Educate Plus

This is an informal gathering to network and chat about anything to do with School Marketing.

Online Marketing SIG 6 ways to boost your school's marketing plan, to increase enrolments, engage alumni and grow fundraising. In this session we discuss the importance of the following marketing strategies and how to capitalise on them: Social media marketing campaign Community events Engaging with staff Engaging your alumni Student ambassadors Parent ambassadors Presented by Yvette Graniero -Director of Community Relations, Santa Sabina College, Kelly Mancey - Director of Community Engagement, Pymble Ladies' College Philippa Zingales - Director of Alumni Relations, PLC Sydney

Admissions Office Policies are extremely important documents in an efficient Admissions Office. They set out the Institution's position and the manner in which it manages certain situations and they are frequently linked to an Enrolment Contract. This SIG will review and critically analyse 4 important Admissions Office Policies: 1.Scholarship and Bursary Policies 2.Admissions Policies 3.Transgender and Gender Diverse Policies 4.Enrolment Policies (Special Needs)

There's no I or U in Donor Engagement: The Donor Relationship Lifecycle presented by Penny Richards Fowler Donor Relationships in an education setting begin when they first hear about your institution and end in creating a legacy beyond a lifetime. No matter the size of your institution, understanding the donor relationship lifecycle enables you to tailor your strategies to meet donors at their point in the journey, and maximise each engagement opportunity.

Nicole Bassett is dedicated to helping donors to find their passion. Her presentation covers key success factors for finding major gifts prospects, getting them over the line and working in partnership for the next gift. Professionals working in Alumni, Fundraising & Development, and anyone wanting to get into this area will benefit from this webinar.

A three way conversation between Colin Taylor, Senior Consultant & Vice-President Asia Pacific for Global Philanthropic, Beck Healy, Development Manager, St Peter's College Adelaide and guest presenter, Professor Mobo Gao, Professor of Asian Studies, University of Adelaide about how Asian cultures perceive philanthropy, and how best educational institutions can navigate the cultural sensitivities.

Whether your waiting list is long or short, it's essential to keep families engaged with your institution to acquire, retain and build loyalty. This discussion centres around how you can improve your engagement with future families, deepen your connection with them and ensure that your messaging is timely, targeted and engaging. Presenters: Margo Bastow, Director Community Relations, Santa Maria College, (Perth) Anne-Maree McCarthy, Registrar, The Women's College within The University of Sydney and Jiani Chen, International Program Manager and Marketing Lead, Stella Maris College.

Steven Barwald, the current Associate Director, Prospect Development at the University of Sydney, presents and shares the fundamentals behind good prospect research, giving you techniques to help identify a possible major gift prospect and other useful tips to ensure you can find the information you need to cultivate a major gift. This session is facilitated by Hannah Atwell, Director of Advancement, St Andrew's College and Jackie Dalton, Director of Philanthropy, Frensham Schools.

Alumni events over the past couple of years have been problematic. Sandy Goddard and Jack Campion share their experience and outline structure of events. What works, what doesn't. How best to reach out and how to stay connected.

All schools have a history that is unique, but how can you use your school's history and Archives to engage your school community? IN this online SIG, two School Archivists share their ideas and experiences. Whether you are not sure where to start, or you have a well-developed Archives, this SIG is for you.

One of the most valuable factors that influence prospects in choosing which business they associate with, and who they want to associate with, the one we often don't talk about, is interpersonal compatibility. If a customer is interested in your products but doesn't find your team easy to talk to, good luck with that! The longer you take to get to know, like and trust each other, the slower and weaker the relationship will be. In this presentation, Alan will demystify the power of reading people to build better relationships. He will cover how to read people to know how they prefer to be spoken to and treated, all within just seconds of meeting them, ensuring memorable and lasting relationships.

Ben Foley will facilitate an engaging workshop where you will discuss three worthwhile Admissions or Enrolment scenarios: Enrolling a student from a separated family that is not amicable;  Enrolling a student that has a ‘learnings' based disability; and  Statements made orally or in print in relation to what a school can offer and the possible implications under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) if statements are misleading.

