Shows
Pete's podcast on community developmentIn Remembrance of the late John McKnight - a conversation with Cormac RussellThis 34 minutes episode is a remembrance of the late John McKnight - who died at 92yo, 2.11.24, at home.
Cormac Russell introduces the listener to John, and honours his significant work in community development, civil rights and public health.
This is a story of what Cormac calls 'a sensational life'. There's so much wisdom in this episode and as curator of this podcast, I hope people dip into this wisdom tradition and pause to remember John's life.
Also, here is Cormac's more personal eulogy to John: https://vimeo.com/1040452609/759698ca86?share=copy
...
2025-01-1433 minPete's podcast on community developmentA conversation with Dr Jamie Gorman on community development and environmental justiceTune into this delightful 40 minute conversation with Jamie, on Arrernte Country (in Alice Springs) about community development and environmental justice. We riff off a few topics, but the core of this conversation is a story of Jamie accompanying and learning from a community in Ireland as it struggles against fracking. It's a rich conversation, and in my reflections really foregrounds the importance of community development practitioners acquiring political literacies.
For those interested, Jamie refers to:
1. The Commons Social Change Library article: https://commonslibrary.org/how-to-beat-the-fracking-frenzy/#5_key_rooting_strategies
2. A community development journal article...
2024-06-2939 minPete's podcast on community developmentThe Future of Community DevelopmentThis is a 7 minute keynote at the 2023 Community Development Queensland Conference on the future of community development, by Peter Westoby. It was part of a panel of four people. This was recorded by a friend in the audience, so not perfect audio. Many people have enjoyed this short talk, particularly the 3rd point, so enjoy it as a podcast.
2024-03-0407 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #3 with Jennifer Buchanan and Dr David Palmer on their journey working with indigenous AustraliansIn this 3rd yarn we explore the 'work' needed, or the practice, of preparing to be welcomed onto country.
Check these out on ethics and Listening
Buchanan, J., Collard, L. & Palmer, D. (2018). Ngapartji ngapartji ninti and koorliny karnya quoppa katitjin (Respectful and ethical research in central Australia and the south west). Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts [Special Issue: Ethical relationships, ethical research in Aboriginal contexts: Perspectives from central Australia], 23, 32-50. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18793/LCJ2018.23.04
Buchanan, J., Collard, L., Palmer, D. (2019) Koorliny birniny, ni, quoppa katatjin...
2023-11-1127 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #2 with Dr David Palmer and Jennifer Buchanan about their journey working with Indigenous AustraliansThis second conversation explored arriving on 'country', being growled at, and listening practices. (And this time, apologies for Dave's big sneezes). The yarn moves from listening as a practice to a set of practices. A 9-fold framework of listening is explored among others.
Listening as a set of practices:
Goddard,C. 1996. Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara to English Dictionary [Revised 2nd edition]. Alice Springs: Institute for Aboriginal Development. 306pp.
Ellis, Elizabeth Marrkilyi ; Green, Jennifer ; Kral, Inge (2019): In the Time of Their Lives. Wangka kutjupa-kutjuparringu: How talk has changed in the Western Desert. The Australian National University...
2023-11-0427 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #1 with Dr Dave Palmer and Jennifer Buchanan about their journey into working with indigenous AustraliansA first conversation with Dave and Jen (both from Western Australia, teaching/writing about community development at Murdoch University) about their journey into working with indigenous Australians (And sorry about the phone beeping in the middle :)) The yarn focuses on 'becoming family', language and other practices. Some ideas referenced in the yarn can be further explored here:
Noongarpedia site
https://incubator.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wp/nys/Keny_mia
Buchanan Jennie, Collard Len, Cumming Ingrid, Palmer David, Scott Kim and Hartley John. "Kaya wandjoo ngala Noongarpedia – Welcome to our Noongarpedia" Cultural Science Journal 9, no.1 (2016): 1-2...
