Community Fellows Program: Applications now open

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Four women facing away from the camera, their arms are linked behind their backs. They are wearing purple, red and pink coats.

What could you do with University of Melbourne research mentoring, funding and facilities? Apply now for the Melbourne Social Equity Institute’s Community Fellows Program.

What’s involved?

The Melbourne Social Equity Institute Community Fellows Program helps community organisations to conduct research-related projects. These projects should be relevant to the work of the community-based organisation and aim to promote social equity in various aspect of social life, including health, education, housing, culture, work and transport.

Projects could involve:

  • A scoping report
  • Literature review
  • Data analysis
  • Research-informed tools and resources.

As a Community Fellow, you will be assigned an academic mentor with relevant expertise. You will spend time at the University of Melbourne to develop your research skills. You’ll also have the opportunity to take part in a range of academic and professional development activities.

Over the year-long fellowship, Fellows are also provided with:

  • A grant of $A7,000
  • A temporary University email address
  • Support to conduct and write up your research
  • Access to library and internet facilities.

Read more about the Community Fellows Program.

Spotlight: Rebecca Harris, Co-ordinator of Student and Family Wellbeing at Carlton Primary

It’s likely that every classroom in the world has at least one student with an experience of trauma. For educator Rebecca Harris, that makes it essential that schools are paying close attention to their students’ wellbeing.

Rebecca used her Community Fellowship to develop a new resource to support trauma informed practice in education.


Explore previous fellows

A smiling woman in a black short slevve blouse with short grey hair. She is standing in front of a board with coloured paper rainbows on it.

Who can apply?

The Community Fellows Program welcomes applications from people who work for small to medium-sized organisations that have limited capacity to conduct research.

Fellows do not need to have prior research experience, although some Community Fellows may have worked on other research projects or have some research-related qualifications.

A total of at least twelve Fellowships are available, to start in February 2023. Fellowships can align with any aspect of social equity research.

Of these twelve, two Fellowships are for people who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. These Fellows should also be from an Indigenous community organisation or be focusing on an Indigenous topic. The Fellows will be jointly supported by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute and the Indigenous Knowledge Institute.

Information Session

An online information session about the Community Fellows Program will be held from 1pm– 2pm on Thursday 15 September.


In the session, we will provide an overview of the work of the Institute, information about the fellowship structure and some tips for completing the application form.


Register for this session

Find out more and apply

Applications for the Community Fellows Program are open until Monday 17 October 2022.


Apply now


If you have any questions about the Community Fellows Program or the application process, contact Charlene Edwards at charlene.edwards@unimelb.edu.au or visit Community Fellows Program.

Banner image: Vonecia Carswell/Unsplash

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