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Circulation: 4920 with subscribers in 72 countries |
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Greetings
The global economy will certainly be in shambles throughout 2009, and probably well beyond. It is the greatest economic and employment crisis for 80 years, and very few main streets of any village, town or city will escape its impact. Global job loss by the end of 2009 is forecast by the International Labour Office (ILO) to exceed 20 million persons. Times are tough and are likely to get worse. How did it happen? Wanting a clearer understanding of this, then read Charles Morris latest book - “The Two Trillion Dollar Meltdown” …excellent resource. Quotes are always powerful. Here are a few about the global crisis worth pondering: “Shoot a banker a week till things improve” (Ken Livingstone, former Lord Mayor of London’s solution) “By the end of 2008, investors of all stripes were bloodied and confused, much as if they were small birds that had strayed into a badminton game“ (Warren Buffet) |
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| Quote | Top ^ |
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"When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained." (Mark Twain) |
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| Victorian Bush Fires | Top ^ |
 The person and community carnage was indescribable. It was an event that has touched people across the globe and we received many emails for details and ways of donating to support victims. For our international readers we recommend the Australian Red Cross ass the best mechanism for making a donation. Their website is
www.redcross.org.auIncidentally, the ways communities and their surviving residents have begun the process of rebuilding is amazing. Click on the image for a picture that captures the spirit. |
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| Paronella Park | Top ^ |
 Readers of our newsletter will know that we rate this heritage tourism initiative in northern Queensland as one of the best examples of ‘Life in the Past Lane’. A brilliant story of local economic and business development.
Recently Paronella was named as the number 1 attraction in ‘Must Do’ attractions in Queensland by RACQ
(www.150mustdos.com.au) outpolling Fraser Island and Australia Zoo.Click here to visit their website and click here to read the story in our publication ‘Good Enough Never Is’. |
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| Linking University Work Experience Students to Rural/Regional Businesses | Top ^ |
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‘The Brolga Project’ is a new initiative which offers university students, who have to do work experience as part of their curriculum, the opportunity to do that work experience with businesses in rural and regional Australia. About a student a day is expressing an interest in the project, and they range in skills from Aeronautical engineering to Vet Sciences.
The goal of the project is to offer final-year tertiary students, most who hail from urban areas, the opportunity to experience life and work with a regional business in the sure knowledge that many of them will enjoy the experience and return to the placement business at the end of their study. The project is looking to increase the number of businesses to keep up with student demand, click here for more information. |
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| The Mercury Centre | Top ^ |
 In our challenging economic times, concepts of employee ownership are very relevant. Without doubt, one of the best resources agencies to assist development of these ideas is the Mercury Centre. Based in Sydney, Australia. Click here to check out their great website and their invaluable resources – especially their ‘Employee Buyouts Guide’. Contact Alan Greig at alan.greig@mercury.org.au for more details. |
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| Public Speaking Workshops – Perth | Top ^ |
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Peter Dhu has overcome his stuttering challenge to become an
accomplished speaker. Today he acts a coach and trainer to people
with a fear of public speaking. Click here to download details on his set of workshops in Perth. Strongly recommended for anyone with a fear of public speaking. |
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| Small Town Conference - Kaiaipoi New Zealand - 16-18 September 2009 | Top ^ |
 The goal of the inaugural at Bulls, New Zealand last year was to
empower people to “make a difference in communities and to create a
small town legacy for generations to come.”The 2009 Small Town Conference is being held in Kaiapoi and is aimed at people passionate about life in small town New Zealand. People with a commitment to help stimulate and sustain a vibrant New Zealand small town economy in the face of the 2009 global economic downturn. It's all about communities striving, inspiring, surviving, reviving and thriving. Delegates will have the opportunity both formally and informally to share their stories about the challenges facing their small towns, the solutions which have worked and the ones that haven't. Peter Kenyon from Bank of I.D.E.A.S. will be a keynote speaker at the Conference. Click here to download a Conference brochure. |
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| Leadership for a Cool Planet | Top ^ |
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The goal of
Leadership for a Cool Planet is to provide subsidised leadership development for at least 100 inspired, compassionate and visionary people throughout Australia building the sustainability of their local communities. One hundred new leaders taking initiative, bringing people together to create solutions which work for their communities - now that’s exciting. Click here if you would like to find out more about Leadership for a Cool Planet |
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| The Frank Team’s BREAK IT DOWN CARDS for Young Entrepreneurs | Top ^ |
 Designed
for young entrepreneurs wanting a practical user friendly and step
by step tool for business start up. They are a product from the
hundreds of workshops run by the Frank Team who specialise in youth
enterprise development.Click here for more details. Cost is $49.50. For more on the services and products of the Frank Team click here to visit their website. |
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| Engaging Creatively with Young People | Top ^ |
 This was the theme of a day workshop facilitated by Peter Kenyon in Biggenden for Workers with Youth in the Wide Bay Burnett region of Queensland.