2023-10-2822 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #3 with Richard Warner - on taking community enterprises/cooperatives to scale - the journey of meta-methodIn this 3rd conversation between Peter Westoby and Richard Warner, we explore the meta-level work of taking innovative and effective social enterprise work to scale. Scaling-up is contrasted with scaling-across and horizontal learning approaches. Richard shares stories of Nundah Community Enterprise Co-op's experiments in going to scale - including the Community Enterprise Initiative in partnership with Community Praxis Co-op, and the work of Queensland Social Enterprise Council (celebrating its 10 year anniversary this year).
2023-05-1922 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #2 with Richard Warner, Co-ordinator/CEO of Nundah Community Enterprise Co-op - on why the cooperative model and some key lessons in 25 yearsIn this 2nd conversation between Peter Westoby and Richard Warner, Richard explains why the cooperative model was chosen for their social enterprise. We then discuss some key lessons from the 25 year journey of the Nundah Community Enterprise Co-op - such as: maintaining the practice of listening/the centrality of people's voices; balancing participation and productivity; becoming financially literate (building capacity through the enterprise system - and Richard makes a confession); and working from an organisational framework.
2023-05-1324 min
Critical Conversations for Social WorkSeason Final: Episode 6 (Part B): What’s That Word Again? Conscienti…..sationJean and QUT student Jane discuss the previous conversation between Peter Westoby and Teddy around critical pedagogy in Community Development. Jane and Jean unpack some of the concepts from Friere’s pedagogy and how these have been linked to community development practices. The role of critical and creative pedagogy and how to practise critical reflection, reflexivity and questioning our assumptions when working with community are explored. They speak to the importance for practitioners to find ways to work with community members to equalise the relationship of power yet to also raise community consciousness about the social, political, economic, historical an...
2023-05-1040 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #1 with Richard Warner, Co-ordinator/CEO of Nundah Community Enterprise Co-op - on an inspirational story of social enterprise and community developmentIn this first of three conversations between Peter Westoby and Richard Warner we scaffold the conversation acknowledging that the two cooperatives we work for - Community Praxis Co-op and Nundah Community Enterprise Co-op - are celebrating their 25th year anniversaries. We link the celebration with the 50th anniversary of E. F. Schumacher's Small is Beautiful (1973) - 'economics as if people matter'. Richard then shares the story of the co-op, moving from:
- the micro-level of stories/listening to people's lived experience,
- to the mezzo-level of a small group of people living with cognitive and...
2023-05-0620 minCritical Conversations for Social WorkEpisode 6 (Part A): Unearthing Community Conversations: Freire’s Critical PedagogyIn this episode, Peter Westoby, a passionate community development worker and former educator at QUT with a career spanning 22 years introduces crew member Teddy to the creative ways Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy has supported him in his community development and education practice. Among other insightful ideas, highlighted is his use of Freire’s concept of codification and the need for love and dialogue in community development. Peter gives examples from his own practice experiences with the intention to ‘start with the people, but not stay with the people’.
Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EFaCseIxls_bARG8Ptr...
2023-05-0332 minPete's podcast on community developmentFinal and fifth episode on Three Rivers Flowing - a conversation between Dr Lynda Shevellar and Peter Westoby at the official Brisbane book launch on 18th April 2023In this 5th and final episode on Three Rivers Flowing, Dr Lynda Shevellar officially launches the book through a delightful conversation with Peter Westoby. Taking some slightly new angles Lynda explores 'Why Now?' with Peter (why did you write this book) and what it can offer community development practitioners. There's a fresh exploration of what the phenomenological step means, how we practice 'sitting on the rim' (both inside a social process, yet trying to observe it), and we see 'whole systems' shaping our practice.
