Cowork Coplay Australia

Cowork Coplay Australia

Coworking programs focused on career & community with child care

Express your interest in participating in a program OR partner with us to deliver a program

Career development and community support

Cowork Coplay - Connection, Career, Child Care

Cowork Coplay programs revolutionise the way organisations deliver career development and community building support.

We provide organisations with end-to-end, tailored coworking programs for participants to focus on their career, wellbeing and community connection. (And there’s child care for those who want it.)

Cowork Coplay has been designed specifically to serve the needs of the Defence and ex-Defence family community. But it has wider appeal for adults, parents or not, from all walks of life wanting to engage in professional activities.

Focus on your career with Cowork Coplay

Delivering tailored programs that provide career support and community building with child care.
Boosting wellbeing, morale and professional development, to serve the needs of the Defence and veteran community.

Our Current Programs

Adelaide program

Cowork Coplay: Adelaide sponsored by Veterans SA.

Find out more about Adelaide

Perth program

Cowork Coplay: Perth, sponsored as a trial for Navy partners.

Find out more about Perth

Cowork Coplay programs address
3 core challenges

1

Lack of time to pursue career development and meaningful work

often leading to associated feelings of disempowerment and lack of agency over one’s career choices.
1

Isolation from community and family supports

often as a result of frequent postings.
1

Limited access to flexible, affordable child care for young children

Combining the things that matter: meaningful work, community, family.

Work

Kid-free time to pursue
what matters to you

Learn

Acquire and share knowledge
with others

Connect

Meet others in a
supportive environment

What’s in a program?

A program is typically run over 6 or 8 weeks, 1 half-day per week.

Cowork Coplay participants get access to weekly facilitated coworking sessions that include:

Time for you

Access to a welcoming environment and time to pursue meaningful career/employment activities.

Tailored education and self-development

Tailored education and self-development through relevant workshops and guidance from experts/mentors.

Community building and peer learning

Facilitated community building and peer learning; opportunities to form relationships, connections and close friendships.

Accessible child care

Child care: a safe location nearby where their children are cared for (and accessible at all times).

Information about local support

Increased knowledge of existing services, resources and fun things to do in the local area (particularly important for people new to the location).
More about the Program
“In all honesty, Cowork Coplay has given me opportunities I didn’t know existed, new friends who literally live 5 minutes away from me, and time to strategise and plan my goals without the distraction of my children around. I’m incredibly grateful and feel so lucky that I had this opportunity, and think every Defence spouse should be entitled to the same.”

Emma Murray, Adelaide 2023

Who we partner with

Currently Cowork Coplay programs are delivered through partnerships with organisations.

Find out how Cowork Coplay can deliver value for your communities and raise awareness of your services and mission.

Partner with Us
“The Cowork Coplay program has been life-changing. It’s given me a real sense of belonging in the defence community. I’ve been able to connect with other spouses that just ‘get it’.

So often, as defence spouses we are made to feel like our whole life should revolve around the serving member, and little thought is given to our career development. Claire has carefully chosen weekly speakers that help us to identify our career goals and focus on improving our employment prospects.”

Elise Knight, Adelaide 2023

Cowork Coplay News

Contact article: ‘Navy trials free childcare and partner mentoring’

Contact article: ‘Navy trials free childcare and partner mentoring’

A six-week trial provided Navy families with professional mentoring for three hours a week and free childcare at the same location.

From February to March (2024), 15 Navy partners and their children completed the co-located education and childcare trial with ‘Cowork Coplay’ in Rockingham, WA.

Their Stories: Emma

Their Stories: Emma

Welcome to our blog series: Their Stories. We explore what meaningful work and Defence service means to the lives of partners.

Emma Murray participated in the Cowork Coplay Program in Adelaide in 2023. She’s just started a new and exciting role in Project Management after relocating to NSW in January 2025.

Here she shares with us a bit of her background, her experience with with the program and the goals she pursued since. We’re so excited for her next career step!

Claire Harris finalist in 2024 Prime Minister’s National Veteran Employment Awards

Claire Harris finalist in 2024 Prime Minister’s National Veteran Employment Awards

The annual Prime Minister’s National Veteran Employment Awards recognise outstanding contributions of Australian organisations and individuals in supporting veterans and their partners/spouses. The Awards celebrate organisations that have made significant efforts as employers and other categories honour individual veterans and partners who have excelled as employees or entrepreneurs.

Veterans SA report, 2023/2024: A year of impact

Veterans SA report, 2023/2024: A year of impact

Veterans SA has released their report for 2023-2024 on the impact achieved in collaboration with the community over the year. Cowork Coplay is featured. They say: "Veterans SA is proud to have deployed a wide range of initiatives over this time, many which were firsts...