PODCAST · education
Pete's podcast on community development
by Peter Westoby
An exploration of all things community development (CD) in dialogue with citizens and practitioners around the world. Dr Peter Westoby has been on the CD journey for over 30 years, as citizen practitioner, professional and academic. He's published over 60 journal articles and 15 books. He's worked in many countries, including South Africa, Uganda, Australia, Nepal, India, and Vanuatu. He's currently a Director/Senior Social Practitioner with Community Praxis Co-op, a visiting professor at University of the Free State/South Africa and Honorary Associate Prof with Deakin Uni/Australia.
Episodes
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Episode #2 on dialogical community development - the difficulties of dialogue and working with conflict
This second episode in the theory and practice of dialogical community development - a 40 minute conversation between Peter & Rachael - considers: 1. The difficulties for dialogue; 2. The challenge of 'careful conflicting', in which we consider conflict in groups, conflict as part of our…
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Episode #1 - A practice and theory of dialogical community development - opening comments
This 34 minute conversation between Rachael Donovan and Peter Westoby explores the opening frames of the 2009/2014 books on dialogical community development (Tafina Press; Routledge). In the conversation we consider some of the core ideas such as community as dialogue, community as hospitality…
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Community development and the 'invitation'
This is a gentle meandering 24 minute conversation between Dr David Palmer and Dr Peter Westoby about the role of 'the invitation' within community development. It explores why waiting for invitations are important for our practice not imposing ourselves... albeit sometimes we can 'linger within...
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Jacques Derrida and a Community Development Yet-to-Come
This is a 30 minute public lecture Peter gave at Murdoch University, Perth on Thursday 16th April, 2026. It explores: - who Derrida was, - why his deconstructive episteme can be helpful for community development; - some big ideas, such as the haunting of justice; - along with 5 key impasses…
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Supporting citizen-led community development - The Community Builders Journal
This podcast, a 21 minute conversation between Peter Westoby (the host) and Rachael Donovan focuses on The Community Builders Journal, a new resource to support citizens to build community and do 'development' in their streets, neighbourhoods, workplaces or schools. It's a 1 year (or less) guide...
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Towards a contemplative community deveopment practice
This episode considers some ideas from a new book Peter is working on, which includes a contemplative practice to complement critical community development. Peter and Rachael mention some of their other work (see the Community Builders Journal below), but focus on the framework that Peter calls:...
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In Remembrance of the late John McKnight - a conversation with Cormac Russell
This 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...
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A conversation with Dr Jamie Gorman on community development and environmental justice
Tune 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...
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The Future of Community Development
This 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,...
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Conversation #3 with Jennifer Buchanan and Dr David Palmer on their journey working with indigenous Australians
In 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…
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Conversation #2 with Dr David Palmer and Jennifer Buchanan about their journey working with Indigenous Australians
This 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...
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Conversation #1 with Dr Dave Palmer and Jennifer Buchanan about their journey into working with indigenous Australians
A 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'…
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Conversation #3 with Richard Warner - on taking community enterprises/cooperatives to scale - the journey of meta-method
In 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...
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Conversation #2 with Richard Warner, Co-ordinator/CEO of Nundah Community Enterprise Co-op - on why the cooperative model and some key lessons in 25 years
In 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...
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Conversation #1 with Richard Warner, Co-ordinator/CEO of Nundah Community Enterprise Co-op - on an inspirational story of social enterprise and community development
In 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…
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Final 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 2023
In 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…
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Conversation #4 about the book Three Rivers Flowing, Peter Westoby and Rachael Donovan discuss elemental #4 - Expanding Consciousness
In 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....
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Conversation #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 phenomenon
In 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...
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Conversation #2 with Peter Westoby and Rachael Donovan - on the book Three Rivers Flowing & Elemental One on Observation and the Faculty of Seeing/Sensing
In 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:...
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Conversation #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...
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Cormac Russell conversation #2 on his new book (co-authored with John McKnight) The Connected Community
In 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...
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Conversation #1 with Cormac Russell on his new book (co-authored with John McKnight) The Connected Community: Discovering the Health, Wealth, and Power of Neighbourhoods
In 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…
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Conversation #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...
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Conversation #2 with Dr Jacques Boulet - on community development and the caring economy
In 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...
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Conversation #1 with Dr Jacques Boulet - on the community economies tradition and community development
What 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...
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Conversation #3 with Professor Sue Kenny on community development and a response to right wing populism
In 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...
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Conversation #2 with Professor Sue Kenny - community development practitioners responding to right-wing populism
In 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...
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Conversation #1 with Professor Sue Kenny - the seduction of right wing populism
In 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...
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Conversation #3 with Charlie McConnell - dreams and aspirations to support professionalisation of CD globally
In 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....
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Conversation #2 with Charlie McConnell - the possibilities and challenges of professionalisation of community development
Riffing 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…
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Conversation #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...
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Conversation #3 with Cormac Russell - 'community' as a better narrative than institutions
In 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…
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Conversation #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...
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Conversation #1 with Cormac Russell - his journey in discovering ABCD
In 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…
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Conversation #3 with Dee Brooks - the global ABCD movement
In 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...
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Interview #2 with Dee Brooks - the 'heart and soul' of the ABCD approach to community development
In 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…
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In Conversation #1 with Dee Brooks - finding her way to the ABCD Tradition of Community Development
In 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...
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CD as engaging with difference, the 'enemy' in our communities - interview #3 with Dave Andrews
In 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.
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CD as a vocational and radical-revolutionary profession - interview #2 with Dave Andrews
This 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...
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Community Development as Love and Justice - Interview #1 with Dave Andrews
Dave 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…
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Episode 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,...
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Episode 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...
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Wrap up of 2021 - leaning into 2022
In 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...
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Episode 4: Traditions and Wisdoms - Arundhati Roy and Jane Addams
In 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).
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Episode 3: Traditions and Wisdoms - Vandana Shiva and Gustavo Esteva
This 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...
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Episode 2: Traditions and Wisdoms for Community Development - Paulo Freire and Fran Peavey
In 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…
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Episode 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…
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Participatory 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…
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Participatory Community Development - Macro-Method
In 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....
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Participatory Community Development - Mezzo Method #2 - the 7 steps of mezzo
In 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...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
An exploration of all things community development (CD) in dialogue with citizens and practitioners around the world. Dr Peter Westoby has been on the CD journey for over 30 years, as citizen practitioner, professional and academic. He's published over 60 journal articles and 15 books. He's worked in many countries, including South Africa, Uganda, Australia, Nepal, India, and Vanuatu. He's currently a Director/Senior Social Practitioner with Community Praxis Co-op, a visiting professor at University of the Free State/South Africa and Honorary Associate Prof with Deakin Uni/Australia.
HOSTED BY
Peter Westoby
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Pete's podcast on community development have?
Pete's podcast on community development currently has 58 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Pete's podcast on community development about?
An exploration of all things community development (CD) in dialogue with citizens and practitioners around the world. Dr Peter Westoby has been on the CD journey for over 30 years, as citizen practitioner, professional and academic. He's published over 60 journal articles and 15 books. He's worked...
How often does Pete's podcast on community development release new episodes?
Pete's podcast on community development has 58 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Pete's podcast on community development?
You can listen to Pete's podcast on community development on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Pete's podcast on community development?
Pete's podcast on community development is created and hosted by Peter Westoby.
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