Survival of the Kindest

102: Shawn Wilson - Research is Ceremony Shawn Wilson is an Associate Professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of British Columbia. His book, Research is Ceremony, Indigenous Research Methods, is one of my favourites. As we have discussed previously on Survival of the Kindest, indigenous ways of knowing and being offer a lot, stressing the importance of interdependence, relationsional accountability and kinship not just with the people around us but with everything. It is a harmonious and very integrated way of living. Our actions have consequences everywhere and this is increasingly obvious as we watch the impact of environmental destruction. Research has a really important role to play in understanding how this all fits together. Limited rationalistic scientific research methods are not suitable to be able to describe this complexity and Shawn in his book, demonstrates how indigenous research methods are more appropriate in providing a much broader, more expansive view.

101: Tammy McGrath - It takes a community approach for end-of-life journey "A Wongatha, Ngadju, Mirning Yamitji, Woman from the Goldfields, proud Mum, Nanna, Daughter, Sister Aunty, Cousin, Friend, Colleague, Connector. I've been living on Noongar Boodjar (Country) more than I've lived on my own. I've been blessed and guided by my Noongar Elders, Ancestors to walk their Country live, work respect and to tread softly on this spiritual journey. To encourage ALL people, Aboriginal, clinicians alike, to talk about palliative care. If we demystify the barriers of palliative care early, we can improve access to the appropriate services. By working together to inspire mob, in their communities to yarn, plan, prepare. By building strong relationships with stakeholders, working in partnership with as many services to help close gaps, identify any issue to collaborate seamless care for patients and their families. It takes a village to raise a child and it takes a community approach for end-of-life journey. I believe in equity for everyone, and everyone should have access to a Deadly (Good) death if I can help to empower, educate, and advocate for my people my mob, on being prepared in charge of their end-of-life journey to how they'd like their story to go then I've achieved more than I could have ever wishes for." - Tammy McGrath

100 - Simon Lennane: How developing trust with community builds community health "Social infrastructure is a good way of framing community capacity" Simon Lennane is a GP in Shropshire who has a new book out, called Creating Community Health. For many people in healthcare, common sense tells them that health is more than application of medical treatments. The context in which people live has a tremendous impact on how they experience health and ill health. Simon discovered this through visiting people in the homes. To help address the issues of community he partnered with the Ross Community Development Trust. This led him down the road of exploring the social context of health and the important role that communities play and keeping people healthy, improving their well-being and making sure that when they suffer ill health they remain connected to the community. His book is an extensive presentation of how this can be done and is a treasury of resources

99 - Vishanthie Sewpaul: Hearing, Listening, Helping. - Part 2 Helping people does not always have to be something tangible or material that you give. It's hearing people. It's listening to them. It's taking them seriously. Vishanthie Sewpaul is a Senior Emeritus Professor of Social Work at the University of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. She has an extraordinary life story, living as a South African Indian through apartheid. Her mother was an inspirational figure, dedicated to integrity, working hard and bringing up her family as a single parent. Vishanthie entered education without expectation of going to university but, following a chance meeting, she realised that she could study social work. Through dedication to her work, a deep belief in social justice and a forthrightness of spirit, she rose to be an international lead in the field of social work. Her autobiography is called The Arc of Our Paths and is a fascinating read. This podcast is divided into 2 episodes to give full justice to the depth of Vishanthie's story.

98 - Vishanthie Sewpaul: Hearing, Listening, Helping. Helping people does not always have to be something tangible or material that you give. It's hearing people. It's listening to them. It's taking them seriously. Vishanthie Sewpaul is a Senior Emeritus Professor of Social Work at the University of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. She has an extraordinary life story, living as a South African Indian through apartheid. Her mother was an inspirational figure, dedicated to integrity, working hard and bringing up her family as a single parent. Vishanthie entered education without expectation of going to university but, following a chance meeting, she realised that she could study social work. Through dedication to her work, a deep belief in social justice and a forthrightness of spirit, she rose to be an international lead in the field of social work. Her autobiography is called The Arc of Our Paths and is a fascinating read. This podcast is divided into 2 episodes to give full justice to the depth of Vishanthie's story.

