Deep Collaboration Fundamentals is a learning program to build foundational skills in the practice of Deep Collaboration.

Deep Collaboration Fundamentals Immersive (In-person (Adelaide, Kaurna Land) & Online): Program valued at over $40,000 per participant. Participant contribution: $4,000 +GST + cover own travel and accommodation.

“Deep Collaboration Fundamentals” builds foundational skills and awareness in the practice of Deep Collaboration. This workshop series is designed for practitioners and leaders to increase their awareness and understanding of the patterns of behaviour and dynamics of power that show up when First Nations and other Australians are collaborating. You are invited to continue your learning in an ongoing community of practice with other Deep Collaboration learners.

Whether you are a facilitator, leader for an initiative or part of a team that works with First Nations and other Australians, this workshop series and ongoing community of practice can improve your awareness and increase your understanding to make you more effective in leading change together.

Who is this workshop series for?

People with existing cultural competency experience and/or training
Those who have experience working in a cross-cultural context
Those who are leading initiatives that require working across differences and include First Nations people
People who are seeking to improve their understanding of the power and conflict dynamics in the systems with First Nations and other Australians

For enquiries, contact learning@cfi.org.au

Please read the Learning Program: Terms and Conditions before purchase.

Course Details

Course Outcomes

Participants will leave the course having an increased understanding of:

Your own ancestorial lines and how this influences your leadership in Australia
How the 5 principles of Deep Collaboration apply to your context
Different types of power and authority and deeper insight of this in your own context
Different types of power that show up when working across First Nations, Settler/coloniser and multicultural cultures in Australia
How to build a safe and brave enough environment to work with power and race

Participants will leave the course having more confidence in:

Noticing and working productively with different types of power that show up when working in First Nations and other Australian collaborations
Influencing changes to the way collaborations between First Nations and other Australians work

By the close of the course, participants will be able to:

Identify the different types of power in others and themselves
Apply the knowledge of navigating power when working in the context of First Nations and other Australians collaborations
Apply practices for productive collaborations to stay in relationship and work through differences

Facilitation & Learning Process

Learning Process

Facilitation & Learning process

Throughout the workshop series, participants will:

Be part of a learning network that is facilitated by a team of two facilitators (a First Nations and non First Nations facilitator)

Be provided with preparation activities and readings to increase cultural awareness
Work in a small group to deepen learning application to your context
Case in point facilitation; working with the dynamics of the group in real-time
Have unstructured reflection time to consolidate learning

Length and Time commitment

Learning format: Deep Collaboration Immersive is a blended in-person and online offering. The in-person sessions will be held in Adelaide, Kaurna Land.

1 x Welcome & Orientation – Online

Wednesday 2 July 2025, 11am to 12.30pm AEST

4 x full -day workshops – Adelaide

Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 July 2025, 10am to 4.30pm AEST
Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 September 2025, 10am to 4.30pm AEST

1 x mid-point group check in – Online

Thursday 13 August, 11am to 2.30pm AEST

Option for participants to form an Ongoing Community of Practice meeting every other month – Online

Participants will be required to set aside approximately 2 hours between sessions for preparation and personal reflection. The course has been designed based on this commitment to learning between sessions.

Accessibility and Technology

The workshop series will be hosted on Zoom. Participants will be required to download Zoom and Chrome in order to be able to participate.

We encourage all participants to use their video throughout. Internet access is required to participate.

We recommend participants use a desktop/ laptop whilst participating (rather than a mobile phone).

Participants will be given access to CFIs Learning Management Systems where workshop materials and resources will be made available.

Investment

Price per person:

Deep Collaboration Immersive (In-person & Online): Participant contribution: $4,000 +GST + cover own travel and accommodation.

Please read the Learning Program: Terms and Conditions before purchase.

Please contact us learning@cfi.org.au if you would like to discuss package offers, large group discounts and tailored sessions for your organisation.

Biographies

Facilitator

Fiona Mann Bobongie

A Darumbal Woman with bloodlines to Vanuatu and New Caledonia, Fiona has worked in Education for 35 plus years regionally, nationally and internationally – working in different contexts: city, rural, regional, remote and very remote communities.

Fiona has been instrumental in the setting up and the creation of the Federally funded Mackay Connected Beginnings project which is directed and guided by community voice. Fiona currently manages her own consultancy business called Cyclic Konnectionz to build Cultural Capability to value our First Nations People.

Practice Lead, Collective Leadership

Angela Rutter

Born in Rabaul, PNG of Scottish, English and Irish ancestry, Angela is living on border country of Djarra, Wurundjeri and Taunguraung lands. She is a values led engagement, civic leadership and social change practitioner.

She brings with her experience working across non-profit organisations, social enterprises, councils, corporate, government and political parties to create civic leadership capacity. She has over 15 years’ experience in civic leadership design, development & facilitation, and working with people, teams, & groups for collective leadership.

Program Manager

Muktasree Chakma

Muktasree is a distinguished advocate for women’s rights, sexual orientation, and indigenous peoples' rights with over 22 years of experience. An award-winning journalist, feminist, rights activist, and researcher with a law background, she founded Supporting People and Rebuilding Communities (SPaRC), an indigenous women-led organisation in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts. She is a Core Group Member of Sangat, A Feminist Network, and serves on the board of Action Aid Bangladesh. Muktasree works to reshape the philanthropic, feminist, rights, and development sectors through indigenous and feminist viewpoints.

Her contributions extended to organisations like South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) and the UN Women Bangladesh Civil Society Advisory Group. She has lectured at Asian University for Women and worked as a consultant and journalist with international agencies and leading Bangladeshi newspapers. Muktasree is the first indigenous woman from Bangladesh to receive numerous awards, including the UNICEF Meena Media Award and fellowships from the UN OHCHR among others.