co-Design Practitioners is a series of 7 key modules, each with a facilitated online training session, peer coaching, and self-directed activities. The program takes place over the course of 8 months, allowing time to apply, iterate and reflect on the tools, techniques and principles, in order to develop skills and embed learning in practice.
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In 2024, the main fortnightly sessions take place online on Thursdays, 10.30am-12.30pm AET (Melbourne/Sydney). That’s 8.30-10.30am AWT (Perth), 12.30pm-2.30pm NZT (Auckland/Wellington), and Wednesday evenings for North Americans. Find out what time this is for you.
You should anticipate spending two to three hours per week on the program, between March and October 2024.
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Core topics include:
Facilitating diverse groups
Power and participation
Relationships before recruitment
Creating with communities
Sense-making and decision-making
Just enough evaluation
Reflection and resilience
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We cover one module per month.
The typical monthly structure is:
Week 1: preparatory reading/activity
Week 2: facilitated, structured online training session (whole group)
Week 3: self-directed learning and practice, plus drop-in session (optional)
Week 4: reflection and peer coaching (small group)
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Co-Design Practitioners has been designed specifically for creative professionals seeking to better engage a diverse range of people in their work to generate more equitable outcomes.
Participants are expected to be experienced practitioners working in or with the public purpose sector in Aotearoa or Australia. Although this is our shared context, we have welcomed participants from other countries (including Malaysia and the UK) and the private sector.
To get the most out of the program, participants need at least a few years of relevant professional experience and a current context where they can apply, integrate and extend their learning and development. Many but not all participants have a background in design (e.g. communications, user experience, architectural, product or service design). Previous participants demonstrated that other relevant experience includes: community development, public health, international development, participatory arts, people-centred research and evaluation, community and stakeholder engagement, innovation labs and social enterprise startups.
Co-Design Practitioners strives to be accessible, inclusive and welcoming to all participants. We hold space for difference, including from lived experience, and support different learning needs and preferences. Participants still need to be fluent and literate in English to participate successfully in the program. You will also need a digital device and reliable Internet access to interact with us online. Participants with any accessibility requirements are invited to communicate their needs and provide honest feedback so that we can enable all to fully participate.
Co-Design Practitioners is limited to 15 participants per year. We run a selection process (see below) to ensure that participants have the right sort of experience, work context and commitment to make the most of this experiential professional development program.
Co-Design Practitioners 2022
🗝 Registration & investment
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An opportunity to learn and apply co-design principles, methods and tools with an internationally respected, award-winning practitioner and experienced educator
A network of supportive peers with a diverse range of backgrounds, experience and perspectives (and a private Slack channel to connect with each other)
Individual capability assessment with personalised recommendations
7 x monthly facilitated 2 hour training sessions (online, using Zoom and Miro)
7 x 90-minute peer coaching sessions
7 x 60-minute optional drop-in sessions
7 x pair reflection sessions (matched buddy catch-ups)
2 x 45-minute individual coaching/mentoring sessions with Emma Blomkamp
Access to a large resource hub with recommended readings and links to many relevant texts, tools, case studies, and audiovisual material
Tailored prompts, tools and resources for self-directed and applied learning each month
Exclusive invitation to join CoDesignCo, our community of practice, with:
Rich opportunities to learn and share with other participants from diverse backgrounds with common interests - beyond the participants in this year's program.
Ongoing access to our Resource Hub and Slack channels, after the program ends.
Certificate of Completion
RMIT Master of Design Futures students can get elective credits for this course.
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● Commit at least 2-3 hours per week to the program over 8 months. You will be supported to complete self-directed and peer-led activities between facilitated group sessions.
● Be intermediate-level/mid-weight practitioners of a design discipline or innovation approach. Participants need some prior experience as well as people skills to work effectively with diverse groups. This is not an introductory level program for recent graduates or people newly curious about human-centred design.
● Be currently working in a field of design, community/public engagement, systems change and/or collaborative practice. Participants need to have a context where you can apply your learning. This could be a side project or voluntary role if you don’t currently have a relevant professional context for co-design practice.
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All prices are per person and include all 7 training sessions, 8 months’ access to resources and the community of practice, drop-in and peer coaching sessions, 2 individual coaching sessions and related support.
Full program in 2024 = $3,600.
Your application fee will be taken off this amount, making the remaining cost of the program $3,450.
Alternatively, you can choose an instalment plan: 4 x $862.50 to be paid by the end of February, April, June, and August.
These fees are in AUD and exclude GST. Except: if you are based in Aotearoa, they are in NZD and fully inclusive.
Successful applicants will be sent an invoice with your offer of acceptance. Your place will be confirmed on payment, either in full or the first instalment.
A First Nations practitioner from Aotearoa and/or Australia will be offered a 50% scholarship and a 25% discount is available to practitioners from low income countries.
Co-Design Bootcamp
Squad 1 (2021)
🙋🏽 Selection process
We aim to select and support a diverse range of experienced practitioners who can commit to and benefit from this experiential professional development program.
We will announce our selection process for 2025 a few months before the start of the program. Please register your interest via the form at the top of this page to hear when we open for applications.
Photo by Liz Asser
Co-Design Bootcamp 2021
💬 What past participants have said…
“It’s a brilliant course with an engaging and highly experienced facilitator. The range and depth of the resources provided to support your particular interest/s is extensive, and there are great opportunities for peer learning. I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.”
“The course is such a wonderful learning experience to not only equip you with the key concepts, tools and mindsets to apply co-design in your work but also the confidence to do so. You also get the rare opportunity to connect with practitioners around the world that share the same values and passion to learn alongside you. I would highly recommend!”
“The co-design practitioners course is an interactive and empowering way to strengthen your co-design knowledge and practice. Emma skillfully uses a variety of techniques to keep the virtual learning space fun and engaging, whilst encouraging group participation. I really enjoyed the co-design practitioners course and feel it’s strengthened my co-design practice immensely. ”
“This course will provide you with the theory, support and opportunity to really develop your co-design experience. Emma is skilled at creating a community of practitioners who will walk alongside you on your journey. The combination of workshops to explore and discuss as well as extensive further reading and homework activities to take into your work make this a comprehensive program for anyone looking to push their practice forward.”
“Co-Design Practitioners is an immersive experience from beginning to end. Emma has created a course that blends theory with practice, providing the space for conversation and connection with fellow participants along with opportunities for deeper, self-directed learning in areas of particular interest. The resource library is so extensive! Highly recommend to anyone who is looking to grow their knowledge and skills in co-design.”
“A well-structured course, with excellent facilitation, is jam-packed with resources and toolkits. An opportunity to pause your daily tasks and reflect on your design practice.”
“I was introduced to so many new resources and ideas and have made wonderful connections with other practitioners. Topped off with 1:1 coaching with Emma, this course has built my confidence and enriched my co-design practice.”
Parting gifts from participants in Co-Design Practitioners 2023