Click here to view an article from the Wide Bay Burnett
ACCC Regional update about the event.Click here for details of the workshop goals and program details, if interested in a similar workshop in your region, contact Peter at pk@bankofideas.com.au. Click image to enlarge |
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| Some Useful Community Economic Development Resources | Top ^ |
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‘Making Dollars and Sense Out of Community Events – AS Resources Kit’ Provides tools and tips to help business and event organisers work together to maximise the economic advantage of community events. Provided by the Lake Macquarie City Council. Click here for more information. ‘Social Enterprise in Australia – an Introductory Handbook’ A guide and resources kit for social entrepreneurs published by Uniting Care Wesley Adelaide. Click here for more information. |
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| Peter Kenyon in Canada | Top ^ |
 Peter will be presenting and work shopping to Canada
from 28 June to 12 July 2009. Locations already include Banff (Calgary), La Range (SK), Sudbury (ONT) and Halifax (NS). Canadian readers if interested in exploring use of Peter whilst in Canada, email him on
pk@bankofideas.com.au.Click here for a copy of his bio data and Summary of Services. |
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| Discounts for Community Volunteers | Top ^ |
| Recognising and rewarding volunteers is such a vital action. A great initiative comes from the City of Swan , Western Australia where local businesses are enrolling in a local program to reward local volunteers with discounts on purchases within their businesses. Good for business and buy local , and great for the volunteers. | |
| Mental Speed Bumps | Top ^ |
 David Engwicht was certainly one of the highlight speakers at the National Mainstreet Conference in Fremantle this month. David is a social inventor who has done some great work in Wodonga on their place making activities. His book
”Mental Speed Bumps : the smarter way to tame the traffic” explains the full array of mental speed bumps and how they automatically slow drivers. It contains practical down to earth ideas for residents, parents, health professionals and city planners.For this any other great place making resources, click here to check out David’s website. |
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| Return Visit to Australia by Jim Diers | Top ^ |
 Responding to popular demand, community builder Jim Diers will be touring Australia for his fourth annual visit from 20th August to 2 September 2009. In past visits, Jim has used his experience as director of Seattle’s pioneering Department of Neighborhoods to help local councils, large and small, develop their own programs of bottom-up planning and matching grants to support community self-help projects. Jim has also worked with community associations to share the lessons he learned as a community organizer about building broad and inclusive community engagement. As a faculty member of the Asset Based Community Development Institute, Jim has conducted practical, full day workshops on how to map and mobilize a community’s strengths.In addition, Jim has delivered inspiring speeches full of stories from his travels around the world about how communities have organized to revitalize downtowns, prevent crime, preserve the environment, create art, demand justice, and care for one another. He would be happy to work with you to tailor a presentation or workshop to best meet your needs. Jim currently teaches at the University of Washington and directs a program through which faculty and students assist community associations with their projects. Jim launched a community development certificate program this year. His book, or Power, is being translated into Chinese. Jim recently authored a paper for the Canada West Foundation on the community’s role in addressing street level social issues. Click here to download possible workshop themes and click here for more information on Jim, his work and his book. |
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| Welcome Back Jaki | Top ^ |
 Bank of I.D.E.A.S. would like to welcome Jaki Bayly back to
Australia after many years of living and working in the United
Kingdom. Jaki will be returning to live in Australia in July 2009 to be closer to
