How can we navigate the pressure of media demands while safeguarding the well-being of those who have faced trauma?
Join us on Friday 28 February for an engaging online masterclass on best practices for using lived experience spokespeople as media case studies to drive social change advocacy.
You'll hear directly from Communication Managers, Journalists, and Lived Experience Spokespeople as they share their invaluable perspectives and practical advice for creating ethical, impactful storytelling.
Speakers include representatives from Cancer Council NSW, Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), Advocacy Australia, and The Sunday Telegraph.
NOTE: CPRA Members will also gain exclusive access to valuable resources, including policy and procedure documentation, case study templates, permission forms, and more. These templates are available to CPRA Members only, so consider joining today to take full advantage!
Meet the Speakers
Alexandra Hodgkinson
Media & Communications Director, ACOSS
Alexandra is an award-winning journalist and television producer who worked on documentaries and current affairs programs Sunday Night and 60 Minutes. Before joining the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) as Media and Communications Director in June 2023, Alex was Executive Media Advisor for the NSW Police Commissioner and executive team, and has provided communications support to the GO Foundation, founded by Sydney Swans legends Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin.
Alex grew up on a sheep property at Yass, and she was aware from a young age that some of her classmates faced social disadvantages they could never overcome. Advocating better health, education and opportunities for those who need them most has been a passion during her career.
Cliff Fraser
Lived experience spokesperson, ACOSS
Cliff Fraser was an interstate truck driver on over $100,000 per year when a heart attack meant he lost his job and suddenly found himself struggling to survive on unemployment benefits. He has shared his stories with TV, radio and print journalists as part of the ACOSS Raise the Rate campaign and has been a passionate advocate for low-income individuals since 2020.
Alice Collins MCPRA
Director, Advocacy Australia
Alice Collins is a multi-award-winning Communications Director with 20 years experience in the cause, culture, community, and health sectors. Recognised nationally and internationally, she has received 20 awards, including 17 Golden Target Awards (2010–2023), AMEC International Young Professional of the Year (Silver, 2017), an AMEC International Communication Effectiveness Award and a Global Alliance COMM PRIX Award in 2014.
Alice has presented globally on effective communication at the World PR Forum (Madrid), Mumbrella 360, and the Australia Council for the Arts, and was a regular guest lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney on PR for Not-For-Profits.
Passionate about advocacy and amplifying underrepresented voices, Alice has led impactful campaigns such as Where’s William Tyrrell?, earning her a Crime Stoppers Australia award, as well as Asbestos Awareness Month, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and the Justice for Biddy Porter campaign. Alice’s commitment to advocacy and community is reflected in her service on various not-for-profit boards and committees, driving positive change through strategic and effective communications.
Clare Collins MCPRA
Founder & Chair, Advocacy Australia
Clare Collins, Founder and Chair of Advocacy Australia, is a multi-award-winning communications professional and the founder of Insight Communications, a boutique communications agency specialising in cause, culture, community, and health awareness campaigns since 2008. Clare’s work has earned national and international acclaim, including 17 Golden Target Awards (2010–2023), a Crime Stoppers Award, and two international honours, making Insight the first Australian PR agency to win an AMEC International Communication Effectiveness Award and a Global Alliance COMM PRIX Award.
Clare has led impactful campaigns, including Justice for Biddy Porter, the National Asbestos Awareness Campaign, Spinal Health Week, and the pro-bono Where’s William Tyrrell? Campaign and has received parliamentary recognition for driving meaningful change in society. As a passionate advocate for equity and social justice, Clare’s mission aligns with Advocacy Australia’s efforts to raise awareness and to ensure government accountability on issues affecting Victims of Crime, families impacted by International Familial Child Abduction, and victims of asbestos-related diseases. Her extensive experience includes leadership roles with not-for-profits including Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Foundation, Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation, Reach Out! and Barnardos Australia.
Cydonee Mardon
Investigations Editor, The Daily and Sunday Telegraphs
Previously Chief of Staff at The Sunday Telegraph and Deputy Editor at the Illawarra Mercury, as Investigations Editor for the Daily and Sunday Telegraph, Cydonee brings over 20 years of experience as a journalist and sub-editor, covering police, courts, health, politics, and general news.
