Power to Praxis Practice Circle #5

Meta-Reflection: Systems, Culture and Incentives

Wednesday 18 November 2026
Online | 12:00pm–1:30pm (Melbourne time)
Recording included

Projects do not exist in isolation.

They are shaped by organisational cultures, donor priorities, professional incentives, reporting requirements and broader systems of power. While practitioners often focus on improving individual projects, many of the constraints and opportunities we encounter are produced by the institutions and systems around us.

The Power to Praxis Practice Circle is a monthly facilitated space for practitioners to reflect on the role of power, relationships and accountability in development, humanitarian, community development and social change work.

This session focuses on the Meta-Reflection stage of the Power to Praxis framework. Using a selection of reflection cards, we will step back from individual projects to examine the systems, cultures and incentives that shape our work and influence what becomes possible.

Together we will consider questions such as:

What organisational incentives shape our decisions?
How do funding and reporting requirements influence practice?
What behaviours are rewarded within our organisations and sectors?
How do professional identities shape the way we work?
What assumptions have become normalised within our institutions?
Where do opportunities for change exist within the systems we inhabit?

The Practice Circle is not a training course and does not require prior knowledge of decolonial theory. Instead, it offers a structured space for critical reflection, dialogue and shared learning with others working across the sector.

Who is this for?

This session is designed for:

Development practitioners
Humanitarian practitioners
Community development workers
GEDSI advisers and specialists
Researchers and evaluators
Program managers
Consultants
Students and emerging practitioners
Anyone interested in more reflective, ethical and community-led practice

What to expect

Participants will:

Engage with selected Power to Praxis reflection cards
Explore the systems and institutional dynamics shaping practice
Reflect on challenges and opportunities within their own organisations and sectors
Share experiences and insights with other practitioners
Identify one commitment or action to take forward

The session will be facilitated by Lana Woolf, creator of the Power to Praxis reflection cards and Companion Guide.

Recording

This session will be recorded.

Participants who register will receive access to the recording after the event. If you are unable to attend live, you are welcome to register and access the recording in your own time.

Ticket Options

Student – $15 +BF

Under-employed / Between Contracts – $15 +BF

For consultants, practitioners, community workers and others currently under-employed, between contracts, seeking work, or experiencing financial constraints.

Standard – $35 +BF

Solidarity – $50 +BF

For those able to contribute a little extra to support accessible pricing and the ongoing development of Power to Praxis.

Series Pass - $150 +BF

Regardless of when you purchase the series pass, you will be given access to all recordings within this series.

About the Series

This is the fifth session in a six-part monthly Practice Circle series exploring the full Power to Praxis project cycle:

July – Pre-Project: Purpose, Positioning and Power
August – Pre-Engagement: Relationships, Participation and Trust
September – Implementation: Decisions, Accountability and Adaptation
October – Completion: Exit, Legacy and Responsibility
November – Meta-Reflection: Systems, Culture and Incentives
December – Commitment: Turning Reflection into Practice

Participants may attend individual sessions or register for the full series.

Contact the host of Power to Praxis Practice Circle #5 Meta-Reflection: Systems, Culture and Incentives