A NEW free webinar series launching on May 5 will help facilitate the exchange of information and ideas relevant to long-term viability of rural communities.
Rural Aid chief executive officer John Warlters said the The Community Builders Series webinars will allow rural communities and interested parties to engage with experts in rural rebuilding and sustainability.
"The Community Builders Series webinars, to be held at 10am every Tuesday from May 5 to July 7, will also allow rural communities, farmers and anyone interested in rural Australia, opportunities to connect, exchange ideas and information to broaden their collective knowledge," Mr Warlters said.
"Many rural communities are isolated, more so now during COVID-19 movement restrictions, and have been impacted by the drought and fires.
"We wanted to continue to assist rural communities to be ready for when the rest of Australia can visit them again.
The Community Builders Series is a new Rural Aid initiative and a new way for Rural Aid to continue to support rural communities and farmers during these restrictive times.
- John Warlters, Rural Aid
"The Community Builders Series is a new Rural Aid initiative and a new way for Rural Aid to continue to support rural communities and farmers during these restrictive times.
"It will help bring the world of expertise, ideas exchange and engagement into their homes."
The May 5 guest expert is Bank of I.D.E.A.S. director and founder, Peter Kenyon, who has been working with Rural Aid on the 10 Towns Makeover, now postponed.
Mr Kenyon is widely recognised for the work he has done for over 35 years with more than 2000 communities in Australia and overseas. He has helped those communities bring about community change and renewal.
"Peter Kenyon is motivated by the desire to create healthy, caring, inclusive, connected, sustainable and enterprising communities and local economies," Mr Warlters said.
Like Rural Aid, Peter Kenyon and his team at Bank of I.D.E.A.S. are interested in 'making things happen' at the community level.
"When I'm working with a community, I facilitate to draw out the expertise of the community members, so they work together to build their community from the inside out," Mr Kenyon said.
"What I will bring to the webinar series will be no different.
"I will talk about and give case studies on what it takes for a town to have a successful renewal. Why it's important for community members to invest themselves, their ideas, assets and resources in the process for it to succeed."
