Three Rivers Initiative

It's been a while since I've put a podcast out, but starting 2026 fresh, in conversation with Rachael Donovan on the topic of Towards a contemplative community development practice (to compliment a critical community development practice). Check it out (17 minutes) and subscribe.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1fcktImxVPJuUgXEYPrOfJ?si=SOQ6FERtTeqbs8mBQs-YgA

Towards a contemplative community deveopment practice Pete's podcast on community development · Episode

We’ve spent these last 6 weeks in Nepal learning from Sahakarmi Samaj सहकर्मी समाज, an incredible NGO that supports communities to lead their own transformation. Their work deeply demonstrates that no outside expert or government can truly ‘fix’ things—real change comes from within through deep listening, creative dialogue, and collective action.

One powerful moment? Watching a community tackle a shared issue using a simple image as a conversation starter. No instructions, no outside solutions—just the people reflecting, questioning, and creating their own action plan.

Check out our second dialogue blog as we reflect on our journey of learning and listening.

And for those keen—yes, we’re heading back in November 2026 for another field trip, book launch, and learning symposium! Stay tuned!
With love
Rachael Donovan
Peter Westoby

Listening, Learning, and Letting Go: Reflections from Nepal A second dialogue blog between Peter and Rachael using Paulo Freire's ideas of dialogue stimulated by codes.Rachael: Peter, love, what a journey it’s been—six weeks in Nepal working with Sahakarmi Samaj NGO, culminating in a field trip with 11 Australian community development practitioners. We c...

🌿 Last Chance for Early Bird Tickets! 🌿
📅 Date: Sunday 18 August
🕘 Time: 8.30am-12pm
📍 Location: Glasshouse Mountains
Immerse yourself in nature's tranquillity and learn mindfulness techniques to centre your mind and body. Early bird tickets close tomorrow, so comment below, or PM me if you'd like to learn more or reserve a place. 💌