The Adelaide Community Development Collective
- Rachael Donovan
- Mar 4
- 2 min read
The formation of the Adelaide Community Development Collective has been a long time coming. Ten or fifteen years ago a group of us came together with the spark of an idea to begin a network. Despite wonderful conversations, the timing was not right, and we all went back to our separate practice worlds.
In 2023, local CD thinker Josh Spier was driven to reach out to Peter Westoby. In conversation, Peter and Josh and then Josh’s wife Christy Spier hatched a plan to bring Peter to Adelaide/Tarntanya in Kaurna Yerta. In September 2023, a workshop was held at The Joinery, home of the Adelaide Sustainability Centre who now graciously host and participate in the Collective.
Peter and I met for coffee before the first workshop (that turned into a range of offerings from Peter in our local CD practice ecosystem… three workshop sessions, a conference keynote and practitioner supervision). Peter shared a story of the vibrant Queensland CD network. He invited us to reflect on the existing connection of those of us who were coming together. Momentum was building.
Josh, Christy and my UniSA CD ‘pracademic’ colleague Paula Rowe and I wondered whether the energy that we were feeling and the growing inspiration we were observing in others from Peter’s visits could reignite the spark. In April 2024, we hosted the first gathering of Adelaide CD Practitioners Collective (we’ve since dropped the ‘Practitioners’). 30 folks showed up to connect and to see what we might do in solidarity with one another.
The first photo is from that Gathering and is of those of us left at the very end when we remembered to take a photo to capture the historic moment!
Since April 2024, we have held 5 gatherings together. Our gatherings start with shared food and conversation (of course!) and feature CD story sharing of members and friends around a theme, so far, grassroots environmental action, citizen-led activism and partnering with young people. Folks are doing such fabulous work, and we have rich learning conversations about tactics and opportunities.
As we’ve been finding our feet as a local collective, we have agreed that there are a range of benefits of being connected to wider CD practice and learning networks and conversations. Members are already embedded in local, national and global policy advocacy and activism efforts and weaving these networks together where priorities align makes sense to us. The Adelaide CD Collective is committed to being a node of a national CD Institute or the like in whatever capacity we all determine will be useful.
Right now, we are taking heart in being part of a larger national network of people passionate about community development and in deepening our local connections with one another. We are not looking to grow per se but looking for those folks who want to be in solidarity with us and our work to find us and join with us. If that’s you please reach out! We are just getting started and excited for whatever is next.
Warmly, Caro with Josh, Christy, Paula… and Erin, Sam, Jane, Chandler, Sarah, Laura, Tim and everyone who is passionately creating our collective together!
Contact caro@grassrootsconsulting.com.au to get involved or see the link below to register.
Photos of our story sharing in 2024 and 2025
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