Community Development Queensland Seminar 2018
Human Rights, Community Development and Advocacy: A powerful trio to address injustice
In this seminar, Enda Cotter, from Anti Discrimination Commission, Queensland, discusses the communities he works with, the issues that drive him, and the strategies he and those communities have found effective. His talk will cover the organisational structures that enable the work, the processes of bringing people together across diverse sections of the community and engaging the conversations that matter. He includes reflection on the challenges and opportunities of mobilising public and private structures to seek the solutions that communities can commit to, legislators can support and which society can recognise as fair and just.
Stories from Enda’s work will include how communities of the Lockyer Valley sought ways of addressing backpacker and migrant worker labour rights, and how the Commission used its particular powers to support a systemic solution.
For those of us who see the importance of keeping community development alive and strong, this is a hopeful story and one that carries messages for all of our local community and governance structures.
The session will include a 30 minute seminar, followed by 30 mins of Q&A. We will then pause to celebrate the wonderful achievement of Lynda Shevellar and Peter Westoby in co-‐editing The Routledge Handbook of Community Development Research, which has 19 chapters of inspiring community research. Following this will be opportunity to network around a drink at the Ship Inn, which is next door to the lecture theatre.
Enda Cotter
Enda Cotter is the Community Engagement Coordinator with the Anti-‐Discrimination Commission Queensland. Enda originates from Ennis, County Clare in Ireland. He moved to Australia in 1999 and has worked in Family Law, Child Protection and Youth Justice for both government and non-‐government agencies. Enda believes that that Community has the ability through Justice, partnerships and empowerment to find the solutions to their issues. Enda is a self-confessed sports addict, with a particular interest in ultra trail marathons, horse racing and football (all kinds).
