Connected communities are healthy communities – so how do we foster the physical, mental, emotional and social health, well-being and safety of all residents, and the community at large?

Storytelling is a powerful way to learn from others, gain insight and inspire action. This session invites three changemakers who are driving innovative projects to share stories of how they are fostering Healthy and Connected communities.

From ideas, through implementation, and to impact, join us for this honest and practical session.

Guest Speakers:

Dr Linda De George-Walker, Director of Partnerships & Strategic Initiatives, Metro South Health
Robert Pekin, Chief Executive Officer, Food Connect Foundation
Jeremy Urquhart, National Operations Manager, The Big Issue Soccer Program

Moderator:

Dr Tobias Andreasson
Associate Director Academic - Social Innovation
CQUniversity

Speaker Bios:

Dr Linda De George-Walker is a Director, Partnerships & Strategic Initiatives in Strategy and Planning at Metro South Health, a Queensland public hospital and health service that provides healthcare to over one million people. She leads a small and amazing team of project management and engagement professionals who are committed to innovative project planning and delivery to build Metro South Health’s capacity to continue to provide quality care to our growing community.

Linda is a skilled communicator and facilitator with expertise in co-design and person-centered innovation, she is constantly curious and always learning about how to deliver impact that matters to community.

Robert Pekin is a well-known speaker in the Fair Food movement and in 2004 founded Food Connect, a dynamic multi-farmer food distribution enterprise with an innovative, community-based distribution system. In 2009, the Food Connect Foundation was launched to increase the scope of the fair food movement internationally and across Australia.

Robert is a member of the national board of Australian Social Enterprise Advisory Group, co-founder of the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance, and a founding member on the Board of the global software organisation Open Food Network. He is a contributing author to Fair Food, published by University of Queensland Press.

Jeremy Urquhart is the National Operations Manager for The Big Issue street magazine. Jeremy is responsible for all of The Big Issue state offices which run The Big Issue’s Street Magazine Enterprise, the Women’s Subscription Enterprise and Community Street Soccer Programs.

With a background in a range of community-based initiatives, Jeremy has worked for The Big Issue for nearly two decades. He is now more energised than ever by the potential of social enterprise to change lives and change the world.