All students, including those who identify as transgender, have a right to be treated equitably and with dignity. A student who has identified as transgender enjoys the same legal rights or protections afforded to all students under the duty of care, education and work health and safety laws. Additional protections apply to such students under discrimination law. Do you have a full understanding of the legalities in relation to Transgender Enrolments law? David Ford – Partner in the Business, Personal and Communities & Associations groups at Carroll & O'Dea Lawyers who focuses on helping educational institutions and charities – speaks on Transgender Enrolments Law.

Between 2014 and the present, Burgmann College, an independent Residential College on the Australian National University campus, has worked to develop its Advancement program from simple beginnings to a systematic approach. In conversation, Principal Sally Renouf and newly appointed Director of Advancement, Amelia Zaraftis will discuss with Global Philanthropic's Colin Taylor and Chanel Hughes, Burgmann College's seven year journey from its first fundraising plan to a programmed approach to fundraising that is showing significant dividends in the College's 50th year.Intended for staff of Residential Colleges at all levels, especially those considering starting an advancement program for the first time, the hour-long interactive discussion will range from the stops-and-starts of early advancement, through forming a compelling Case for Support, all the way to the College's first solicited gifts and its vision for advancement in the future. The conversation will take in the influence that engagement with senior alumni can bring, the sense of community that regular communication delivers and the role of planning and testing in winning internal support and building organisational confidence.Sally, Amelia, Chanel and Colin look forward to sharing their tips and tricks for navigating these difficult first years in Advancement.

Capital campaigns can be daunting and feel overwhelming. Sometimes you can have a very high figure to reach, attached to an overarching goal. Join with Catherine Middlemiss MBA, GAICD, Director of Development, Marketing and Communications, Sacred Heart Geelong who will openly share her experience in capital campaign set up and delivery. What does it really take for a successful capital campaign? If you follow some key steps, you'll be able to expand your institution's good work and deliver on your campaign goals.

Presentation by Pamela Sutton-Legaud on major giving for schools and universities, PAFs and structuring your major giving program. She will look at the steps involved – identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship. She will also highlight the resourcing and time involved in making your major gifts successful.

Unique new research reveals role and influence of women in Australian philanthropy In an Australian first, Kim Downes will present the key findings of a unique research project investigating how Australian women engage in philanthropy. The research has been carried out through a mix of one-on-one interviews and surveys with some of Australia's leading female donors. The research explores a range of questions such as: women's attitudes and motivations to giving; what role women play in the decision-making of major philanthropy; differences in how men and women give; and what kind of stewardship and recognition women prefer.

Exclusive for NZ schools, founders of Enquiry Tracker, Greg & Antony Campitelli will take you through the keys to make your Enrolment Journey go from good to great using the very latest in ‘smart' online technology. Discover how a software platform can deliver you enormous savings in time; provide instant analytics for key reports; create comprehensive audit trails; all the while delivering amazing improvements in customer service.

NSW/ACT Fundraising SIG I Effective Communications for Fundraising

This presentation will discuss how to ascertain what “good” looks like post 2020, and will cover topics such as hybrid working and performance management. It's critical now, more than ever, that we lead in drastically different ways than we ever have before. As we now navigate the fallout from COVID-19, we will be tested by situations for which processes do not exist, in which there is no such thing as “business as usual.” Joydeep Hor is the People + Culture Strategies Founder and Managing Principal. He is one of Australia's most well-known workplace relations lawyers.

How has marketing evolved over the last year? What is normal in a post COVID environment. Huma Cheema (Canberra Grammar School)Kelly Mancey (Pymble Ladies' College) and Geoff Anderson (Sonic Sight) will discuss how school marketing has changed and the different ways video is being used.

As we move beyond COVID what are the challenges and opportunities in regards to engaging with our Alumni? Sandy Goddard (Canberra Grammar School) and Dionne Molina (Hunter Valley Grammar School) review their plans for 2021.

'The Enrolment Interview: strategies and techniques' There were a lot of valuable key take away's from this session. Our three presenters shared their experience and ideas for effective interview techniques and Admissions processes.

