Hi Chris, Robyn and Peta,
Attached is my honours thesis. It has been good in the way that it has
helped facilitate some important improvements to the Co-operator
through working with, and drawing feedback from, the over 50s group
and the four community workers involved. It also inspired a theory
paper for the Co-operator as well as an introduction video. The thesis
itself provides a record of this development and I found the action
research approach an important personal reflection on community based
process. For me it was also a helpful exercise in historically
contextualising a cooperative and self-help philosophy. If any of you
have the time and or interest to wade through its 70 odd pages, I'd be
interested in any feedback - certainly no expectation though.
Thanks for all of your support,
Alex

Thesis - Getting our act together.pdf 2094K Download

Dear Alex,

Congratulations on completing your Honours thesis!  A job well done;  you
must be relieved, and hopefully pleased with the result also.

Thank you also for sending us a copy.  I haven't had a chance to read every
word, but I have read the first couple of chapters and skimmed the rest.  It
looks great;  well done.

My favourite quote was this one:

Kennedy (Wynn and Guditus, 1984, p3) summed it up for many when he said: "On
judgment day the

Lord will divide people up by telling those on His right hand side to enter
the kingdom of

heaven and those on His left to break into small groups.".

I'm sort of curious about how one keeps enthusiasm for the Cooperator
process going with a group like the Over 50s, which as you probably know, is
a mixed bunch.  While their initial response was so positive, I don't know
whether, as a group, they grasped the potential for the continuing use of
this process.  Maybe an end-of-year discussion at some time?

Anyway, thanks again, and congratulations.

Best wishes,

Peta

==========================================

Peta Williams

Manager

Lower Mountains Neighbourhood Centre

33 Hope Street, Blaxland  NSW  2774

Tel: 02 4739 1164  Fax: 02 4739 4863

Email: mana...@lmnc.org.au  www.lmnc.org.au

Work days: Monday to Thursday

==========================================