2023-04-2233 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #4 about the book Three Rivers Flowing, Peter Westoby and Rachael Donovan discuss elemental #4 - Expanding ConsciousnessIn this 4th episode on the book Three Rivers Flowing Rachael and Peter explore the fourth and final elemental - expanding consciousness. In this episode Peter explains how expanding consciousness requires: 1. Historical work - seeing how the past haunts and makes sense of much of the present; 2. Humble work - to see with others is a necessity (alone is very limiting); 3. Holistic seeing - moving from the parts to the whole (in a group, community, organisation, social systems such as patriarchy) and 4. The hermeneutic reversal (shifting from wilful seeing/sensing to receptivity with all the disruptions that might unfold).
2023-04-1223 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #3 on the book Three Rivers Flowing - Peter Westoby and Rachael Donovan explore the 2nd and 3rd elementals, aliveness and working from the inside-out of a social phenomenonIn this 3rd episode exploring my new book Three Rivers Flowing, we talk about the practice of aliveness and what it means in the social field. Being both in the moment and in movement, as well as setting/holding a clear intention are crucial. Sitting on the rim between plans and being responsive and receptive indicate a quality of alive social practice. The conversation then explores what it means to work from the inside-out as opposed to importing or imposing social packages onto groups, communities and organisations. We finish with 'touching the whole' as a key part of aliveness.
2023-03-3023 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #2 with Peter Westoby and Rachael Donovan - on the book Three Rivers Flowing & Elemental One on Observation and the Faculty of Seeing/SensingIn this 2nd episode on Three Rivers Flowing, Peter discusses Elemental One on observation and developing the faculty of seeing and sensing and their importance in the social and ecological fields.
The book can be purchased from all major book retailers:
https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Phenomenological-Reflective-Practice-Ecological/dp/0367631288
2023-03-2222 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #1 with Peter Westoby and Rachael Donovan on Peter's new book 'Three Rivers Flowing' - exploring phenomenological reflective practice for community development workers.In this first of 4 conversations, Peter shares what the three rivers are of Three Rivers Flowing - dialogue, soul and reflective practice. Rachael asks about the meaning of phenomenology and what it can mean in the social field. The history of the book, linked to The Proteus Initiative and Allan Kaplan's Artists of the Invisible are explained. The book is being launched in Brisbane on April 18th so get in touch if you'd like to come along (or check out Peter's Linkedin), or purchase the book via Routledge: https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Phenomenological-Reflective-Practice-Ecological/dp/0367631288/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding...
2023-03-1626 minPete's podcast on community developmentCormac Russell conversation #2 on his new book (co-authored with John McKnight) The Connected CommunityIn this second twenty minute conversation, Cormac explains the three-fold compass of the book: Discover, Connect, Mobilise; and the seven key functions of a community (you'll have to read it folks). Interwoven wth stories and ideas, this conversation has got me off to my local library insisting that the book is available there for local residents and citizens to read.
2023-03-0821 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #1 with Cormac Russell on his new book (co-authored with John McKnight) The Connected Community: Discovering the Health, Wealth, and Power of NeighbourhoodsIn this 21 minute episode, Cormac introduced us to his 'writing practice' (an unplanned conversation) and then the key intentions of this new book. Albeit, Peter sees it as a comprehensive 'resource' for mobilising citizen action in neighbourhoods. Cormac is the founder of Nurture Development, and he works locally and globally. More information about this new book is available here: https://theconnected.community/
2023-03-0120 min
Pete's podcast on community developmentConversation #3 with Dr Jacques Boulet - on how social media impacts on the 'caring economy'This 23 minute episode, a conversation between Peter and Jacques really goes to the heart of some contemporary challenges. The 'social' world of community sits 'between' the individual and institutions. Yet the social is being eroded. Linking the phenomenon of social media to the decreasing capacities for attention and presence, we explore how to restore respectful relationships in a caring economy. Questions are asked such as, how do we reinvest in time in places, relationships, conversations with full presence? Why is this so important? How do we restore the quality of the social-community spaces? I felt super alive in this...