Part 1: The Challenge The challenges schools face when managing and processing applications Why online applications will be the new norm within next 2 years How instant analytics plays a critical part in achieving key goals for your school Part 2: The Solution – Exclusive Launch As this exclusive event, we are thrilled to have Enquiry Tracker launch their latest product Apply, the admissions solution of your dreams! Do not miss out on this opportunity to be at the forefront of this sector and learn about the latest product to simplify the admissions process.

with The Mentor Evolution - a brief Q & A session

As we find ourselves still working remotely or adjusting to reintegration its great to talk about some of the wins and losses and some of the permanent changes to the way we work in advancement.

A discussion on whether there is a need for school expos? What is the way of the future? Will everything be virtual or is there value in F2F?

The 4th session in the series focusses on achieving maximum impact with Alumni and donor communications. We discuss the following topics in detail: Maximising limited resources Creating inspiring annual giving comms The Print vs Electronic debate How often should we communicate? The Power of Segmentation What to measure Final tips for driving two-way engagement

Join us for the second of our two part Alumni SIG as we develop our ideas from Part 1 to determine what 2021 might look like. Which of the innovations and ideas from this COVID-19 year will we continue to implement within our programs? How might our 2021 look after the absence of events in 2020? How will you be compensating for the missed engagement opportunities from 2020? We look forward to sharing our knowledge and utilising our significant membership benefits.

COVID19 forced many of us to change quickly to new ways of working. It has required a rapid reassessment of when and how we should continue to deliver great donor and alumni engagement and to consider whether these are temporary or permanent measures.  Although COVID19 has presented enormous challenges for most people either at a personal and/or professional level, having our hand forced has in many ways given rise to the realisation that not everything about our new way of doing things is bad.  In fact, in some areas adapting and adopting new programs and new methods of delivering has delivered positive change.  In this session we will hear from a range of practitioners, sharing case studies of what worked well when the crises first hit, what is here to stay beyond the pandemic, and why. Join Kate Robertson, Executive Director of Advancement at the University of Tasmania, Graeme Mullin, Development Manager at the University of Otago and Lucy Moore, Senior Development Manager at QUT (Queensland University of Technology) to share the best of what we have learned these past 6 months to improve our professional practice for the long term.

Listen to the first of this two part interactive SIG to listen to how we have changed, innovated and adapted our Alumni Relations program this year without face to face gatherings. We discuss some of the ideas that have succeeded and perhaps some that haven't! This is your opportunity to learn from others within our vast network of Educate Plus Alumni professionals.

This third session in the series will focus on achieving maximum impact with your alumni and donor communications. Alumni and donor communications comprise a distinct subset within your Marketing and Communications portfolio that has its own unique psychology and formula. How can you harness this to create the most compelling messaging—in terms of both tone and content—to drive deeper and richer engagement? How often and through what channels should you communicate? And what should you track and measure to continually assess and improve your effectiveness? Please join Global Philanthropic Senior Consultant Chanel Hughes and Director of Advancement for the Holmesglen Foundation Vincent Ramos as we discuss successful strategies you can employ for your alumni and donors across both print and electronic media.

The Dreaded P's – Pivoting, Pandemic and Further Philanthropy Listen to key leaders in the Australian & NZ Tertiary Advancement sector to learn how they have continued to manage through an unprecedented time, and hear the critical learnings gained. This is a not to be missed opportunity to underpin planning for teams and targets into 2021 and beyond.

Jeremy Johnson, Barrister at Bankside Chambers NZ will speak about the Royal Commission of Inquiry in Abuse in Care. Jeremy will outline the main aspects of the Inquiry and the impact and responsibilities that an institution or organisation will have if they or members of their community are identified through the inquiry.

This session will focus on best practice donor stewardship and we will discuss the minimum and aspirational structure required to achieve that.

The webinar was a valuable opportunity to further unpack the results of a recent survey on the impact of COVID on schools, talk about how to use them and highlight implications for the challenging recessionary period ahead. We  discussed the findings of the survey and answered questions that had arisen as a result of the feedback provided.

Just getting started? Hear from three of our members based in NSW who kicked-started their Alumni engagement strategies after years of lying dormant! This SIG will consist of a panel discussion and open forum for participants.

As University Advancement teams world-wide fast tracked online it feels like everyone is a digital engagement expert. For years the profession has been trying to figure out the best way to use social media and active communication to engage alumni and donors. So, now with this new way of digital working as different regions move in and out of restrictions, it is time to ask – are we really doing it? Join Jayden Worts, Virtual Engagement at UWA (Perth, WA) and Fred Lee, Director Alumni Engagement University of BC (Vancouver, Canada) for an in conversation. Shared learnings from Australia and Canada will be discussed and ideas for how our work will carry on during, and following lockdown.

