A new book, a workshop and trying to find a loo
Hi good folks, it’s been a while since we’ve connected with our faithful readers, and we’ve been on a few adventures since we last wrote. This is a long-ish one as lots has been happening, so grab yourself a cuppa (or an AI summary if you dare :).
Welcome to our sense-making dialogue… we’d love you to join us!
In this entry, we reflect on our new book Transformative Community Development, re-kick off Pete’s podcast, and share a final 2026 workshop on a soulful approach to community development. And, finally, we share about the great European public-toilet crisis.
Peter to Rachael:
Rachael, it’s been a while since we returned from the International Association of Community Development (IACD) Conference in Glasgow and some delightful work in the Australian desert with NPY Women’s Council. This year, we’ve also celebrated/launched The Community Builder's Journal across 11 different communities. It’s been huge!
First, my thoughts; then I’d love your responses and additions.
1. How my year started – hard: After returning from Nepal in December 2025, I spent 3 months recovering from an illness or virus. It involved many magical mystery medical tours, but I’m glad I returned to my more-or-less ‘normal’ self, and now I’m finalising my 2027 book about Renewing CD Practice in an Age of Rupture - towards critical, phenomenological and contemplative practice.
But we return to Nepal November 20th-December 14th 2026, both to launch our latest book (see 2a below) and co-host (with Sahakarmi Samaj) our 2nd learning field trip with 11 Australian community development workers. Reach out if you’re interested in the December 2027 trip, and we can send an EOI.
2. New books, podcasts and workshops:
But all that work in Nepal has paid off. First, the new book on some incredible community development work in Nepal. Can you share with our readers why anyone interested in development practice, not just Nepalis, should buy this book?
Rachael to Peter
Absolutely. What I love about this book is that it both draws on and builds on your 2018 book, Participatory Development Practice. It is grounded in the community development framework you and Anthony Kelly articulated there but shows what that framework looks like in lived practice.
And the scope of Sahakarmi Samaj’s work is extraordinary. Their practice moves from: -
the formation of community development workers
to community development groups and people’s groups
and then into collective organisation and policy influence at the Federation level.
They work with more than 200,000 people, so the scale is remarkable, but their depth and reach across these levels really impressed us. It is a story of heart and soul, as well as a very sophisticated approach to how change happens.
And the structure of the book reflects that richness. Each chapter holds:
- a portrayal that takes you into the vivid experience of practice
- an explanation of practices and broader principles
- multiple theory boxes for the nerds among us
- and artwork created from the stories and practice of the community educators. And a huge thanks to our dear friend Lara Cooper, artist extraordinaire, for coming up with this idea and supporting the project.
It brings together lived experience, theory, and art in a way that makes the practice accessible to students, practitioners, and academics. It is theoretically strong without being just theory and grounded in practice without losing the bigger picture. And, honestly, we think it is beautiful.
Peter to Rachael
Yes, it’s very true, and it was an honour to work alongside Sahakarmi Samaj to bring their practice into the world for others to learn from.
A couple more things we would love to share with readers:
1. We have re-kicked off the Podcast, returning to one of my earlier books on the Theory and Practice of Dialogical Community Development. The ideas in this book feel as relevant as ever, musing over community as dialogue, community as hospitality and community as an ethical space. Check it out here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Unr5C4KlEbq8Ot2GaVIUr?si=bS9SvjkWSsaEfEtIr79FWQ
2. We also just ran a beautiful workshop up in Hervey Bay on ‘the heart and soul of community development’, and so we’re running a final workshop of 2026, with a similar theme, titled: Community Development Reflection – exploring a soulful approach: https://www.stickytickets.com.au/QEP2ET
And finally, on the mission of finding a loo… Going to the IACD Glasgow conference also meant going to Europe. And I always love such visits. England is where I was born, so I get to reconnect and see family. It feels like I am attending to ancestors (we all have to do that). I also love the landscapes, the rolling hills, the old abbeys, castles, pubs and churches. But, OMG, the lack of free public toilets – which of course is even harder for you.
Rachael to Peter
Wow, babe, the whole toilet thing just reminded me of that day when we planned our entire walk around the toilet opening times in the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow.
Because, of course, when you get up early, drink lots of tea and then go for a long walk, at some point you are going to need a toilet. And we knew from experience that toilets in that part of the world are an issue. Either they’re not available, closed, or expensive (which I refuse to pay for ethical and human rights reasons!). And of course this is a gendered issue too, because as a man it is much easier to quickly and privately relieve yourself when needed, especially when walking through beautiful forests (which we were). As a woman, this is possible if I’m desperate, but certainly less easy and convenient!
So, we made a plan, knowing the toilets in the Botanic Gardens opened at 10am, we organised our whole walk around this knowledge. It was all going beautifully. We approached the gardens at exactly 10am, my bladder full and ready to go. Because, of course, we're Peter and Rachael. Timeliness is important.
Except whoever was responsible for opening the toilet clearly hadn't received the memo. And timeliness wasn’t their modus operandi.
10am came and went. No opening of the toilet. My bladder gets more painful, my frustration mounts. We start to bicker. What on earth do we now do?!
So, there we were, increasingly desperate, spending the next half hour searching for a toilet. Eventually we find an open café, and my bladder celebrates in relief. But we are not out of the woods yet. There is a code on the toilet door, so of course we need to buy a coffee – thus increasing the next round of needing a toilet over the following hour. Argh.
At the risk of sounding like a whinger (and btw I do LOVE so many things about the UK and Europe – just not this!!) – this whole saga made me realise just how much I take something so simple and essential for granted at home in Australia.
Free toilets. Toilets that are open. Toilets that you don't have to plan your entire day around. Toilets you can find when you need one.
So, Australia, despite all the things you don’t get right, you’ve totally nailed this one. Never again will I walk past a free, open public toilet without appreciating what an absolute privilege it is.
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