her family while her youngest son is at University in Adelaide.We were first introduced to Jaki, through our good friend Gordon Morris from the Countryside Agency, when Peter Kenyon spoke at the Actions for Market Towns Conference in Carnarvon (UK) in 2003 and again during a visit to Thames Chase on the outskirts of London as part of an international study tour Bank of I.D.E.A.S. conducted in the same year. Jaki has had many years experience in rural policy in the UK including community development, rural transport and encouraging the spread of best practice in projects for young people, migrant workers, housing and rural services through the development of “Seeing is Believing” visits, peer mentoring programmes and award schemes. As Head of Transport for the Countryside Agency Jaki oversaw the development and promotion of many successful transport initiatives that tackled problems of access to services, some of which are now considered mainstream, such as the “Wheels to Work” scheme. Today this is a recognised approach across England to provide the essential transport young people need to start jobs or training. Most recently she has worked in the Commission for Rural Communities as Head of Social Justice and Services to encourage the provision of high quality services in scattered, sparsely populated rural communities. Jaki believes that many rural communities in Australia face similar challenges to those faced by settlements in the UK and hopes to be able to put some of the knowledge and experience gained living in and working with rural communities over nearly 20 years to good use on her return to Australia. Jaki's email is jaki.bayly@googlemail.com if you would like to touch base with her. |
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| Communities in Control Conference 2009 | Top ^ |
 Organised by ourcommunity.com.au, the Communities in Control Conference is the biggest annual gathering of community sector workers, volunteers and supporters - each year bringing together a stellar list of speakers and around 1500 delegates to listen, debate, network, exchange tips and strategies, and - perhaps most importantly - recharge. This years conference is titled Crisis, Catastrophe Community: Rebuild, Renew, Recharge and is being held in Melbourne on 15-16th June. Click here for more information and to visit the ourcommunity.com.au website. |
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| Inmigration to Rural Areas: Issues in Wellbeing, Resilience and Social Cohesion | Top ^ |
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Inmigration to Rural Areas: Issues in Wellbeing, Resilience and Social Cohesion is volume one of a thesis by Helen Byles-Drage.
This research examines inmigration trends in the Great Southern Region of Western Australia, providing information on who is moving to rural areas, the positive and negative factors related to living in a rural area, coping strategies for overcoming difficulties, and the amount of support offered to incomers. Click here to download a copy of Helen's thesis. |
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| Oamaru Ordinary Cycle Club | Top ^ |
 Oamaru Ordinary Cycle Club is an exciting example of heritage tourism by
our good friend David Wilson from Heritage Futures International in
New Zealand who is the Club's Captain.The Club has embarked on a bold new era of activity. After five years discussion, negotiation, visioning and planning, they are now moving penny farthings and heritage cycling into a new realm of community and visitor participation. They have secured their head quarter premises at the southern end of the Oamaru historic precinct to establish their 1878 themed Oamaru Cycle Works Bicycle Museum & Manufactory. Click here to visit David's website to read more about the club and Click here to view the Club's business plan. Anyone interested in helping with any components of the projects outlined should contact David at heritage.futures@xtra.co.nz. |
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| Some Great Quotes from the Global Crisis Debate | Top ^ |
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"We are in the midst of a phase of history in which nations will be redefined and their futures fundamentally altered" (Rupert Murdoch) “This is the single greatest threat to our economic security in a generation and the the single most significant upheaval in the global financial system in our lifetime“ (Prime Minister Kevin Rudd) “This year will be tough, ugly and hard and will test every Australian” (Prime Minister Kevin Rudd) “The truth is that 2009 will be one of the toughest years Australia has faced in decades a the global financial crisis wreaks havoc on Australian jobs” (Prime Minister Kevin Rudd) “The largest synchronized downturn in the global economy in our lifetime” (Wayne Swan, Australian Treasurer) “The global financial crisis has smashed a $40 billion hole in the budget. This is yet another dramatic reminder that we are not immune from the impact of the global financial crisis’ (Wayne Swan, Australian Treasurer) “I wouldn’t say anyone’s job was safe…these are difficult times. We are facing acute stresses right now …” (Kim Carr, Australian Industry Minister) ‘While our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken; though we are living through difficult times, tonight I want every American to know this : we will rebuild, we will recover, and the USA will emerge stronger than ever…..what is required now is for this country to pull together, confront boldly the challenges we face, and take responsibility for our future once more” (President Barrack Obama) |
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| Cooperative Movement Weathers Economic Storm | Top ^ |