Members who are part of a small team or who operate as a one-man-band are constantly challenged by the daily demands of day-to-day tasks while trying to develop a bigger picture strategy and implement it. Whether you feel you are endlessly juggling – and occasionally dropping – too many balls, or are even at the stage of just looking at all the balls there are to juggle, this webinar will provide practical advice and help. Ann Badger and Alan Watkinson, two of the most distinguished and highly-respected advancement practitioners in the Australasian community, have both been there … and thrived. Ann and Alan practise what they preach and this webinar will deliver a range of practical insights and operational guidelines in support of New Zealand and Australian practitioners either new to the sector or immersed in a small Advancement Office environment.

The pandemic has delivered the opportunity to embrace technology to help build relationships to turn future families into great ambassadors. Whether it's analysing, managing & even growing demand, understanding those vital touch-points in the pipeline is key. The session will also include a top line look at Enquiry Tracker and how New Zealand schools are utilising the platform so you too can ditch those tiresome spreadsheets forever!

For members only, this is an opportunity to share, learn and exchange ideas around what new strategies you have put into place during COVID-19, what has worked and what needs tweaking. Have you implemented new concepts or initiatives across social media, tours or Open Days and what will your marketing strategy look like moving forward?

Bequest Programs By Dr Alan Watkinson by Educate Plus

Brought to you by Educate Plus and Mentor Evolution; Robyn Moore, one of Australia's most in-demand speakers will take you on an amazing Roller-Coaster ride into “The Power of Mentoring”, where she'll share about the richness of inviting others into their Passion, Worth, Talents, Ideas and Resilience. You'll also hear about the humility and surprises on offer, when the teacher becomes the student. Mentoring can be a significant “life-altering” choice, when the difference between “DOING” Mentoring and “BEING” a Mentor/Mentee is clearly distinguished.

Don't miss this opportunity to hear from Andrew Beales, Development Director at Durham School UK, an Independent Co-educational Day and Boarding School, on how to manage your engagement data in your institution. There's an old saying in fundraising, “you only get out of your database what you put in”. How do you use your data effectively to segment and provide relevant communications that will hit your target market and not be ignored? Learn how to lead the way with your data and get results in fundraising and community engagement.

One of our Platinum partners, Charidy, has arranged for a tax lawyer to provide a summary of the current DGR guidelines relating to Building Funds, Library Funds, Scholarships & Bursary Funds, and Public Ancillary Funds. The current crisis has led many to ask if existing families experiencing genuine hardship can be included in the current ‘200,000 people' rule and this topic will also be addressed.

Change is never easy for a team or organisation. The last few months has put enormous pressure on teams to think differently about the way they work and lead change across the organisation. This webinar will discuss whats important when leading change and how to minimise the stress and impact.

Do you need to communicate but also need to consider the amount of information in parents inbox! Parents are overloaded with information from so many sources across a school and if you have ever had parents miss an email or take too long to respond to what you think is the most important correspondence in the world, you need to listen to Daniel Crago's workshop!

In such challenging times as we are experiencing at the moment, it is important to make sure you have a plan to follow as circumstances begin to return to some degree of normality. Alan Watkinson and Penny Bowman will take you through the stages of developing your own strategic plan if you do not have one already; and they will also examine how to review your current plan and adapt it to changing situations.

Listen to a NZ Chapter Virtual PD Session with a leading prospect research professional, Nicki Sayers, for an informative session that offers something for all fundraising and alumni relations practitioners in New Zealand. This session was hosted by Educate Plus NZ President, Naomi Wilde and included valuable Q & A insights.

As we deal with Covid-19 and its impact, it is now more important than ever that your fundraising outreach and communications are done correctly, sensitively, and with an eye to the future. As we emerge from the shut down and deal with a rapidly changing landscape, this webinar provides you with the opportunity to check in with experienced practitioners on what is considered best practice during these turbulent times.

Admissions have changed – what have we learned? – Current challenges for admissions teams – How to create an engaging online admissions process – How digital communication tools support your admissions process