A leadership program for change-makers wanting to transform Australia’s early childhood development sector.

Applications to join the Apiary Fellowship 2025 are now open.

The Apiary Fellowship is a leadership program that brings together early childhood development professionals who are passionate about transforming the sector. Fellows collaborate to envision changes that directly benefit all children, families, and communities, now and in the future.

Through a one-year commitment, fellows participate in group convenings and workshops where they share knowledge and learn a new way of thinking and doing.

The Apiary Fellowship invites early childhood development professionals at all stages of their career from across Australia, welcoming diverse perspectives from metro, regional and rural areas with a shared vision for reconciliation and an openness to self reflection.

Systems change work is deeply personal, and participants are encouraged to bring their whole selves to the program to grow both personally and professionally.

“Being part of this group this year and attending the events has given me the confidence and motivation to continue advocating for children, families, and educators.”

- The Apiary Fellowship Participant -

The Apiary Fellowship is a one-year program that invites early childhood development professionals to collaborate, enhance their leadership, share knowledge and innovate ideas to create a sector that allows children to thrive.

We welcome applications from all around Australia, and we welcome diverse perspectives from metro, regional, and rural areas who share a vision for reconciliation.

We firmly believe in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination and that purposeful change for children, families and communities must be informed and shaped by the communities and cultures where they learn and grow.

Apply to Join the Apiary Fellowship 2025

Name

Family Name

What is your Organisation?

Position

Mobile Number

Email

Street

City

State

Postcode

Do you identify as culturally and linguistically diverse?:

YesNo

Do you identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander?:

YesNo

If so, please let us know how we should respectfully Acknowledge your traditional tribe, clan, kinship group, or Country:

Please provide any accessibility requirements:

If you have LinkedIn, please provide it here:

Describe your relationship to the early learning system, or the work you do with children, families or with early learning settings and initiatives:

Imagine it is the year 2040, what is your vision for how the Early Learning sector will look and feel for children and families?:

What draws you to the Apiary?:

What is about working with a systems lens that aligns with your personal and professional values?:

We offer customised equity scholarships, prioritising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants, people requiring accommodations for additional needs, or rural and remote participation. Scholarships may cover one or a mix of airfares, airport transfers, accommodation, land travel, or backfill. Applicants may still have some out of pocket expenses and any change requests to finalised bookings must be covered by participants. Please provide details of support you anticipate you may need: :

Discounted fees may be applied on request for self-funded applicants and low-income non-profit entities. Please indicate your circumstances:

How did you find out about the Apiary?:

Candidates will be interviewed as we receive eligible applications between October 2024 - February 2025 and successful applicants will attend the first Convening at the end of March 2025 (location TBC). We expect fellows to be available for every convening (2-3 days, up to 3 times a year, in person) and 5 hours per month for collaboration or individual reflection work when they apply and commit to the program. Please confirm that you acknowledge these attendance requests:

Please attach your current CV:

Alternative application upload (video, powerpoint etc):

The Apiary cultivates ways of working that are representative and inclusive of the diversity within Australia. We have a Shared Vision for Reconciliation with First Nations peoples and firmly believe that innovation design for children must be deeply rooted in the communities and cultures where they learn and grow. We seek applicants from all around Australia, both metro and rural. We are collaborative leaders; we encourage you to invite others in your networks to also register their interest who bring diverse or different perspectives of the system and are ready to take up system leadership for transformation in early learning.

I acknowledge that I will be contacted by the Apiary team regarding my Expression of Interest

Campaign ID

Contact Information

The Impact Community

After completing the fellowship, participants graduate to join existing fellows in the Impact Community. This space is shaped, led and driven by participants and allows the skills developed in The Apiary Fellowship to be applied to drive change in the early childhood development sector.

The Collective

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants can join our collective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders after completing the fellowship. This culturally safe and welcoming space is for mob who align with the Front Project and the Apiary Fellowship’s vision for change and reconciliation and want to connect to drive relevant cultural change throughout the early learning system.

A leadership program for change-makers wanting to transform Australia’s early childhood development sector.

Apply to Join the Apiary Fellowship 2025

The Impact Community

After completing the fellowship, participants graduate to join existing fellows in the Impact Community. This space is shaped, led and driven by participants and allows the skills developed in The Apiary Fellowship to be applied to drive change in the early childhood development sector.

The Collective

Connect