It doesn’t matter if you’re a grassroots community group or a land manager wanting to roll out a landcare project on private property, how you put that project together is essential if you want to get funding, engage other people and ensure outcomes on the ground.

Following the success of its workshop in Clifton last week, Condamine Catchment Management Association (CCMA) will be holding another free workshop at the Harvest New Life Church Hall in Pittsworth on Wednesday, 16 November.

The four-hour workshop, coordinated by Condamine Catchment Management Association and funded by the Australian Government National Landcare Programme will help grassroots groups and land managers understand project planning.

The workshop will look at how to turn a great idea into a solid project plan including budgeting, monitoring and reporting, and engaging volunteers.

There’ll also be a session dedicated to communication: who your audiences are, how to reach them, and what to say.

The presenter, Samantha Morris from Wombat Creative, said project planning and management can be daunting to people, especially when they’re busy community volunteers.

“So, I’m going to break down the jargon and simplify the process,” she said.

“This workshop will be interactive and hands-on and people are absolutely encouraged to bring their real-life project ideas with them.”

While one part of the workshop will see participants focus on what makes a great project plan, another will specifically focus on how to communicate.

“Project planning is one thing, but it’s entirely another to be able to communicate effectively about that project,” Ms Morris said.

“You need to be conscious of exactly who you want to communicate with, how to reach those people and the messages they need to hear.

“And none of that can happen if you’re not clear about why you need to reach those people in the first place.”

CCMA secretary Mary-Lou Gittins said the workshop was taking place as a result of community need.

“We know from decades of work in the catchment that our grass roots groups and land managers sometimes struggle with the intricacies of project planning,” she said.

“They’ll have awesome ideas that they can’t quite articulate for funding bodies and strategic partners.

“Not only will this workshop offer practical strategies for taking those ideas and turning them into solid plans, it’ll also help people better understand the ins and outs of strategic communication – especially when budgets are tight or non-existent.”

RSVP by Monday, 14 November to Mary-Lou Gittins on 0429 642 092 or lcows@bigpond.com

This article appeared in On Our Selection News, 3 November 2022.