EPISODE · Jan 14, 2026 · 38 MIN
3. From Hot Mess to Regenerative Future: the Imagine Northern Rivers Project with Carmen Stewart
from Voices of the New Economy · host New Economy Network Australia
When we talk about the future, many of us can describe a dystopia in vivid detail – climate chaos, social breakdown, rising costs of living – but struggle to imagine a future that is safe, regenerative and worth living in.In this episode of Voices of the New Economy, Tiyana speaks with Carmen Stewart, regenerative futures practitioner and lead of Imagine Northern Rivers. Carmen has been working with communities across the Northern Rivers region to ask a deceptively simple question: what kind of future do we want for a child born today – and what would it take to get there?Together they explore Joanna Macy’s framing of “business as usual”, “the great unravelling” and “the great turning”; why language and story matter for systems change; and what emerges when diverse locals – from farmers to church groups to activists – imagine their shared future in place. Carmen shares early insights from the Imagine Northern Rivers project, including strong community calls for local food systems, circular and nature-based economies, and deeply connected neighbourhoods.This conversation is for anyone feeling stuck between doom and business-as-usual, and wondering how to begin the work of regeneration where they live.Voices of the New Economy is a collaborative storytelling project of NENA. The podcast is produced by the Humanitarian Changemakers Network (HCN), an Anchor Organisation of NENA, as part of its commitment to strengthening economic literacy, amplifying community innovation, and supporting pathways to systemic change. Each episode features researchers, practitioners, organisers, and everyday changemakers working across disciplines and communities to re-imagine how our economies can serve people and planet.LISTEN & EXPLORE FURTHERA full companion article for this episode is available here.Connect with NENA: Website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedInConnect with Humanitarian Changemakers Network (HCN): Website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedInGet involved: NENA members and friends are warmly invited to participate in the podcast — as interviewees, storytellers, or contributors to the NENA Storytelling Hub. To get involved, visit the Hub page or email: [email protected]
What this episode covers
When we talk about the future, many of us can describe a dystopia in vivid detail – climate chaos, social breakdown, rising costs of living – but struggle to imagine a future that is safe, regenerative and worth living in.In this episode of Voices of the New Economy, Tiyana speaks with Carmen Stewart, regenerative futures practitioner and lead of Imagine Northern Rivers. Carmen has been working with communities across the Northern Rivers region to ask a deceptively simple question: what kind of future do we want for a child born today – and what would it take to get there?Together they explore Joanna Macy’s framing of “business as usual”, “the great unravelling” and “the great turning”; why language and story matter for systems change; and what emerges when diverse locals – from farmers to church groups to activists – imagine their shared future in place. Carmen shares early insights from the Imagine Northern Rivers project, including strong community calls for local food systems, circular and nature-based economies, and deeply connected neighbourhoods.This conversation is for anyone feeling stuck between doom and business-as-usual, and wondering how to begin the work of regeneration where they live.Voices of the New Economy is a collaborative storytelling project of NENA. The podcast is produced by the Humanitarian Changemakers Network (HCN), an Anchor Organisation of NENA, as part of its commitment to strengthening economic literacy, amplifying community innovation, and supporting pathways to systemic change. Each episode features researchers, practitioners, organisers, and everyday changemakers working across disciplines and communities to re-imagine how our economies can serve people and planet.LISTEN & EXPLORE FURTHERA full companion article for this episode is available here.Connect with NENA: Website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedInConnect with Humanitarian Changemakers Network (HCN): Website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedInGet involved: NENA members and friends are warmly invited to participate in the podcast — as interviewees, storytellers, or contributors to the NENA Storytelling Hub. To get involved, visit the Hub page or email: [email protected]
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3. From Hot Mess to Regenerative Future: the Imagine Northern Rivers Project with Carmen Stewart
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