For the Love of Community Engagement

AI has entered the room - or at least, it's entered the sector. In this episode, Becky Hirst and co-host Dan Ferguson sit down with Lisa Ippolito to talk about what AI actually means for community engagement, with a particular focus on local government (though there's plenty here for anyone doing this work, anywhere). This is Episode 2 of a six-part series building toward our white paper,...

Welcome to Season 6 of For the Love of Community Engagement - and to a brand new chapter for the podcast. Host Becky Hirst introduces her co-host for the season, Dan Ferguson (Founder & CEO of ⁠Communiti Labs⁠ ), as the two join forces to explore The Future of Community Engagement across six episodes and a co-authored white paper. In this first episode, Becky and Dan are joined by Mel Hagedorn...

In this deeply personal episode, I share my breast cancer story - from the first symptoms and diagnosis, through mastectomy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment, to the eve of my second mastectomy. I talk honestly about the shock of hearing the word “cancer,” navigating the public health system, saying goodbye to “lefty” in a waiting-room poem, and being wheeled into theatre singing Fame . I reflec...

In this unfiltered fireside chat, Sadie Goddard-Wrighton and I chat after nearly two decades of friendship - recorded at my home with a child in pyjamas, a barking dog, plenty of laughter, and absolutely no pretence. From our beginnings in local government, the conversation opens into something much deeper: midlife, menopause, breast cancer, identity shifts, and the quiet pressure so many women fe...

In this fireside chat, Becky Hirst is joined by AI strategist and health consumer advocate, Tessa Kowaliw , for a real, human conversation about how ChatGPT is quietly transforming the patient experience. From the birth stories that sparked Tessa’s lifelong advocacy, to the recent accident that left her with broken bones and a hospital stay, Becky and Tessa explore how a digital co-pilot can help...

In this episode, host Becky Hirst is joined by Lynne Welch, an accomplished communications and public relations professional with over 15 years’ experience driving innovative, collaborative and meaningful interaction between individuals, governments and communities. Becky and Lynne talk about the concepts of lived experience and intentional neighbouring, as well as their own experiences in being d...

In this powerful episode, Becky Hirst sits down with Emma Broomfield of Locale to explore the complex and growing influence of social media on local government and community engagement. Together, they unpack the impacts on elected leaders, council staff, and engagement practitioners, especially in light of growing online toxicity and public hostility. Emma shares her journey from lawyer to mediato...

In this powerful and timely episode, Becky Hirst connects with practitioner Josh Quintero from Lynchburg, Virginia, to explore what it’s like to work in community engagement in the United States in 2025 - six months into Donald Trump’s second term as President. With democracy under pressure and words like “diversity” and “inclusion” becoming politically fraught, Josh shares a raw, insightful, and...

In this episode, Becky Hirst is joined fireside by Anton Covino, the passionate founder of Sharkwatch SA, to unpack the story behind South Australia's community-led marine safety movement. Anton shares his personal journey and how a simple idea - born from concern and curiosity - evolved into a powerful, grassroots initiative that now plays a vital role in coastal awareness and safety. Togethe...

In this episode, host Becky Hirst is joined by Max Hardy and Sally Hussey to discuss their new book, "The Underbelly of Community Engagement - The Unspoken Realities of Community Engagement Practice." The fireside chat pulls back the curtain on the hidden challenges and emotional complexities of community engagement work. Max and Sally talk about what inspired them to create the e-book, sharing th...

In this fireside chat, host Becky Hirst sits down with Dr. Wendy Sarkissian and Andrew Coulson to talk about this year’s Global Community Engagement Day (28 January) and the theme: Engaging Communities to Rebuild Trust . The conversation focuses on why trust matters in community engagement - how it’s been broken in many places and what we can do to rebuild it. Wendy shares stories from her years i...

This episode features an insightful conversation between Becky Hirst and Wendy Sarkissian in relation to this season's theme of looking after your mental health in community engagement. They share their personal experiences, reflection on the state of planet earth, and some key takeaways about community engagement and the environment. Becky Hirst and Wendy Sarkissian discuss their friendship a...

In this episode, host Becky Hirst is joined by Dr Wendy Sarkissian . Wendy tells stories of connection to nature, her involvement in the planning profession, and shares an idea she has called One Earth Moment , where community engagement professionals would take a moment at the start of any process to consider how whatever it is they are working on is likely to impact the Earth's climate.  Tu...