Lunch and learn: Connected by design Beyond: better engagement, stronger policy, connected communities

What is Connected by Design?

Diversity alone does not create trust or belonging; councils need to design for connection, participation and shared action.

Connected by design is a free online masterclass local government policy and practice staff. A follow up full day training will be held in 2027.

Lynda Ford will focus on intercultural basics to enhance the range and quality of your work to create meaningful interaction which improves day-to-day connections between 1st, 2nd and 3+ generation Australians and First Australians in your community.

Adongwot Manyoul will discuss the importance of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) to everyday council work.

Celia Tran will explore how using an intersectional lens and choosing between informing, consulting, co-designing and co-delivering creates actual engagement with multicultural communities.

Together, the facilitators combine years of expertise, practical tools and lived experience to support you to create deeper social impact.

Why you should attend this workshop:

This is not a 'cultural awareness' session.

It connects three essential areas of current council practice and policy writing - intercultural design, Cultural Intelligence and multicultural community engagement - and applies them directly to the work you do.

You will leave with:

• greater knowledge of how to apply an intercultural principles to policy, program design and practice to increase social cohesion

• greater knowledge of how to strengthen multicultural community engagement using an intersectional lens

• greater knowledge of how to transfer Cultural Intelligence skills in every day decisions and interactions

Who is the workshop for?

This Lunch and Learn is available to anyone with an interest in these topics, but is developed for local government staff and elected members in particular. We believe all positions in a council have a role to play in social cohesion, applying cultural intelligence and engaging with culturally diverse communities.

What's the investment?

Free!

Lynda Ford OAM is the founder and principal of Mosaic Intercultural Solutions and an internationally recognised Intercultural Expert. She brings more than 30 years’ experience in a range of sectors including policy, direct service multicultural, community development, youth work, social planning. She has worked in executive management and officer roles across local and state governments and the community sector in Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. Her work focuses on intercultural policy and practice, social cohesion, and program design. Lynda’s contribution to multiculturalism has been recognised with the Medal of the Order of Australia and the Centenary of Federation Medal.

Adongwot Manyoul is a cultural consultant, public speaker and Churchill Fellow whose work focuses on cultural intelligence, anti-racism, cultural safety and inclusive leadership. She has worked across government, corporate, education and not-for-profit sectors, and brings an evidence-informed and practice-focused approach to facilitation.

Celia Tran is the founder and director of The Social Fabric, an inclusive strategy, advisory and community engagement consultancy. She brings over a decade across government, community and philanthropy, including leading community engagement at the Victorian Multicultural Commission and the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute, and is a Board Director at Western Chances. Her work has been recognised through the Premier's Volunteer of the Year and Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Award, IPAA Victoria's Top 50 Public Sector Women, and Asialink's 40 Under 40 Most Influential Asian Australians.