2022-06-1923 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #2 with Dr Jacques Boulet - on community development and the caring economyIn this 23 minute conversation Jacques and Peter respond to the question posed in the 1st episode - what is a new story for our economy? As such we explore the 'story' of a caring economy - and riffing off the new book The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow, Jacques provides an historical overview and invites us to think about a different kind of relationality - with one another and nature.
2022-06-1122 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #1 with Dr Jacques Boulet - on the community economies tradition and community developmentWhat a delightful conversation - on why community economics is a crucial part of CD history, and why it's more important than ever now. In this 23 minute yarn an almost 80 year old Jacques (from Borderlands Cooperative, recovering academic and editor of Australia's Community Journal) and Peter discuss issues such as the meaning of economy/ecology, examples of community economics and how we must examine the principles of a brutal hyper-capitalism as we search for new forms of gift-obligation community economics.
2022-06-0423 min
Decentered Media PodcastDecentered Media Podcast 121 – Community Development with Peter WestobyCommunity development isn’t just a technical process of change management, but is something that aims to enrich our lives in more meaningful ways. This episode is a conversation with Peter Westoby about how can we enrich our outlook on community development to gain deeper insights into our meaningful connection with ourselves, our communities, and the world we are part of?
Peter describes how his “journey of social practice” has been “deeply shaped by three powerful rivers.” The first of which shapes the flow of dialogue, which has informed decades of Peter’s community and social development practice. Th...
2022-05-311h 02Pete's podcast on community developmentConversation #3 with Professor Sue Kenny on community development and a response to right wing populismIn this 20 minute conversation Peter and Sue continue to explore the importance of strengthening civil society as a response to right wing populism. With relief we riff off the Australian election labour party win (with women/independents/green resurgences), foregrounding local strategies such as kitchen table conversations - places where people can really listen and discuss - not debate with a view to winning arguments. Part of the work of community development practice includes fostering these civil society spaces of learning (and unlearning) and learning the 'manners' of engaging a broader inclusive community (that expands historically).
2022-05-2820 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #2 with Professor Sue Kenny - community development practitioners responding to right-wing populismIn this 2nd episode on our series on right ring populism and community development, Sue Kenny discusses the significance of strengthening civil society. Then, drawing on the story of Putin's rise to power in Russia, Sue explains some of her personal story of seeing civil society gradually closed down there - a classic way that right wing populists draw from their own 'playbook'. We finally consider the intersections of populism and privatisation - economic interests.
2022-05-2220 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #1 with Professor Sue Kenny - the seduction of right wing populismIn this first conversation on right-wing populism and community development, Professor Sue Kenny explains the key characteristics of right-wing populism (mentioning left-wing too), and we explore why it's so important to understand for community development practitioners. Sue, with fire-in-the-belly, starts to describe the difference between community development ways of thinking and populist ways.
2022-05-1422 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #3 with Charlie McConnell - dreams and aspirations to support professionalisation of CD globallyIn this 3rd and final 23 minute conversation Charlie talks about some of his dreams and aspirations to support the professionalisation of the CD practice profession around the world. We finish riffing off one another - foregrounding the need to hold BOTH CD as a movement and a profession. Disclaimer - as Charlie says upfront, in any mention of the International Association of Community Development (IACD) he is not speaking in any official capacity (they're Charlie's personal views).
2022-05-0823 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #2 with Charlie McConnell - the possibilities and challenges of professionalisation of community developmentRiffing off one another for 20 minutes Charlie McConnell and Peter explore the the possibilities and challenges of professionalisation of community development. As a starting point Charlie describes what he was saying in his opening chapter of the new IACD book (International Community Development Practice, Routledge, 2022), 'The Making of an Empowering Profession'. Peter and Charlie then briefly explore what is needed in the professional development space - not just CD workers, but managers, policy makers and so forth.
