Living Communities
The forum provided information about the Living Communities economic development program and was attended by approximately 30 people from all areas of the local community.
Living Communities co-founder Greg Winning and consultant Sue Crock presented the background and philosophy underpinning the project and described how it would work in Goomalling. Mr Winning said that the 6 month pilot program was designed to be driven by the local community as it was the community that had the answers.
“Every community is different and although many of the problems are similar from one rural community to the next there are subtle differences which make solutions place based. That’s why we believe we should act as facilitators and coaches and not experts. The community is the real expert and only the community can make real change happen,” he said.
The community is encouraged to identify where money is leaving town through a community engagement process facilitated by Living Towns, the not-for-profit organisation that has developed Living Communities.
The community then can contribute ideas and even a community vision for plugging the leaks with the information gathered about their local economy. This process may be enhanced by the use of an economist, natural resource management scientists or other professionals provided by Living Towns. The ideas are then made available to the community to be implemented as privately owned or community run enterprises. These potential new enterprises, as well as existing ones that may help plug a leak, are supported by business consultants made available by Living Towns when required.
“A town needs entrepreneurs to survive. In the end, it’s only the towns with get up and go and the ones who are prepared to take a few risks that really thrive. We are proposing a pilot program, there are many unknowns about how it will turn out but we believe that even if no businesses are created, the town will have discovered much about itself and what its capacities are,” Mr Winning said.
The pilot program in Goomalling will be studied by three major WA universities. “The challenge for Goomalling people is that the way the community tackles this project will set the benchmarks for how other small towns could operate their economy. There is already a great deal of interest from academics and it may mean people will be visiting Goomalling in future to see how they could make their small town more successful too.”
Living Towns are proposing three pilot programs in Western Australia. Another pilot is being run in Esperance and a third is being looked at for Bridgetown. They are currently seeking interest from residents who want to form part of the Living Communities Goomalling group that will drive the project. Greg can be contacted on 0421 995 019 or email: greg@livingcommunities.com.au