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 Gandhian tradition of nonviolent resistance and commoning. 

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 Nepal and Australia, Peter and Tina think about the art of questioning. 

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 mantra of 'education first, organising second'. 

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 brings an end to our series on participatory community development. Look out next week for the start of Series 4 with Dr Athena (Tina) Lathouras exploring the role of 'traditions and mantra's in reflective practice' (which builds on the book 40 Critical Thinkers in Community Development).

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. the 4 principles of macro-method; and 3. how to incorporate a participatory development program into an organisation that is historically oriented towards service delivery. 

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 finding a pathway forward for action. 

In this 18 minute episode Anthony Kelly and Peter Westoby explore the craft of mezzo group - participatory groups. Building on the implicate and micro-level practice, we explore how we work intentionally with the small group in communities (sub-community of 3-12/20 people) - the mezzo (mezzanine), between household and whole village/neighbourhood. We examine the what, why,  the types of mezzo-groups (self-help etc.) and then the role of people/leaders/experts in the mezzo.

In this 16 minutes conversation Rachael Donovan and Peter Westoby explore the 2nd level of participatory community development - micro-method. Focusing on relationship building, micro-method aims for the worker and community member to be 'alongside' one another, experiencing a sense of solidarity. The episode particularly focuses on the micro-method principle of 'to see what the people see', including the profound difficulties of this in everyday practice. 

In this 2nd episode of the series on participatory community development, Peter Westoby interviews Anthony Kelly exploring additional introductory comments and also implicate method (the first of the five levels of practice in this method framework).

In episode #1 of this new series - which will include a number of interviews/conversations with Peter Westoby, Rachael Donovan and Anthony Kelly - we introduce Participatory Community Development (CD) as an approach to social change. This 14 minute interview considers the differences between service delivery and participatory CD, introduces what a framework is, and particularly the 'method framework' that this series will explore in depth: implicate, micro, mezzo, macro, meta. The series explores the content of the 2018 book by Anthony Kelly & Peter Westoby Participatory Development Practice: Using traditional and contemporary frameworks (Practical Action Press).