2022-04-3019 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #1 with Charlie McConnell - on the new IACD book International Community Development Practice - why a professional?This 1st of three 20 minute conversations introduces the listener to Charlie McConnell. Charlie's had a long long history in CD; was a past president of the International Association of Community Development (IACD), has worked for Schumacher College, the CD Foundation, Carnegie Trust and has been instrumental in national training standards for CD in the UK. In this episode we catch a glimpse of Charlie's early days in CD world, and begin to discuss why there is a need for CD professionalisation.
2022-04-2323 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #3 with Cormac Russell - 'community' as a better narrative than institutionsIn this 3rd part of our 1 hour conversation Cormac Russell explores community as a better narrative than ones institutions provide, moving from discovery to connecting elements of our practice. Telling stories, sharing wisdom, expressing some anger, Cormac provides some potent and poignant analysis of what ABCD approaches to CD can offer. Listeners can learn more by googling Cormac's work, checking out his web site www.nurturedevelopment.org (which curates a huge array of free resources), buying the book Rekindling Democracy (and also looking out for his latest in September - The Connected Community).
2022-03-2621 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #2 with Cormac Russell - 'Services supplement a life, but don't a life make'In this 2nd part of our 1 hour conversation, Cormac Russell chats with Peter Westoby about the ABCD 'model' and some of the challenges of institutional assumptions and how community development or/and community offers a different way forward. We also start to explicitly draw on Cormac's new book with John McKnight, The Connected Community, which offers a profoundly accessible framework of practice.
2022-03-1921 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #1 with Cormac Russell - his journey in discovering ABCDIn this first episode (21 mins) of a 1 hour conversation (split into 3 episodes), Cormac Russell shares personal and professional parts of his story in discovering community development, particularly the assets-based-community-development (ABCD) 'model'. Loved every minute of this, riffing between Australia and Ireland. I can't wait to meet Cormac over a pint of Guinness in Dublin one day.
2022-03-1221 minPete's podcast on community developmentConversation #3 with Dee Brooks - the global ABCD movementIn this 3rd and final 24 minute conversation between Peter Westoby and Dee Brooks (Jeder Institute), Dee talks about what some of the global movement looks like, why it is growing (and has been for a number of decades), some of the risks (cookie-cutter/monetising), some of the key questions the movement is grappling with, and also how people can connect into it.
2022-03-0523 minPete's podcast on community developmentInterview #2 with Dee Brooks - the 'heart and soul' of the ABCD approach to community developmentIn this 21 minute episode Peter and Dee explore what the ABCD approach to community development is. Not the '101' version, but the heart and soul of it. Dee describes how she discovered this approach, explains the 'what', gives a story (a key asset in itself). Finally Dee invites people to join the movement (check out Jeder Institute website; or )
2022-02-2721 minPete's podcast on community developmentIn Conversation #1 with Dee Brooks - finding her way to the ABCD Tradition of Community DevelopmentIn this first of three conversations between Peter Westoby and Dee Brooks (The Jeder Institute), the listener gets to meet Dee the person. Dee, an Oceania representative of the International Association of Community Development (IACD) and a director of the Jeder Institute (bringing the ABCD approach into the world) is a natural story-teller - and here she explores her initial journey into youth work, community development and then a significant 5-year nomadic chapter of her life.
2022-02-1920 minPete's podcast on community developmentCD as engaging with difference, the 'enemy' in our communities - interview #3 with Dave AndrewsIn this conversation, Peter Westoby and Dave Andrews explore Dave's experiences and insight into working across difference. Bouncing of Adam Kahane's book Collaborating with the Enemy, Dave tells stories about his work - particularly interfaith dialogue since 9/11.
2022-02-1216 minPete's podcast on community developmentCD as a vocational and radical-revolutionary profession - interview #2 with Dave AndrewsThis 2nd episode, as a conversation between Peter Westoby and Dave Andrews, explores Dave's take on how community development practitioners understand their work as amateur (for the love of it), radical and revolutionary. The conversation also considers how we 'de-professionalise' ourselves and work within organisations increasingly concerned with professional roles, boundaries, compliance and so forth.
