In this episode we focus less on what not-for-profits and community organisations are doing in the Bega Valley, and more on how they’re doing it.

“It was very powerful and I think for myself, I can only speak for myself on this one, it helped my recovery because I was able to help others... As a community member I was seriously impacted as was everybody else, but I think because I was in the position of being able to help people, that really helped me.” — Chris Walters.

You’ll hear from three community leaders: Chris Walters from Cobargo Community Access Centre; Carina Severs from Eden Community Access Centre; and Kate Liston-Mills, author and local advocate.

Each of these women brings an approach to their work which is community led, pragmatic, and at heart driven by seeing a need and just getting stuck in and doing what’s necessary.

What’s also striking is the deeply holistic nature of their approaches. You’ll hear how they’re motivated by a sense of both mission and purpose, and why they maintain a focus on how to get things done, rather than on who gets the credit.

We explore how the day-to-day of community work is informed by deeper questions of “how”:

• How do we think about community?
• How do we consider who we are serving and in which ways?
• How do we approach the future?
  (the one we are currently heading towards and the one we would ideally like to build).
• And how do we support community leaders and not-for-profits to be more sustainable and resilient — especially for those most active in driving change?

As the impacts of the Black Summer bushfires and COVID crises dissipate locally, Chris, Carina and Kate locate strategies to face and confront long-term challenges (such as intergenerational change, aging populations, or disenfranchised individuals), by building on a vision of an active and engaged community — where many people (and many hands) step up, collaborate, support, lead and work together.

Series links:

• Bega Valley Shire Council

• Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal

• Investing in Rural Community Futures Program

• Australian Rural Leadership Foundation

Interviewees:

• Ep 1:

  • Eden Visitor Centre

  • Palliative Care Australia

  • Bega Valley Business Forum

• Ep 2:

  • Eden Killer Whale Museum

  • Potoroo Palace

  • Police Citizens and Youth Club (Far South Coast)

• Ep 3:

  • Eden Community Access Centre

  • Kate Liston-Mills (author and community advocate)