Future of Communities: Power to the People Conference, Melbourne, 2014

This year the ‘Future of Communities – Power to the People’ Conference was held on the 15th & 16th October in Melbourne.

The event was a great learning and networking experience with participants and presenters from all over the world – Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA, Canada and East Timor. We would like to thank all the presenters and participants for their contributions.

Below is a list of presentations available for download:

Plenary presentations (Wednesday, 15th October)

Deepening Community: finding joy together in chaotic times
  • Phil Koperberg, former NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner and 2013/14 Blue Mountains Fire Recovery Co-ordinator. Phil spoke on the theme ‘Out of the Ashes – Bushfire Recovery Download Presentation
  • Peter Kenyon, Director, Bank of IDEAS reflecting on the Christchurch earthquakes – a time of devastation but perhaps also an opportunity to view utopia? Download Presentation

 

Paul Born. Paul is the President and co-founder of the Tamarack Institute which since 2001 has provided leadership in Canada on issues of citizen engagement, collaborative leadership and community innovation. (Pre-record) View Presentation

Plenary presentations (Thursday, October 16th)

20 years of ABCD: what is radical about this approach and what difference has it made?

 Introduction by Peter Kenyon

Jim Diers, USA

Denise Bijoux, Manager, Inspiring Communities (NZ)

Cormac Russell, Director, ABCD Europe

 

 

Case Study

The inspiring case study of community engagement in South Invercargill, Janette Malcolm, Co-ordinator, South Alive, South Invercargill, NZ Download Presentation

Workshops

 

Creating a Culture of Community Engagement Across Council

Charlotte Carlish, Executive Manager, Communications and Engagement, City of Subiaco (WA)
Download

Creative Use of Social Media to Engage Disengaged Community

Keren Flavell, Wholesome Media, founder of Town Hall Social
Download

Social capital – how to build it and measure it

Peter Kenyon, Director, Bank of IDEAS
Download

Grass Roots Community ownership

Josephine Lebbing, Denmark (WA), The Empowerment Network)
Download

Is Community Old-Fashioned? What Would A 21st Century Village Look Like?

im Diers, Neighbour Power (Seattle, USA)
Download

Social & Cooperative Enterprise – pathways to market and values based community ventures

Peter Tregilgas, Social Enterprise Director
Download

Using Heritage to Mobilise Community Reinvention – David Wilson, Heritage Futures (NZ) (Presentation coming soon)

Community – A cosmos of conversations, Russell Deal, St Luke’s Innovative Resources (no presentation available)

A special  feature of this year’s Future of Communities – Power to the People’ Conference was the inclusion of Simon Kneebone, one of Australia’s leading social comment cartoonists, who, throughout the event, captured many of the Conference’s themes and learning gems through his drawings. The cartoons were auctioned to all those who attended with proceeds going to a project nominated by one of the participants. Participants were very generous in their bidding and we raised $1950 for Human Care Welfare – an unfunded volunteer run organisation which assists asylum seekers in Sydney with English classes, art, sport, music and L-plate tests. Thanks to Simon Kneebone and all those participants who gave donations. To see more of the cartoons Simon did for the Conference, visit the Bank of IDEAS Facebook page