Powerful moments with community partners at the World Community Development Conference
The 2023 World Community Development Conference hosted in Darwin has reaffirmed the importance of First Nations community-led development. It has been a great opportunity to deepen connection to community, culture, and Country as we shared in some powerful moments, co-presenting with our community partners and discussing the importance of de-colonising development and related structures.
This year’s conference theme “From the Edge” honors the spirit and wisdom of First Nations People, inviting global practitioners, organisations, businesses, academics, policy makers, funders, and many others to share perspectives on challenges and current contexts for community development and community work.
Opening Ceremony of World Community Development Conference 2023
In partnership with the World Community Development Conference team, we have welcomed close to 400 delegates to the conference to enjoy a jam-packed program! Our team have had an incredible experience sharing about our Community Development Framework alongside three of our community partners. Together, they have been unpacking strengths-based community led practice and co-hosting yarning circles about the significance of culturally strong First Nations ways of knowing, being, and doing.
The conference kicked off with a beautiful Welcome to Country by Aunty Bilawara Lee, and welcoming messages from conference organisers. The marketplace has also been buzzing – we have enjoyed connecting with people and yarning at our market stall.
On day one, we hosted two concurrent workshops. Regional Manager, Tania, and Senior Community Development Officers, Leonie, and Alex had the privilege of co-hosting an engaging yarning circle workshop alongside our community partners Belyuen community and Raymond Walters, Director of Penangke Collaborative Cultural Consultancy. They engaged participants in stories of how our Community Development framework works in practice and highlighted the importance of self-determination being the core of our theory of change and practice. Belyuen community had prepared a film, and a group of the local students had prepared a dance. It was powerful to hear about their community development plans, Tania explained that this is community development at its best – communities doing it for themselves!
Regional Manager, Doyen co-hosted an incredibly moving yarning circle alongside Wattandee Littlewell community representatives, Thomas Cameron and Tristan Mongoo, discussing the significance of strengths-based community led practice and two-way relationship and the importance of space, time, and symbols by sharing the story of Wattandee’s journey.
On day two, our CEO Steph gave an insightful keynote presentation in the morning on decolonising community development. This was followed by former Co-Chair Bill Armstrong’s discussion of his book Everything & Nothing. Recipient of the Bill Armstrong AO Human Rights Award Dr Fiona Crockford was presented with the award on stage (the award was celebrated online earlier this year as Dr Crockford had been in PNG). This was an exciting way to complete their presentations for the day and significant to have everyone together and present it in person among our peers.
Former Co-Chair Bill Armstrong, Dr Fiona Crockford, and CEO Steph Harvey
The World Community Development Conference has provided a unique opportunity to learn and connect. For our geographically dispersed team, it has been a significant and special opportunity for all of us to be together!