Dr Anne Jennings

Research FellowDip. Community Development; B of Social Science (Human Services); MA (Ecologically Sustainable Development);
PhD (Thesis “Community Development supporting Ecological Conversion, as identified in Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home).

Email: anne.jennings@nd.edu.au

  • Biography

    Anne Jennings has lived and worked in rural, regional, and remote Western Australia for over 30 years. During that time she has worked as a community development practitioner, lecturer and researcher for Commonwealth, State and Local Government, for the Not-for-Profit community services sector and as an independent consultant - as well as undertaking pro-bono work. Her experience ranges from community engagement and consultation; capacity building; project establishment and facilitation through to preparing acquittals; local enterprise and economic development; funding/submission writing; catchment/natural resource management, and land/river care.
    Her employment in the tertiary sector includes with The University of Notre Dame Australia, Broome campus (part and fulltime regularly since 2010) – in Vocational Education and Training and University. Anne is now employed as a Research Fellow for the Nulungu Research Institute in Broome.

    Prior to these roles Anne was engaged as an Adjunct Lecturer for the Masters in Regional Development at the University of Western Australia, and with Edith Cowan University, Bunbury campus, as sessional lecturer and researcher, and Joondalup campus as researcher.

  • Teaching areas

    Anne's employment in the tertiary sector includes with The University of Notre Dame Australia, Broome campus (part and fulltime regularly since 2010) – in Vocational Education and Training (course writing, teaching, and coordinating for the Diploma of Community Development) and University (coordinating/lecturing in the Tertiary Pathways Program), and as the Project Coordinator (Kimberley Transitions project). Anne is now employed as a Research Fellow for the Nulungu Research Institute in Broome.

  • Research expertise and supervision

    • Community development theory and practice
    • Social and ecological sustainable development
    • Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home – Pope Francis encyclical – ecological conversion; integral ecology
    • Community consultation and engagement
    • Rural and regional revitalisation
    • Ecological economics

  • Book chapters

    • Jennings, A., & Greig, A. (2021). Case Study 4 – Australia: The Agunya Project. In C. McConnell, D. Muia and A. Clarke. (Eds). International Community Development Practice (pp. 46-48). Routledge.
    • Jennings, A. (2021). Advancing Local, Social and Ecological Transition through Community Development. In Boulet, J., & Hawkins, L. (Eds). Practical and Political approaches to Recontextualising Social Work (pp. 209-227). IGI Global.
    • Jennings, A. (2020). Transitions stories in ecological economics from the Australian ‘bush’. In H. Washington. (Ed). Ecological Economics: Solutions for the Future (pp. 258-272). PANGEA Research Centre.

  • Journal articles and proceedings

    • Jennings, A. (Under review). Community Development: Pathways towards socio-ecological change. Submitted to the Australian Journal of Community Work.
    • Jennings, A. (Under Review). Community Development Practitioners’ roles in Human Rights. IACD (International Association for Community Development) Practice Insights.
    • Jennings, A. (Under review). Local Parish responses to a global Christian Socio-ecological agenda. Nulungu Publications, University of Notre Dame Australia, Broome Campus.
    • Jennings, A., & Warnock, E. (2021). Relational Interdependence: the River Nurturing the People and the People Nurturing the River - steps towards a new future. New Community, 19(4), Issue 76, pp. 23-29.
    • Jennings, A. (2021). Interconnectedness: Exploring global to local approaches to the community ecological ‘jigsaw’. New Community, 19(2), pp. 62-69.
    • Jennings, A. (2021). World Cafe qualitative research informing local pathways towards transformative change. New Community. 19(1), pp. 22-29.
    • Wooltorton, S., Toussaint, S., Poelina, A., Jennings, A., Muecke, S., Kenneally, K., Remond, J., Schripf, A., & Stredwick, L. (2019). Kimberley Transitions, Collaborating to Care for Our Common Home: Beginnings …, Nulungu Research Institute.
    • Jennings, A. (2019). ‘Growing’ Food and Community in the Remote Kimberley Region. New Community. 17(3), pp. 7-12.
    • Jennings, A. (2019). “Food as Commons” within an Australian Aboriginal context. New Community. 17(4), pp. 28-33.
    • Jennings, A. (2018). Laudato si’ – establishing local approaches for global ecological conversion. Whanake: The Pacific Journal of Community Development, 4(2), pp. 32-47.
    • Jennings, A. (2018). Registration of Professionals: The Pros and Cons, in Practice Insights Issue 12, pp. 13-15.
    • Jennings, A. (2017). Community Development – The ‘Missing Ingredient’ in Striving for Sustainability. In Stansfield, J., & Frankland-Hutchinson, A. (Eds). Sustainably Yours: Community Development and a Sustainably Just Future – ACDA and IACD Conference Proceedings (pp. 6-18). Unitec Institute of Technology.
    • Jennings, A. (2008). Community Development supporting Sustainability Education. New Community Quarterly, 6(2), pp. 23-27.
    • Jennings, A. (2006). Rural Community Cultural Development: Small really is beautiful. In Wooltorton, S., & Marinova, D. Sharing Wisdom for our Future Environmental Education in Action: Proceedings of the National Conference of the Australian Association for Environmental Education. Sydney: AAEE. Chapter 30, pp 276-284.
    • Jennings, A. (2005). Community Development: Analysing our practice and processes. New Community Quarterly, Summer 2005, 3(4), Summer 2005, pp. 3 – 6.
    • Jennings, A. (2004). Roles small rural communities play in setting their own agendas and forging their own futures. New Community Quarterly,2(4), Summer 2004, pp. 3 – 8.
    • Aoun, S., & Jennings, A. (2003). Safety Promotion – a tale of lost opportunities.  A report for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. RIRDC Publication No 03/082. RIRDC Project No. WAC-2A.
    • Jennings, A. (2002). Local people rebuilding local economies. Community Development Journal, 37(4), October 2002 pp. 300 – 315.
    • Black, A., Duff, J., Saggers, S., Baines, P., Jennings, A., & Bowen, P. (2000). Rural communities and rural social issues: Priorities for research. A report for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. RIRDC Publication No. 00/130. RIRDC Project No. ECU-4A.