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On 2 January, the ABC’s 7.30 Report screened a great story on the Cooperative business movement in Australia, focusing on its funding principles that put people before profit. Important message in our current times. Thanks to Alan Greig from the Mercury Centre for a copy of the transcript from the “7.30 Report” on the impact of the Global credit crisis on the Cooperative Movement . Click here to download a copy. |
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| Results Based Accountability Workshop | Top ^ |
 The Family Action Centre are hosting Mark Friedman and his Results Based Accountability (RBA) training model in Australia during late May and early June. RBA is a disciplined way of thinking and taking action that can be used
to improve the quality of life in communities, cities, states and nations.Click here for more details or contact Michelle Gifford at michelle.gifford@newcastle.edu.au. For those who cannot attend Mark's workshop, buy his great book - "Trying Hard is Not Good Enough: How To Produce Improvements for Customers and Consumers". |
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| Perth Workshops - ASeTTS | Top ^ |
 The
Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors (ASeTTS)
are running two workshops in Perth:As a recognized specialist in torture and trauma services ASeTTS role is to support both individuals and organisations who work with communities from refugee backgrounds. ASeTTS offers high quality professional development across a diverse range of sectors for example teachers, social workers, health workers, GPs, counsellors and youth workers. Click here to visit the ASeTTS website for more information |
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| Two Great North American quotes regarding Sustainable Development | Top ^ |
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‘In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations’. (Great Law of the Iroquois Indian Federation) ‘Only when the last tree is cut down; only when the last river is polluted; only when the last fish is caught; only then will they realise that you cannot eat money.’ (Cree Indian Proverb) |
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| Alternative to Schoolies Kit | Top ^ |
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In 2008, Peter Kenyon from the Bank of I.D.E.A.S. initiated and lead a project in Timor-Leste for students in his home community of Kalamunda .Seventeen Year 12 graduates from four local high schools spent their Schoolies working with a small village in Timor-Leste. Am amazing experience for both students, host village of Triloka and the community of Kalamunda. A Kit funded by the Fogarty Foundation has been produced to capture the essence of this project and provide a set of tools that other communities could leap frog upon. If interested in receiving the Kit (including its two DVDs ), contact Peter at pk@bankofideas.com.au and provide a postal address. |
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| Bill Strickland and his Book - 'Make the Impossible Possible' | Top ^ |
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Thanks to Robert Gordon for this great referral. Bill Strickland
has initiated an amazing arts, education and job training centre in
his home town of Pittsburgh. He is currently pursuing his vision of
replicating the successful model in 200 other cities!
Click here to his website – or read his book
“Make the Impossible Possible”.
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| Enterprising Partnerships - Newsletter | Top ^ |
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The Enterprising Partnerships newsletter (volume 2) has an innovation
special, focused on breaking news, sustainable competitive advantage and
business model innovation. Click here to view the newsletter. |
Mailing List | Top ^ |
| Since our last Newsletter, Bank of I.D.E.A.S. welcomes new subscribers from Afghanistan, Cambodia, Canada, Congo, Ghana, India, Italy, Korea, New Zealand, Romania, South Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, USA and from all Australian states and territories. In total, the Newsletter is now read by people in different 72 countries. | |
| Copyleft Policy | Top ^ |
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Below is the copyleft statement regarding the use of Bank of I.D.E.A.S. resources. Copyleft Policy Resources of the Bank of I.D.E.A.S., either in full or in part, can be copied, quoted, reprinted, given away or circulated. Parts may be torn out, extracted and enhanced. In short, all resources are public property. Please use in any way to build the skills and knowledge of citizens in building healthier communities and more vibrant local economies. | |
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Bank of I.D.E.A.S. |
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(Initiatives for the Development of Enterprising Actions & Strategies) 14 Bird Rd, Kalamunda WA 6076 Ph: 08 6293 1848 Fax: 08 6293 1137 E: pp@bankofideas.com.au |
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