Developing an extension plan
Turning good intentions into real impact starts with a solid plan. This half-day online or in-person workshop helps you design an evidence-based extension strategy that avoids random acts of extension—clarifying outcomes, mapping audiences, and sequencing activities. You’ll also learn how to create a practical Theory of Change that links what you do with the difference you want to make, showing the pathway from actions to real-world impact.
Is this course for you?
- Do you want to move beyond one-off activities and design more strategic, outcome-focused extension programs?
- Do you need a clear and credible framework to show how your work leads to real change?
- Do you want to create plans that guide action, engage stakeholders, and demonstrate impact?
Why enrol?
- Learn how to develop a purposeful, evidence-based extension strategy that aligns effort and resources to outcomes.
- Understand how to avoid random acts of extension by focusing on logic, structure, and sequencing.
- Build confidence in explaining your program logic to funders, collaborators, and stakeholders.
- Gain practical tools to apply immediately in your planning and project work.
What you'll achieve
Through this half-day, highly interactive workshop, you’ll explore topics such as:
- The six key steps for designing an effective extension plan.
- How to clarify outcomes and map audiences using stakeholder analysis tools.
- How to create a practical Theory of Change to show how your actions lead to outcomes and impact.
- Sequencing your activities for maximum influence and building in monitoring and evaluation from the start.
- How to surface assumptions, identify risks, and avoid the pitfalls of reactive, disconnected activities.
By the end of this course, you’ll have a draft extension plan—or a clear structure to develop one—that connects your activities with the change you want to achieve.
Who you will learn from
Dr John James is deeply passionate about enabling change and fostering innovation. With a wealth of experience, he specialises in helping organisations enhance the skills and capabilities of their teams in all aspects of extension and adoption. As an Adjunct Associate Professor with The University of Queensland, John brings a practical, hands-on approach to his work, bridging the gap between theory and real-world application. John is a keen supporter of the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN), having been a past President, the convenor for two international conferences, and is an APEN Life Member.
Denise Bewsell is passionate about helping people enable change and strengthen how they work with others. With a background in Agricultural Science and a Masters exploring how people respond to information, she combines research insight with real-world experience. As a Principal at Scarlatti, Denise leads the extension programme design area and has worked extensively across agriculture supporting facilitators and researchers. An APEN Life Member and associate editor of its journal, she’s excited to help others build capability through Enablers of Change.
Course details
- Format: Three-and-a-half hour online workshop.
- Date: TBA
- Time: TBA
- Investment: The price for this course is A$350 ex GST.
Turn good intentions into real impact!
Take the first step toward designing purposeful, outcome-focused extension plans that deliver measurable change. Enrol now to gain the tools and confidence to plan with clarity, engage effectively, and demonstrate real impact.
Register your interest!
FAQs
What is the Developing an Extension Plan workshop about?
This half-day online or in-person workshop helps you design an evidence-based extension strategy that turns good intentions into real impact. You’ll learn how to clarify outcomes, identify your target audiences, and sequence activities so each builds on the last. You’ll also create a practical Theory of Change that shows how your actions connect to the difference you want to make—helping you move beyond random acts of extension to a purposeful, outcome-focused plan.
Who is this workshop for?
It’s ideal for anyone involved in extension, agricultural research, or industry programs who wants to design more strategic, results-driven initiatives. Whether you’re planning a new project, refreshing an existing one, or seeking to demonstrate clear impact to funders and stakeholders, this workshop will help you plan with clarity and confidence.
Is it only for people in Australia?
No, this course is open to anyone, no matter their location or nationality. While we expect most participants will be located across Australia, we’re looking forward to people from New Zealand and other countries joining in. We’ve scheduled the live sessions at 11:30 am AEDT to accommodate as many time zones as possible.
Can I register multiple people from my organisation at once?
Yes. Simply list all the participants’ names and email addresses in the appropriate fields of the registration form, and then provide the name and email address of the person making the booking in the final comments field, and the tax invoice will be sent to them.
Are places limited?
Yes. To make the workshop engaging and worthwhile, participant numbers are capped. This ensures plenty of opportunity for discussion and interaction with the trainers.
How is the workshop delivered?
The session is delivered live via Zoom. You’ll take part in interactive discussions and activities, with practical examples you can apply immediately in your work.
Do I need any special software or account?
No special software or account is required. You’ll receive a Zoom link by email before the workshop—just click to join. Please check beforehand that you have the latest version of Zoom installed on your computer.
What is the cost?
The registration fee is A$350 ex GST.
How can I pay?
We prefer payment by bank transfer, as this avoids processing costs. However, for your convenience, you can also pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, or American Express) through our secure Stripe payment gateway.
Are there any extra fees?
Only when paying by credit card, as Stripe charges a small processing fee that is automatically added to your total. For Australian cards, this is 1.7% + A$0.30 (inc GST). For international cards, this is 3.5% + A$0.30 (ex GST). These charges are passed on at cost so that we receive the full workshop or course amount. The total payable is displayed clearly before you confirm payment.
Why do you pass on Stripe fees?
As a small business, we prefer to keep our standard prices as low as possible and only recover processing costs from those choosing to pay by card. Paying by bank transfer avoids these fees entirely.
Is my payment secure?
Yes. All card payments are encrypted and processed securely by Stripe, a PCI-compliant global payment provider. We do not store or have access to your credit-card details.
How do I register?
Click the link below to secure your spot.
What if I can’t attend at that date and time?
If the scheduled date for this course doesn’t suit you, simply add your details to this form and we’ll let you know when the course is next offered.
Are refunds available?
We offer refunds up to seven days before the course date; after that point, refunds aren’t available. If something comes up within those final seven days, another person from your organisation is welcome to attend in your place at no additional cost. To arrange this, just email us the full name, role, and contact details of the substitute attendee and we’ll update the registration.
If you have any other questions, feel free to email us: info@enablersofchange.com.au. We’re here to help!