A career highlight for Cydonee was her in-depth reporting on the four-month trial of Ivan Milat. More recently, she has dedicated her efforts to campaigning for justice and reform, including investigative reporting on Biddy Porter’s killing and the NSW Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT). Her exposés on the inequities and shortcomings of the MHRT were pivotal in sparking political debate and driving amendments to the NSW Mental Health Act.
Fina Gray
Marketing & Communications Manager, Cancer Council NSW
Fina Gray is the Manager, Marketing & Communications Unit at Cancer Council NSW, leading the marketing, PR, content and internal communications teams to protect, promote and position the CCNSW brand and ultimately – help tackle cancer. Fina has 15 years' experience in the NFP sector, previously in the UK at organisations such as Marie Curie, the Chartered Institute of Fundraising and the Global Angels Foundation.
Fina is also co-founder of the Charity Comms Network, a networking group set up to facilitate sharing across the Australian non-profits and bring together sector peers in marketing and communications roles.
Tim Siow
Story Lead, Cancer Council NSW
Tim Siow has worked in marketing, communications and content in the NFP sector for over 8 years for organisations like Cancer Council NSW, Redkite and the Sydney Latin American Film Festival. He's passionate about using the power of storytelling to show impact and make positive change. Outside of work, you’ll find Tim running with friends, following his beloved Liverpool FC or most likely spending time with his fiancé and 11-month-old son.
Carolin Wenzel MCPRA
Moderator
Carolin has more than thirty years of experience as a Communications, Media and Public Relations professional, currently working as Media & Communications Manager for advocacy organisation Solar Citizens. For the last 5 years she ran her own strategic communications consultancy Comms for Change with clients ranging from ACOSS and Anti-Poverty Week, to World Hepatitis Day and the Smart Energy Council.
Carolin’s career as a communication manager since 2007 included roles with Early Childhood Australia, The Benevolent Society and Greenpeace Australia Pacific. She began her career as a radio current affairs producer and presenter with ABC Radio National and Regional NSW radio programs.
Masterclass Discussions and Themes
ACOSS
Communications & Media Director Alex Hodgkinson will discuss how ACOSS engages with and supports a cohort of Lived Experience Spokespeople who share their personal stories with the media. These stories highlight the realities of financial hardship and barriers to employment as part of the Raise the Rate campaign and to promote research reports.
Alex will present an example of an exclusive story featured on Channel 7’s Sunday Night program, explaining how it was negotiated and sharing a segment of the coverage. Alex will be joined by Lived Experience spokesperson Cliff Fraser, who will share his firsthand experience of working with the media.
CANCER COUNCIL NSW
Marketing and Communications Manager, Fina Gray and Story Lead, Tim Siow, will discuss how their Communications team supports people with lived experience in sharing their stories with the media. They will outline the decision to establish a Community Ambassador Program and the dedicated Story Lead role, designed to collaborate with and support these individuals.
Fina and Tim will also cover their internal policies and processes, including how they work across the Cancer Council organisation to identify, engage, and support people with lived experience for media opportunities.
They will present a case study showcasing how one of their lived experience spokespeople contributed to a successful advocacy outcome through media engagement.
ADVOCACY AUSTRALIA & JUSTICE FOR BIDDY PORTER - NAVIGATING TRAUMA AND LEGAL CONSTRAINTS
Clare Collins and Alice Collins of Advocacy Australia will delve into the complexities of working with individuals who have endured extreme trauma as victims of crime. They will discuss the legal and ethical challenges faced in bringing Biddy Porter’s story to public attention through media, including navigating stringent suppression orders to generate political pressure, prompt a parliamentary debate which initiated legislative reform and secured a coronial inquest.
Joining the conversation is Cydonee Mardon Investigations Editor at the Daily and Sunday Telegraphs who was instrumental in the Justice for Biddy campaign who will share the challenges of reporting sensitive stories and the strategies used to navigate these challenges.
DISCUSSION WITH PANEL AND Q&A
Led by Carolin Wenzel, this discussion will engage all participants in exploring the challenges, solutions, and outcomes of best-practice management when working with Lived Experience spokespeople.
Registered participants will have the opportunity to submit questions in advance, shaping the conversation to address key issues and insights.
Event Details
DATE
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Friday 28 February 2025
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TIME
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12 - 2pm AEDT
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LOCATION
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Online via Zoom*
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PRICE (ex GST)
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$40 - CPRA Members
$80 - Non Members
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*Link will be provided separately before the session commences
