The Community Conversations Podcast will feature stories and information on community development efforts, the programs being run by our members and general community interest topics. Across the State of South Australia there are volunteers and staff helping our community members to find connections, access to food, housing and education in an environment that welcomes everyone to their doors. Community Centres are open for anyone and provide place based activities to enrich the lives of our community. We will be interviewing Community Centre members, community connection partners and community stakeholders who will share their experiences, activities and upcoming events.
The Podcast is aimed at highlighting the good work being done to make a difference at the grassroots level to address issues such as loneliness, homelessness, social injustice and how to improve wellbeing of our communities. Be sure to listen every week as we release each episode. The podcast will be easily accessible on our website and can be downloaded on your preferred podcast platforms.
Community Partnerships for Rural Aged Care with Brad Grieve & Linda Doolan
In today's episode, we are joined by Brad Grieve and Linda Doolan from Mable. Mable operates a Community Partnerships program, a social enterprise model that connects aged care providers, community organizations, and local support workers through an online platform. The program initially began in rural and remote areas of Australia before expanding to regional metro regions. Services offered include personal care, daily living support, transport, meal preparation, and social support. Community centers play a crucial role in the program by coordinating services between clients and providers. With over 100 community centers already involved nationally, the program aims to support community sustainability.
Both Brad and Linda are dedicated to helping older residents live at home while transforming what home care looks like in rural Australia. They work to make care accessible and create fulfilling work opportunities for locals. Having grown up in a small country town, Linda understands the challenges of accessing services and the power of locally led solutions. She is passionate about building capacity in remote areas. Brad, meanwhile, understands people's strong desire to remain in their local communities for as long as possible.
19 Aug 2025
Sound Healing and Mindfulness: A Journey with Tania Duff-Tytler
11 Aug 2025
Rebuilding Community Volunteer Programs with Vanita Schwarz
This week we are joined by Vanita Schwarz from Volunteering South Australia and the Northern Territory. Vanita's career in volunteer management spans 20 years, beginning when she was just 16 years old. She has worked across local government and both small and large not-for-profit organizations before joining the state's peak body for volunteering. With a passion for volunteer management, Vanita has witnessed how volunteering enhances community connections, facilitates learning, enriches student experiences, and can lead to future employment opportunities while building more resilient and happier communities.
Vanita discusses COVID's significant impact on volunteering, highlighting how shutdowns led to community loneliness and social disconnection among volunteer-run programs. She explains the challenges of rebuilding volunteer programs post-pandemic, citing changes in people's circumstances—such as returning to work and childcare issues—alongside increased compliance requirements as major barriers. Vanita explores effective recruitment strategies including social media, word of mouth, and networking. She also emphasizes the importance of adapting volunteer roles to current community needs and suggests the concept of the term "volunteer" being redefined.
Who has been a guest on Community Conversations
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Naomi Lacey
Dr Nadia Corsini
Jenni-Lee Keez
Claire Boan
Tim Sargeant
Podcast Authority Score: 38 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
65
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
27
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