2022-02-0516 minPete's podcast on community developmentCommunity Development as Love and Justice - Interview #1 with Dave AndrewsDave Andrews, a long-term community worker, has inspired many others with his writing, his local neighbourhood and international development work. With well over 40 years of experience (in places such as Afghanistan, India and Australia), he has been a mentor to myself and many other young aspiring social change workers. Check out this 19 minute interview with Dave, and I'd say the take home message for me is: 'if you love community you destroy community; if you love people you build community'.
2022-01-3018 minPete's podcast on community developmentEpisode 6 Traditions and Wisdom in Community Development - E.F. Schumcher 'small is beautiful'In this 21 minutes [yes, slightly long, apologies] episode, Peter and Tina explore the rich contribution of E. F. (Fritz) Schumacher, who wrote the seminal book Small Is Beautiful (1973). This book and Schumacher's thinking on small vs. gigantic, Buddhist Economics, and appropriate technology, pathed the way for what we now think of as the Community Economic Development (CED) Tradition. We invite community development workers to become economically literate and add CED to their social and justice efforts.
2022-01-2221 minPete's podcast on community developmentEpisode 5: Traditions and wisdom in community development - bell hooks, 'I came to theory because of my pain...'In this 5th episode, the first of 2022, Peter Westoby and Tina Lathouras pay tribute to bell hooks, who died at the age of 66 in 2021, and also explore three of her key ideas and what they mean for community development. The three ideas include: 'I came to theory because of my pain', the 'work of love' and the 'problem of systems and cultures of domination and white supremacy thinking' (intersecting across racism, sexism, capitalism...).
2022-01-1519 minPete's podcast on community developmentWrap up of 2021 - leaning into 2022In this 7 minute episode Peter Westoby wraps up for the 2021 podcast series, quickly reminding listeners of the importance of dialogue, soul, participatory work and wisdom/traditions. Peter explains what we'll kick off with in 2022, and invites feedback/ideas from listeners. As such, if you have any ideas about what you'd like Peter to bring to 2022 please contact him on peter@communitypraxis.org
2021-12-1106 minPete's podcast on community developmentEpisode 4: Traditions and Wisdoms - Arundhati Roy and Jane AddamsIn this 19 minute conversation between Peter Westoby and Tina Lathouras we explore a couple of contributions for community development thinking from Arundhati Roy (with the mantra 'don't fragment solidarity') and Jane Addams (with the mantra 'practice mutual accompaniment).
2021-12-0419 minPete's podcast on community developmentEpisode 3: Traditions and Wisdoms - Vandana Shiva and Gustavo EstevaThis 19 minute conversation between Tina Lathouras and Peter Westoby explores the work of Vandana Shiva (with the mantra 'be a seed saver') and Gustavo Esteva (with the mantra, 'deprofessionalise ourselves'). There are many connections between these two living practitioner-thinkers, including the Gandhian tradition of nonviolent resistance and commoning.
2021-11-2718 minPete's podcast on community developmentEpisode 2: Traditions and Wisdoms for Community Development - Paulo Freire and Fran PeaveyIn this 18 minute conversation Peter Westoby and Tina Lathouras again explore the popular education traditions and the mantras 'start with the people, but don't stay with the people' (Paulo Freire) and 'questions are the art of the gentle revolution (Fran Peavey). Mixed with some stories from Nepal and Australia, Peter and Tina think about the art of questioning.
2021-11-2018 minPete's podcast on community developmentEpisode 1: Traditions and wisdoms for Community Development - Myles Horton/Paulo Freire - 'Education First, Organising Second'In this first episode of Series 4, Peter Westoby and Tina (Athena) Lathouras explore the role of traditions and wisdom's/mantra's in thinking about, and reflecting on community development practice. We focus on the popular education tradition, particularly Myles Horton contribution - and the mantra of 'education first, organising second'.
