My guest for this episode is one of the authors of recently released book The Connected Community: Discovering the Health, Wealth, and Power of Neighborhoods, Cormac Russell. The book is co-authored by John McKnight.

Cormac is a faculty member of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute at Northwestern University, Chicago. He has trained communities, agencies, NGOs and governments in ABCD and other strengths based approaches in Kenya, Rwanda, Southern Sudan, South Africa, the UK, Ireland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Canada and Australia. Cormac wants us to revisit the role of public services and explains how an assets approach can improve community health, safety, and economic and environmental well being.

Cormac has also came up with several books inline with his vision. Just last September, he, along with John McKnight, released their book entitled The Connected Community: Discovering the Health, Wealth, and Power of Neighborhoods. This book is made to guide its audience in finding out how to uncover the hidden talents, assets, and abilities in your neighborhood and bring them together to create a vibrant and joyful community.

If you’re interested and want to know more about Cormac, you may click here to visit their company website.

I hope you enjoy my engaging interview with Cormac Russell. Happy listening!

THE BOOK 

We may be living longer, but people are more socially isolated than ever before. As a result, we are hindered both mentally and physically, and many of us are looking for something concrete we can do to address problems like poverty, racism, and climate change. What if solutions could be found on your very doorstep or just two door knocks away?

Find out how to uncover the hidden talents, assets, and abilities in your neighborhood and bring them together to create a vibrant and joyful community. It takes a village!

THE AUTHOR

Cormac Russell is a veteran practitioner of asset-based community development (ABCD), which focuses on uncovering and leveraging the hidden resources, skills, and experience in our neighborhoods. He and John McKnight, the cooriginator of ABCD, show how anyone can discover this untapped potential and connect with his or her neighbors to create healthier, safer, greener, more prosperous, and welcoming communities. They offer a wealth of illustrative examples from around the world that will inspire you to explore your own community and discover its hidden treasures.

 

You may also refer to the transcripts below for the full transciption (not edited) of the interview.

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