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Just 5 Questions
About.....
By Kindra Gordon |
Next
in a series profiling people, programs, and issues shaping
today’s beef industry. |
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What can small rural communities do to prevent their populations
from dwindling and businesses from closing down? The answer lies
in innovative thinking, according to Peter Kenyon who bills
himself as a social entrepreneur and community enthusiast.
Kenyon has worked with over 1,000 small communities throughout
Australia that he says are very similar to those across the
Western United States. Often they are faced with populations
that are dwindling and meager economic opportunities. But
despite those obstacles, Kenyon says there are alternatives.
Here he shares his top tips for reviving rural communities:
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What’s the number one thing
communities need to do to move toward reviving themselves?
Kenyon says the main problem
in rural areas isn’t drought or beef prices; the real evil
is resistance to change. His advice: Be open to change and
alternative thinking.
He says, “Changing your mindset is the starting point.
People need to ask themselves if there are smarter and
different ways to do things. We need to believe that we can
turn things around.”
He adds that in business and in community development people
need to be continuous learners – always looking for new
ideas and constantly reinventing ourselves.
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Where can communities get help
through this process?
Kenyon says small towns
cannot expect someone from the urban areas to come in and
solve the problems. Instead, he says that success is an
inside job.
“Successful change can’t be from the top down or the outside
in, it must be built from the inside out,” he says.
Collectively, small communities need to work together,
identify their assets and be innovative in building upon
that, he suggests.
Along with this he says there comes a degree of being
proactive. “Don’t wait for others give permission, sometimes
you need to be the catalyst,” he says.
He cites examples of towns in Australia that have built
museums with collections of old cars, toys, lace and wedding
dresses as a means to attract tourists – and eventually gift
shops and coffee shops sprung up as well. Another town built
a theme around creating artistic buildings and sculptures
out of sheet metal, and now it has become a “must-stop”
destination.
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How can communities get people
involved?
This, Kenyon says, is about
building pride and social capital within communities.
“Cynicism and a ‘nothing works’ attitude breaks the
community down,” he says.
Instead, communities should promote healthy behaviors.
Examples include holding community events that allow people
to get involved in conversations and leadership roles.
Eventually, that can grow into networks for community
development.
Kenyon points out that today’s society tends to meet less –
we spend less time socializing with extended family and
friends; we are less likely to volunteer; and we often do
little with our neighbors. He advocates that getting people
involved in conversations at a local level does spill over
to have a huge impact on community development.
From those experiences, leadership can be generated.
“Leadership,” Kenyon says, “is the most important thing in
terms of building economies.” He suggests that communities
look to everyone in the community as contributors to
leadership and emphasizes that young people should be
included in these roles as well. “They have some of the most
creative ideas,” he points out.
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How can small businesses
position themselves to be competitive?
Entrepreneurialism and
innovation is often the key to how small businesses compete
with large retail stores, says Kenyon. He shares examples of
one individual he knows who operates a fruit stand. The
business has adopted an Elvis Presley theme and has turned
itself into a very successful tourist attraction that also
happens to sell fruit.
Another example is of a bakery in Southern Australia that is
in a town of 3,000 people, but has grown to a staff of 74.
Their success hinges on the owners attitude toward offering
“outrageous customer service and making it a unique
experience to eat at that bakery,” Kenyon says.
So, “Dare to be different and be passionate about your
business,” he says and quotes the Chinese proverb: A man
without a smiling face must not open a shop.
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Last words of advice?
Kenyon says to keep
generating hope and possibility among the community. He
advises that small communities should think of their town
like a business as well. He says, “Some [towns] have passion
and creativity, some don’t. If you want your community to
thrive, you need to be bold and different.”
He concludes, “It starts with mindset, believing that a
place is special and that the community can grow.”
For more of Kenyon’s thoughts visit: www.bankofideas.com.au/
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