Australia Awards South and West Asia

In early March 2026, Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia delivered a regional ‘Visual Storytelling’ workshop designed to equip alumni with the skills to communicate their impact through compelling images. The two-part workshop, which was held online on 4 and 11 March, brought together more than 60 alumni from across the region, complementing an earlier workshop series on written storytelling held in January and February.

The workshops in March were jointly facilitated by Neil Bennett, award-winning photographer and former Chief Visual Storyteller at NewsCorp, and Tim Winkler, an accomplished strategist, journalist and marketing expert. Together, they guided alumni through the fundamentals of visual communication and practical techniques for capturing powerful images using everyday devices such as smartphones.

Facilitators of the workshop (Left to right): Neil Bennett, Tim Winkler

This practical learning experience was designed to build the confidence and capability of alumni to visually tell the story of their Australia Awards journey and its impact.

Session one introduced participants to the foundations of visual storytelling—an increasingly important medium for communicating development outcomes to diverse audiences. This session covered identifying and understanding audiences, photography fundamentals, strategic use of images to communicate impact, planning a visual story, crafting effective captions, and using a smartphone to capture professional-quality images. The Australia Awards team also provided guidance on consent, ethical photography practices and Australia Awards photographic guidelines.

At the end of the first session, alumni were invited to complete a practical project by capturing one to three images that conveyed the story of their personal or professional development through Australia Awards. Participants submitted their photos within five days for the trainers to review ahead of the second session.

At the second session, the trainers showcased select images submitted by alumni. Around 10 photos were explored in depth during the live session, creating a collaborative and reflective space. Alumni shared the stories behind their images—why they captured the moment, the message they intended to communicate and the outcomes represented. The trainers provided expert feedback on composition, lighting, framing and the strategic use of imagery for impactful storytelling.

The workshop resonated strongly with alumni seeking to deepen their professional communication practices. Indian alumna Dr Kavitha Kasala shared that the session “highlighted how visuals can translate complex stories into powerful messages that truly connect with people”, noting that she learnt how effective imagery can be created “using a simple iPhone”.

Reflecting on the overall experience of the workshop, Pakistani alumnus Dr Imran Aziz Tunio said, “It was an insightful experience that deepened my understanding of storytelling. The workshop not only strengthened my knowledge but also inspired me to share these learnings within my community.”

Both the visual storytelling workshop and the written storytelling initiative delivered earlier in 2026 will help alumni prepare to take part in an upcoming storytelling competition in commemoration of the 75^th anniversary of the Colombo Plan. The Colombo Plan initiated the Australian Government’s support for students from South and South-East Asia to attend Australian universities and technical colleges—support that is continued today by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. With strengthened capacities in both written and visual storytelling, alumni are better positioned to showcase transformative outcomes from their Australia Awards journeys.

Both the visual storytelling workshop and the written storytelling initiative delivered earlier in 2026 supported alumni to prepare entries for the Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia Alumni Impact Competition, marking the 75th anniversary of the Colombo Plan. The Colombo Plan initiated the Australian Government’s support for students from South and South-East Asia to attend Australian universities and technical colleges—support that is continued today by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. With strengthened capacities in both written and visual storytelling, alumni are better positioned to showcase transformative outcomes from their Australia Awards journeys.

Further details on the Alumni Impact Competition, including how to enter, are available here.