Workshops and Courses
Learn more
What is this?
Workshops and courses are part of the Befriend Co-Learning Network, creating opportunities to explore community-building approaches, grow relational skills, and practise building connection together.
We offer a mix of short sessions and multi-week courses throughout the year for anyone curious about connection and belonging. Each one creates a rich mutual learning environment, working alongside our experienced facilitators and fellow travellers. Every listing shares more detail to help you sense whether an offering feels right for you.
Our signature offerings
We run a range of these throughout the year. Click on each one below to find out more and register your interest.
- The Possibility Fellowship
- Core Gift Master Facilitator Training
- Befriending Within
- Kickstart Your Community
What's on
Events in October 2026
| MonMonday | TueTuesday | WedWednesday | ThuThursday | FriFriday | SatSaturday | SunSunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 28, 2026 | September 29, 2026 | September 30, 2026 | October 1, 2026 | October 2, 2026 | October 3, 2026 (1 event) – “There will be no community without first communing.” — Nora Bateson We invite you to gather with folk in a spirit of radical hospitality and appreciative inquiry, where personal stories and ideas are shared.Because we are social creatures, feeling seen, heard and appreciated is vital to our health and wellbeing. In this space you can be your authentic self, be seen and heard without judgement, and explore personal and global questions from your lived experience. We practice a form of radical hospitality, being warm and friendly to those we know and those we don’t, by generously giving our attention and appreciation to others. Participants often leave feeling more alive, more connected, and more motivated. Some go on to take on meaningful projects, study, or community work. Others return to everyday life with fresh eyes and softer hearts. Sessions include storytelling, gift discovery, warm data labs, and much more. Come to all sessions or as many as you want. Dates: 8 and 22 August, 5 and 19 September, 3, 17 and 31 October, 14 November 2026 Eight fortnightly gatherings in Wellard where personal stories, radical hospitality and appreciative inquiry come together. Come to all sessions or as many as you want. August to November 2026, Wellard Community Centre. | October 4, 2026 |
October 5, 2026 | October 6, 2026 (1 event) – “When we read together, we connect. Together, we see the world. Together, we see one another.” — Kate DiCamillo If C.S. Lewis’s remark, “We read to know we are not alone,” resonates with you, this might be just the thing. Reading together invites sharing thoughts, feelings and personal stories. By reading slowly, we make the salon a place of contemplation, conversation and conviviality. We read not to master the reading, but to question what we know and believe. Reading together on personal and existential questions can help to connect, empower and calm us. It is also a form of radical hospitality, being warm and friendly to those we know and those we don’t, and generously giving our attention and appreciation to others. The salon is a loosely structured refuge for meaning-making. We read aloud, with anyone who wants to read a paragraph or so from the piece. Pre-reading before sessions is not necessary. Come to all sessions or as many as you want. Dates: Tuesdays 11 and 25 August, 8 and 22 September, 6 and 20 October, 3 and 17 November 2026 Eight fortnightly online gatherings for people who love reading and the conversations it sparks. A loosely structured salon for contemplation, connection and conviviality. Come to all sessions or as many as you want. Tuesdays, August to November 2026, via Zoom. | October 7, 2026 | October 8, 2026 | October 9, 2026 | October 10, 2026 | October 11, 2026 |
October 12, 2026 | October 13, 2026 | October 14, 2026 | October 15, 2026 (1 event) – Together We Bloom is a three part gathering series designed for female founders, entrepreneurs, innovators and changemakers from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, who want to nurture their resilience, deepen meaningful connections, explore how they can contribute to stronger communities and build businesses for social impact. In the fast pace of leadership, business and innovation, it’s easy to become overwhelmed, isolated or disconnected from purpose. This series offers a welcoming space to slow down, reflect and connect with other women who care about staying nourished, looking after self while increasing their contribution to community. Facilitated through a partnership between No Place for Poverty and Befriend, each gathering combines wellbeing practices, facilitated conversations, storytelling, mindfulness and creative activities to build supportive relationships with like minded women, and discover your potential as business leaders in doing good. What you’ll learn