  • Conference papers

    • Jennings, A. (2020). ‘Laudato Si’ applied within Community’ [Paper presentation]. Knights of the Southern Cross Western Australia Triennial Conference, Perth, Western Australia.
    • Jennings, A. (2020). Innovative, Creative Community and Ecological Economics Projects in Broome. University of Notre Dame Australia’s ‘Talking Heads’ Program, Broome, Western Australia [combined face-to-face and Zoom presentation].
    • Jennings, A. (2019). Working within, and moving across, traditional community development boundaries [Paper presentation]. International Association for Community Development Conference: People, Place and Power, Dundee, Scotland.
    • Jennings, A. (2019). Transitions stories in ecological economics from the Australian ‘bush’ [Paper presentation]. Australia and New Zealand Society for Ecological Economics Conference: Ecological Economics: Solutions Now and in the Future, Melbourne, Victoria.
    • Jennings, A. (2019). Community Development for Ecological Conversion [Paper presentation]. Australian Earth Laws Alliance Conference: Building Earth Ethics in Australia: Pathways and Challenges, Melbourne, Victoria.
    • Jennings, A. (2018). We are a vital part of the ecological change we are waiting for. National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council National Assembly: Strong Faith, Strong Youth, Strong Future: Celebrating Faith, Culture and Spirituality, Perth, Western Australia.
    • Jennings, A. (2017). Community Development – The ‘Missing Ingredient’ in Striving for Sustainability. Presented at the ACDA and IACD Conference: Sustainably Yours: Community Development and a Sustainably Just Future. Auckland, New Zealand.
    • Jennings, A. (2011). Sustainability education: local communities in real partnerships with local schools.  Paper presented at the 6th World Environmental Education Congress: Explore, Experience, Educate. Brisbane. https://weecnetwork.org/congresses/6weec/
    • Jennings, A. (2009). Can community development approaches support sustainability education? Paper presented at the AAEE 15th Biennial Conference Environmental Education up the Track: Hot Topics for our Community. Darwin, Australia: Charles Darwin University.
    • Jennings, A. (2008). Community Development supporting Sustainability Education. Presented at the New Zealand Association for Environmental Education Conference: Connections and Action, at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
    • Jennings, A. (2006). Rural Community Cultural Development: Small really is beautiful. At the Sharing Wisdom for our Future Environmental Education in Action: National Conference of the Australian Association for Environmental Education. Bunbury, Western Australia.
    • Jennings, A. (2005). Roles small rural communities play in setting their own agendas and forging their own futures. Presented at the Linking Communities Community Development Conference, Local Government Community Services Association WA, Perth.

  • Professional affiliations

    • Editor, the Australian Journal of Community Work.
    • Editorial Board Member, Whanake: The Pacific Journal for Community Development (based in New Zealand).
    • National Vice-President, Australian Community Workers Association.
    • Member, International Association for Community Development (based in Scotland).
    • Member, New Economy Network Australia (NENA).
    • Member, Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA).
    • Director, Board of Management, Broome CIRCLE (Community Information, Resource Centre and Learning Exchange) Incorporated.
    • Member, Our Lady Queen of Peace Broome, Parish Council.

  • Community engagement

    • Living Laudato Si’ Broome – current Project Coordinator.
    • Catholic Earthcare Australia’s Laudato Si’ Animator’s Course 2018, New Norcia, Western Australia.
    • International Global Catholic Climate Movement’s Laudato Si’ Animator course electronically in 2019.
    • National Catholic Earthcare Australia Advisory Board in 2018-2020.