...for big hearts
and curious minds creating positive futures.
...learn and apply skills and techniques in language-driven behaviour change to improve your communication impact and influence.
What people say
...build your skills
and capacity through:
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co-design of change strategies
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synthesis, creation and review of content
Our Services
Strategy
New project? Complex issue? Tricky audience? Unsure how to start or just stuck somewhere in the project cycle? Together, we'll work through a process to clarify the change you seek to make and how we can use language-based behaviour change strategies to get there.
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Content
Words for Change specialises in finding clarity in complexity.
We create compelling and coherent narratives and synthesise complex topics into clear key messages.
We also offer copywriting and copyediting across multiple formats and media.
Training
We offer flexible training and workshop programs on values activation and message framing tailored to your group or organisation.
In 2023, we are also offering new training programs on critical changemaking capacities:
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Language for Leaders
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Disaster discourse interventions
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Ecolinguistics: language unearthed
Please contact us for workshop dates and locations.
New training in 2023
Language for Leaders
Essential tools and tips from cognitive linguistics and social neuroscience for innovative connectors leading cultural change.
Distinguished linguist Professor Norman Flairclough observed that 'cultures exist in languages' - a point worth pondering for people leading change. In this workshop, we'll explore cutting edge research from the cognitive and behavioural sciences that will deepen your understanding of how words work to shape values, beliefs, norms, identities, expectations and indeed, cultures. We'll then turn these learnings into practical strategies you can use to plan, create and spread your messages and lead positive cultural change through language.
LanGuage strategies for Disaster Recovery
Empathic communication approaches to safeguard and enhance community connection through disaster recovery.
Natural disasters and other crises are becoming more frequent and intense with devastating consequences for impacted people and communities. While each disaster context is unique, there are recognisable shifts in social mindsets as the community moves through the anticipation, impact and recovery phases. In this workshop, we’ll consider, with great empathy, the psychological needs of impacted communities at each stage of the disaster, with emphasis on the longer recovery phase. We’ll explore communication techniques that can safeguard and enhance community connection, compassion and creativity during each transition.
language unearthed
An introduction to the communication power of Ecolinguistics for environmental stewards and advocates
The study of language meets the study of life in Ecolinguistics. In this workshop, we will focus our attention and awareness on the language patterns used to describe and perpetuate interactions between humans, other species and the physical environment. We will go ‘above the sentence’ to explore how framing, metaphor and other linguistic devices influence attitudes and behaviours and learn strategies to identify and disrupt harmful language patterns and create new narratives for change.
Now in its 18th year, Words for Change works with Changemakers across government agencies and authorities, community groups and organisations, advocacy groups, research institutions, universities and publishers.
About
We bring together learnings from psychology, sociology, ecology, neurobiology, cognition, linguistics, marketing and advocacy into a novel process for creating change based on the words we use - Words for Change.
Our training provides changemakers with a powerful toolkit for change; a behind-the-scenes understanding of how words evoke frames, encode values and shape the parameters of thought.
Once learnt, this knowledge will change the way you approach your changemaking and empower you to create messages that change hearts, minds and actions.
We work with people and organisations with big hearts and curious minds creating positive futures. Our recent work spans nature conservation, climate change, community leadership and advocacy, urban liveability, mental health and community resilience, disaster recovery, Landcare, natural resource management, education, community philanthropy, social justice, transformation of public infrastructure, and more.
Dr Trudi Ryan, Principal, Words for Change.
Dr Trudi Ryan is a behavioural linguist with a cross-disciplinary academic background spanning linguistics, neurobiology, ecology and marketing. Trudi specialises in language-based behaviour change. Through her consultancy, Words for Change, she provides training, research, strategy and content for communities, organisations and agencies creating positive social and environmental change. Trudi has worked as a consultant for 18 years and was previously employed in research, teaching and extension roles with CSIRO, Deakin University, Land & Water Australia and Victorian government agencies.
Trudi has a Bachelor of Science with Honours, a PhD in Ecology, a Grad. Dip in Marketing Communication, a Grad. Cert. in Behavioural Neurobiology and she is currently completing a Master of Arts in Linguistics. Trudi is an Accredited Professional Editor and an Accredited Values Coach. She is a Director of the Country Universities Centre (Ovens-Murray) and a member of several professional associations:
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Australian Linguistic Society
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The International Ecolinguistics Association
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Society for Social Neuroscience
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Australian Systemic Functional Linguistics Association
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The Association for Researching and Applying Metaphor.
Contact
Words for Change
Thanks for dropping by. If this approach has resonated with you, please be in touch, We'd love to work with you on the change you seek to make.