2021-11-1320 minPete's podcast on community developmentParticipatory Community Development - Meta Method (episode 6)In this 17 minute final episode on participatory community development Anthony Kelly explains meta-method - working beyond and alongside, breaking down borders, boundaries and walls. It's working 'beyond the local', structurally building alliances, federations; but is mainly a mindset. This brings an end to our series on participatory community development. Look out next week for the start of Series 4 with Dr Athena (Tina) Lathouras exploring the role of 'traditions and mantra's in reflective practice' (which builds on the book 40 Critical Thinkers in Community Development).
2021-11-0617 minPete's podcast on community developmentParticipatory Community Development - Macro-MethodIn this 20 minute episode Anthony Kelly talks to Peter about this most important level of the method-framework - macro-method. Focusing on: 1. how the authority structures (elected and appointed) need to understand the difference between a service-delivery program and a participatory program; 2. the 4 principles of macro-method; and 3. how to incorporate a participatory development program into an organisation that is historically oriented towards service delivery.
2021-10-3019 minPete's podcast on community developmentParticipatory Community Development - Mezzo Method #2 - the 7 steps of mezzoIn 27 minutes Anthony Kelly and Peter Westoby explore the 7 steps of mezzo method - a way for workers to work within small groups. As Anthony says, 'the most exciting part of the method', which includes people sharing stories, discovering the resources, shaping a framework with the people, and finding a pathway forward for action.
2021-10-2327 minPete's podcast on community developmentParticipatory Community Development - Mezzo Method #1In this 18 minute episode Anthony Kelly and Peter Westoby explore the craft of mezzo group - participatory groups. Building on the implicate and micro-level practice, we explore how we work intentionally with the small group in communities (sub-community of 3-12/20 people) - the mezzo (mezzanine), between household and whole village/neighbourhood. We examine the what, why, the types of mezzo-groups (self-help etc.) and then the role of people/leaders/experts in the mezzo.
2021-10-1718 minPete's podcast on community developmentParticipatory Community Development - Micro MethodIn this 16 minutes conversation Rachael Donovan and Peter Westoby explore the 2nd level of participatory community development - micro-method. Focusing on relationship building, micro-method aims for the worker and community member to be 'alongside' one another, experiencing a sense of solidarity. The episode particularly focuses on the micro-method principle of 'to see what the people see', including the profound difficulties of this in everyday practice.
2021-10-1016 minPete's podcast on community developmentParticipatory Community Development - Implicate MethodIn this 2nd episode of the series on participatory community development, Peter Westoby interviews Anthony Kelly exploring additional introductory comments and also implicate method (the first of the five levels of practice in this method framework).
2021-10-0219 minPete's podcast on community developmentIntroduction to Participatory Community Development [development practice]In episode #1 of this new series - which will include a number of interviews/conversations with Peter Westoby, Rachael Donovan and Anthony Kelly - we introduce Participatory Community Development (CD) as an approach to social change. This 14 minute interview considers the differences between service delivery and participatory CD, introduces what a framework is, and particularly the 'method framework' that this series will explore in depth: implicate, micro, mezzo, macro, meta. The series explores the content of the 2018 book by Anthony Kelly & Peter Westoby Participatory Development Practice: Using traditional and contemporary frameworks (Practical Action Press).
2021-09-2514 minPete's podcast on community developmentSoul-force and Community Development: Gandhi and TagoreIn this fourth and final episode on Soul and Community Development (CD), Rachael Donovan and Peter Westoby consider first the Gandhian tradition of CD, particularly the contributions of nonviolence, collective resistance, self-governance and economic self-reliance; and second R. Tagore's bringing together of the poetic and political work, rescuing the 'soul from the Great Machine world'.
