E103 | The Evolving Role of Community Engagement and Philanthropy in Independent Schools: Insights from Myfanwy Stanfield

EdLeaders Australia

In this episode of the Ed Leaders podcast, Luke Callier and Matthew Irving sit down with Myfanwy Stanfield, Director of Community Engagement at Ascham School, to explore the evolving role of community engagement and advancement in independent schools across Australia. Myfanwy shares her unique journey from the arts industry to education, highlighting the strategic importance of storytelling, relationship-building, and marketing in modern schooling.

Discover how the role of community engagement has shifted, the challenges of balancing operational and strategic tasks, and the vital need to foster a sense of belonging within school communities. Myfanwy also delves into effective marketing strategies for smaller institutions with limited budgets and the crucial role of philanthropy in enhancing a school’s offerings beyond basic operations.

Learn about the distinctions between philanthropy and fundraising, and why a comprehensive "giving strategy" is essential for long-term success. They also touch on the impact of gender in philanthropy, the evolving landscape of school advancement, and the value of professional networks like Educate Plus. Tune in to gain more valuable insights!

You can also connect with us personally at LinkedIn:

Luke Callier - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ljcallier/⁠

Mathew Irving - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathew-irving-b6b91430/

Adrian Camm - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriancamm/

Special thanks to our partners:

People Bench - https://peoplebench.com.au/

Paperly - https://paperly.education/

Head on over to edleaders.com.au to hear more about our journey. If you'd like to know more about being a guest or would like to sponsor our show - check out https://www.edleaders.com.au/collabs

As always if you have questions, feedback, or a suggestion from a leader you'd like to hear from - send us a message! Please remember if you have a spare minute, please leave us a review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player which will help more like-minded school leaders discover us.

Go Well.