Celebrating the Graduation of the Social Impact Fellowship Cohort 5: Enabling Impact-Driven Leaders
“I joined the Fellowship to expand my thinking in how I could amplify my impact in my current organisational, national and Board leadership roles through impact management, measurement and storytelling. Unexpectedly, the Fellowship revealed to me new ideas about my next career and personal opportunities, and how I might create more impact in the future at micro and macro levels. I greatly value the connections made, tools shared, and generosity of Fellows, mentors and the Social Impact Hub team in sharing their insights and helping me discover others. ”
We are thrilled to announce the successful graduation of Social Impact Fellowship Cohort 5! Over the past three months, this cohort of passionate and dedicated individuals embarked on a transformative journey, exploring the depths of impact and equipping themselves with the tools and knowledge needed to drive positive social and environmental change. From immersive masterclasses and panel discussions to hands-on project work, their experiences have shaped their understanding of impact and increased their capacity to create meaningful change.
This cohort, we introduced learning streams. Fellows could choose a stream that aligned with their background and goals, providing tailored knowledge, experiences, mentorship, and connections. The Impact Exploration stream for those pursuing an impact-focused career, Corporate Innovation for those in corporate or government roles looking to integrate impact, Impact Innovation for those already in the impact space seeking to deepen their impact, Impact Investing for those interested in leveraging investment capital for impact, and Social Entrepreneurship for those running or interested in running a social enterprise. Learn more about the streams here.
Wisdom from Impact Thought Leaders
Throughout the Fellowship, Cohort 5 engaged in a diverse range of content designed to deepen their understanding of impact. Highlights from across the program include:
'Design Your Life' with May Samali
May Samali led an inspiring session empowering Fellows to reflect on their values and vision, providing them with the tools to realise their full potential, actualise intentions for their career, relationships and wellbeing and pursue impactful endeavours.
'What does impact REALLY mean?' with Cindy Mitchell, Noel Clement and Debbie Jamieson
Fellows explored the changing landscape of what impact really looks like, engaging in thought-provoking discussions with industry experts Cindy Mitchell, CEO at GoodReturn and Social Impact Hub Professional Impact Network members and sector leaders Noel Clement and Debbie Jamieson. These conversations challenged their perspectives and encouraged them to approach impact from various angles.
'Impact Investing 101' with Rob Haggett, Andrew Tyndale, Kerry Series, Sandra Carvajal and Hannah Mourney
Our incredible Head of Mobilising Capital Rob Haggett paired up with Fellowship mentor and Chief Investment Officer at Wesley Mission Andrew Tyndale to share insights on impact investing and its potential to catalyse positive change at scale before leading a panel discussion with sector leaders Kerry Series, Founder and Chief Investment Officer at NorthStar Impact; Sandra Carvajal, Impact Manager at Brightlight Group and Hannah Mourney, Investment Associate at Giant Leap.
'Impact Measurement 101' with Kathy Hoyt
As one of Social Impact Hub's leading impact measurement consultants within the Professional Impact Network, Kathy provided valuable insights into impact measurement best practices, equipping the Fellows with the tools to assess and communicate the effectiveness of their initiatives.
'Pathways for Impact Creation' Panel with Justin McDonald, Zarmeen Pavri, Tiphanie Au and Suzie Warwick
In this panel discussion moderated by Professional Impact Network member Justin McDonald, impact leaders Zarmeen Pavri, Partner and Chief Impact Officer at SDGx Ventures; Tiphanie Au, Head of Child Protection Fund at ICMEC Australia and Suzie Warrick, Senior Content Manager at Paul Ramsay Foundation drew on their personal experiences to share how to navigate the different pathways you can follow to create and drive positive change, as well as the different ways of making impact.
'Mindset & Makings of a Social Entrepreneur' Panel with Geoff Smith, Geert Hendrix and Tony Rothacker
For Fellows considering becoming a social entrepreneur, panellists Geoff Smith, CEO at Australian Spatial Analytics, Geert Hendrix, Co-Founder and CEO at Farmwell and Tony Rothacker, Co-Founder at Youngster.co drew on their varying experiences to explore what it means to be a social entrepreneur, sharing the different considerations before making the leap into entrepreneurship.
“It’s amazing how I learned just what I needed to learn, just as I needed it when establishing my social enterprise. The advice, support and freely-shared wisdom from others in the cohort and from the presenters and mentors was invaluable, especially in de-mystifying concepts around change and impact measurement. It’s been a pleasure to spend time learning with and from such wonderful humans who are also deeply committed to making the world a better place.”
Tailored Guidance through Mentorship
Our Fellowship mentors are highly experienced professionals offering insights and sharing their wisdom from their pathway to impact, along with providing a nurturing environment for growth. For Cohort 5, this team of trusted advisors included Lisa Cotton, Marie Tchan, Diane Biaggini, Poppy Rouse, Andrew Tyndale, Kate Kennedy AM, Adam Long, and Peter Boyd.
Mentorship acts as a catalyst for both personal and professional development, empowering Fellows to navigate obstacles, broaden their horizons, and fine-tune their aspirations. The mentorship provided by our advisors has not only enabled Fellows to unlock their potential, but has also provided clarity regarding their paths to making a positive impact. Through one-on-one sessions, our mentors have cultivated a supportive and constructive space for the exploration of ideas, solicitation of guidance, receiving invaluable feedback.
Putting New Skills to the Test in Real-Life Scenarios
An integral aspect of the Social Impact Fellowship is the opportunity for Fellows to take part in a project supporting a for-purpose organisation with a business challenge. Cohort 5 had the privilege of assisting on a talent strategy for social enterprises project for Good.Film, an impact measurement project for CareerSeekers, business plan development for Worthwhile Ventures or developing the business case for a new business model with SisterWorks. By applying their newfound skills from the Fellowship and collaborating amongst the cohort effectively, Fellows translated theory into practice to make a concrete impact on organisations committed to driving positive change.
“I would highly recommend the Social Impact Fellowship to anyone looking to build their career across the social impact space. There are so many great nuggets of advice and practical tools provided throughout the course to help you further your work - many of which will take you off on further journeys of your own. Then on top of this you connect with a whole network of like-minded people who are available as sounding boards or just as friends!”
If you are looking to explore your purpose and grow and scale your impact, sign up for the next cohort of the Social Impact Fellowship starting in July.