2021-09-1713 minPete's podcast on community developmentColonisation of the soulIn this 3rd episode of the Soul and Community Development (CD) series, Rachael Donovan and Peter Westoby have a 15 minute conversation about colonisation of the soul, resistance and what it all means for CD workers/thinkers. The conversation explores the 'politics of attention' within capitalist economics and also focuses on "Bifo's" work around soul and the contemporary workplaces where most of our creative energies are directed - leaving little 'in the tank' for community and convivial life. Soul, felt as gravity in the body summons us to follow 'the nudge of the soul'.
2021-09-1115 minPete's podcast on community development'Soul of the World' perspective on community developmentThis second episode in the Soul and Community Development series focuses on what James Hillman calls 'Soul of the World'. This ensouling the world perspective, focusing on the role of the sensory organ of the heart in rigorous observation and imagination (to see/sense images/metaphors/symbols to make sense of a social phenomena) is explored in an 11 minute conversation between Peter Westoby and Rachael Donovan, a community practitioner working in SE Queensland.
2021-09-0411 minPete's podcast on community developmentSoul and community developmentThis is the first episode of my short 4 part series on Soul and Community Development. Building on my two books Creating Us: Community work with soul, and Soul, Community and Social Change, we explore what I mean by soul, drawing on the depth psychology tradition (C. Jung, James Hillman, Mary Watkins, Marian Woodman) and consider what it all might mean for community development. It's exciting stuff - from the heights of the Icarus Myth to the depths of Covid ruins.
2021-08-2815 minPete's podcast on community developmentConclusion: Reflections on the Place of DialogueThis is a final 9 minute conversation between Anthony Kelly and Peter Westoby on the power and limits of dialogue. It wraps up this first series on dialogue and community development. Stay tuned for the next 4 podcasts over the next 4 Sunday's on Soul and Community Development.
2021-08-2109 minPete's podcast on community developmentDialogue Skill #4: Changing the Story, but Always with PermissionA 12 minutes conversation between Anthony Kelly and Peter Westoby on Skill #4 in dialogue theory and practice - understanding how to change the story through four types of grammatical variance, and always doing this with permission to ensure ownership by the people.
2021-08-1412 minPete's podcast on community developmentDialogue Skill #3: Discovering the Pathway ForwardA 9 minute conversation between Peter Westoby and Anthony Kelly on skill #3 in dialogue theory and practice - managing the text in dialogue through unearthing and working with key words or heurisms.
2021-08-0708 minPete's podcast on community developmentDialogue Skill #2: Nurturing the Thread of TrustThis is a ten minute conversation between Peter Westoby and Anthony Kelly on skill #2 in dialogue theory and practice - understanding the three movements that enable bonding and trust-building. It's a beauty, and requires practice and intention :)
2021-07-3110 minPete's podcast on community developmentDialogue Skill #1: Text, commentary, subtextThis is episode 2 in this delightful first series on dialogue. It's an eleven minute conversation between myself and Anthony Kelly on skill #1 in dialogue theory and practice - understanding the difference between text, commentary and subtext.
2021-07-2411 minPete's podcast on community developmentIntroduction: what is dialogue?This is a short conversation between Peter Westoby and Anthony Kelly on What is Dialogue, and Who it could be helpful for. This is the first episode in our season on the contribution of dialogue theory and practice in different social and ecological fields.
2021-07-1906 min
Align in the Sound - New Economy Network / Radio BTL / CoCanberraHistory Of New Economy Movements - Peter Westoby - NENA17-7.1Since its formation at 2016's Building the New Economy conference, put on by AELA and the UNSW law school, the New Economy Network Australia (NENA) has been building itself.
The first New Economy Network Australia conference was held from 1st - 3rd September 2017 in Brisbane.
Behind the Lines Radio, broadcasting through Community Radio 2XXFM in Canberra, frantically ran around for 3 days trying to capture as much of it as possible.
If you like hearing about the positive side of life, please support us at http://www.2xxfm.org.au/ - donate, subscribe, volunteer!
Find out more about NENA at neweconomy...
2017-09-1114 min