Information about the gatherings Registering for the series gives you access to all three gatherings. Lunch, snacks and workshop materials are included. These sessions are less about a workshop in nature, and more about connecting, learning, slowing and creating together. Gathering 1: Developing inner and collective resilience 15 October 2026, 10am to 2pm This session offers space to pause, reflect and reconnect through practices including deep listening and storytelling. Participants will discover their unique gifts, explore what gives their lives and business meaning and experience how belonging grows when we recognise the gifts each female leader brings. Through a shared craft-ism activity, we’ll create a tangible reminder of how to build resilience together, and we’ll learn about the power of creating impact through social initiatives. Gathering 2: Connecting resilience to social good and business purpose 12 November 2026, 10am to 2pm This session explores the art of powerful questions and helps you build strong facilitation skills. You’ll learn why these skills help build authentic business relationships, foster meaningful partnerships and create impactful communities around your work. We’ll also explore the social issues you’re passionate about, discover practical pathways for local action and advocacy, and learn how you and your business can become powerful contributors to a thriving community and a purpose powered economy. Gathering 3: Turning gifts into action for your business and community 10 December 2026, 10am to 2pm In this final session, you’ll put all the learning from the previous gatherings into practice through a collaborative problem solving scenario. Working alongside other founders, we’ll identify how to turn your gifts into practical actions for greater social good. You’ll leave with fresh ideas and the confidence to take steps in fulfilling your purpose and creating positive community impact through your business. Who should attend Women who are:
Meet your hosts Tarsha Lucas (No Place for Poverty) is a passionate changemaker and community engager, inspiring civic participation and supporting people to take meaningful action. Elaine Olsen (Befriend) is a seasoned learning facilitator with expertise in Compassionate Systems Framework, Theory U, Warm Data Labs and Core Gift Discovery. More about No Place for Poverty and Befriend No Place for Poverty is building a movement for a Western Australia without poverty by strengthening civic participation, community connection and collective action. Befriend is a community building organisation dedicated to creating more inclusion and social connections in the world. Where Victoria Park Community Centre, 248 Gloucester St, East Victoria Park WA 6101 Ready to join us? You’ll receive prep information about a week before the first gathering. Got questions? Reach out any time. Tarsha: connect@noplaceforpoverty.org.au Elaine: elaine@befriend.org.au A three part gathering series for female founders, entrepreneurs and changemakers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, designed to nurture resilience, build meaningful connection and explore business for social good. Runs 15 October, 12 November and 10 December 2026, 10am to 2pm at Victoria Park Community Centre. | October 16, 2026 | October 17, 2026 (1 event) – “There will be no community without first communing.” — Nora Bateson We invite you to gather with folk in a spirit of radical hospitality and appreciative inquiry, where personal stories and ideas are shared.Because we are social creatures, feeling seen, heard and appreciated is vital to our health and wellbeing. In this space you can be your authentic self, be seen and heard without judgement, and explore personal and global questions from your lived experience. We practice a form of radical hospitality, being warm and friendly to those we know and those we don’t, by generously giving our attention and appreciation to others. Participants often leave feeling more alive, more connected, and more motivated. Some go on to take on meaningful projects, study, or community work. Others return to everyday life with fresh eyes and softer hearts. Sessions include storytelling, gift discovery, warm data labs, and much more. Come to all sessions or as many as you want. Dates: 8 and 22 August, 5 and 19 September, 3, 17 and 31 October, 14 November 2026 Eight fortnightly gatherings in Wellard where personal stories, radical hospitality and appreciative inquiry come together. Come to all sessions or as many as you want. August to November 2026, Wellard Community Centre. | October 18, 2026 |
October 19, 2026 (1 event) – Have you ever thought about sparking your own social gathering or group? Maybe you’ve dreamed of hosting a casual BBQ for the neighbours… or perhaps you care deeply about climate action and want to bring like-minded folks together to create change. Whatever your passion, this workshop is designed to help you take the first (or next!) step toward bringing people together in a way that feels right for you. For the past 15 years, Befriend has been supporting everyday people to start their own inclusive social groups around hobbies, interests, and ideas they care about. We’ve learnt a lot about what makes gatherings welcoming and meaningful, and we’d love to share what we know with you! Sign up: Online Via Zoom | October 20, 2026 (1 event) – “When we read together, we connect. Together, we see the world. Together, we see one another.” — Kate DiCamillo If C.S. Lewis’s remark, “We read to know we are not alone,” resonates with you, this might be just the thing. Reading together invites sharing thoughts, feelings and personal stories. By reading slowly, we make the salon a place of contemplation, conversation and conviviality. We read not to master the reading, but to question what we know and believe. Reading together on personal and existential questions can help to connect, empower and calm us. It is also a form of radical hospitality, being warm and friendly to those we know and those we don’t, and generously giving our attention and appreciation to others. The salon is a loosely structured refuge for meaning-making. We read aloud, with anyone who wants to read a paragraph or so from the piece. Pre-reading before sessions is not necessary. Come to all sessions or as many as you want. Dates: Tuesdays 11 and 25 August, 8 and 22 September, 6 and 20 October, 3 and 17 November 2026 Eight fortnightly online gatherings for people who love reading and the conversations it sparks. A loosely structured salon for contemplation, connection and conviviality. Come to all sessions or as many as you want. Tuesdays, August to November 2026, via Zoom. | October 21, 2026 | October 22, 2026 | October 23, 2026 | October 24, 2026 | October 25, 2026 |
October 26, 2026 | October 27, 2026 | October 28, 2026 | October 29, 2026 | October 30, 2026 | October 31, 2026 (2 events) – “There will be no community without first communing.” — Nora Bateson We invite you to gather with folk in a spirit of radical hospitality and appreciative inquiry, where personal stories and ideas are shared.Because we are social creatures, feeling seen, heard and appreciated is vital to our health and wellbeing. In this space you can be your authentic self, be seen and heard without judgement, and explore personal and global questions from your lived experience. We practice a form of radical hospitality, being warm and friendly to those we know and those we don’t, by generously giving our attention and appreciation to others. Participants often leave feeling more alive, more connected, and more motivated. Some go on to take on meaningful projects, study, or community work. Others return to everyday life with fresh eyes and softer hearts. Sessions include storytelling, gift discovery, warm data labs, and much more. Come to all sessions or as many as you want. Dates: 8 and 22 August, 5 and 19 September, 3, 17 and 31 October, 14 November 2026 Eight fortnightly gatherings in Wellard where personal stories, radical hospitality and appreciative inquiry come together. Come to all sessions or as many as you want. August to November 2026, Wellard Community Centre. – A somatic listening practice for changemakers, community connectors, and kind-hearted humans. Befriending Within is a 10-week online course in focusing, a gentle, body-based practice of deep listening that helps you grow trust in your inner knowing and show up more fully in your relationships, from the comfort of your own home. Whether you’re a community connector, peer support worker, facilitator, or simply seeking a more grounded, compassionate way of being, this course offers tools for listening to the body’s felt sense, meeting complexity with care, and uncovering your own gifts and ways of contributing. Date: Saturdays A 10-week online course in focusing, a gentle, body-based practice of deep listening that helps you grow trust in your inner knowing and show up more fully in your relationships. Online event | November 1, 2026 (1 event) – An annual community event with stallholders, fun, games and activities. Befriend’s Thinking Partner, Peter, will be joining a Growing Connections Panel with two other speakers—Elizabeth Newnham, a disaster resilience researcher from Curtin University and Maureen Maher, 2022 City of Fremantle Citizen of the Year, for her work in community building. The panel is scheduled for 11.30am. Piney Lakes Reserve, Winthrop |
Stay connected
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