97 -  Antoine Boivin and Ghislaine Rouly: Standardisation, depersonalisation and the impact this has on peoples health and wellness "My whole journey really as a physician has been to meet people in important moments of their lives, build relationships." - Antoine Boivin For many clinicians, the routine practice of medicine is unsatisfactory. Standardisation, depersonalisation, lack of emphasis on relationship and the impact this has on peoples health and wellness is often an obvious omission. Clinicians find ways of developing their practice to do what they can to close the gap. Listeners to Survival of the Kindest will be familiar with the Frome Model of enhanced primary care and compassionate communities and how this had a transformative impact on the whole population of Frome. This week's Survival of the Kindest podcast features Antoine Boivin and Ghislaine Rouly. Antoine is a practicing family physician and the Chairholder of the Canada Research Chair in Partnership with Patients and Communities. Working as a family physician in the community of Center-South Montreal, he completed his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in health services research in the United Kingdom and Netherlands. He found an excellent partner in Ghislaine Rouly, in bridging the gap between professional care and a more personalised, relationship approach. Ghislaine Rouly has been a patient since birth, living with two orphan genetic diseases. Ghislaine has always been working in the health sector and has acquired a unique level of experiential knowledge. For the past five years, at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Montreal, she has been working within the Patient Partnership Collaboration Directorate team, where patient partnership has become her passion. She participates in mentoring, ethics courses, the courses on collaborative practices and also sits on the expert patient committee.

96 - Gonzalo Brito Pons: Compassion in Chile "I take wisdom and kindness wherever I can find it" This week @julianabel welcomes Chilean clinical psychologist and researcher into compassion Gonzalo Brito Pons @CulivarMente to the Survival of the Kindest podcast. Gonzalo talks about his work spanning 20 years on the impact of compassion, most recently during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

We are fully dependent on and interdependent with the food that's grown from the ground, the water we drink, the air we breathe, the sunlight, the moon, and everything that keeps our ecosystem functioning. On this week's Survival of the Kindest we hear from Dave Oates. Dave he is an advocate of regenerative farming practices on his family farm on The Lizard peninsula in Cornwall, Southwest England. He firmly believes that farming can have a positive impact on the environment, both increasing biodiversity and carbon capture, at the same time as producing healthy, nutritious food.

94 - Tania Singer: "We need to start measuring social interactions and understand compassion" "We need to start measuring social interactions and understand compassion" I am delighted to welcome Tania Singer on this week survival of the kindest podcast. Tanya is a psychologist and Professor of Social Neuroscience. She is the scientific director of the Max Planck Society's Social Neuroscience Lab in Berlin. Between 2007 and 2010, she became the inaugural chair of social neuroscience and neuroeconomics at the University of Zurich and was the co-director of the Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research in Zurich. Her research focuses on the developmental, neuronal, and hormonal mechanisms underlying human social behaviour and social emotions such as compassion and empathy. She is founder and principal investigator of the ReSource project, one of the largest longitudinal studies on the effects of mental training on brain plasticity, as well as mental and physical health, co-funded by the European Research Council.

"My work is absolutely political. Working with the community is absolutely political. Working with refugees is absolutely political. Politics is everywhere. But the way politicians exercise it is a dead end." Thalia Dragonas is Emeritus Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Athens, where she was also the Head of the Department for Early Childhood Education. Her research interests have included psychosocial identity and intergroup relations, intercultural education and ethnocentrism in the educational system, prevention and promotion of early psychosocial health, and she worked extensively for the educational reform of the Muslim Minority in Western Thrace. She previously served as a State Member of the Greek Parliament and Secretary on Educational Planning and Intercultural Education at the Ministry of Education, Life-Long Learning and Religious Affairs. However, her commitment to the integration of minorities attracted the opposition of LAOS. Julian talks with Thalia about her community development projects with various marginalised groups in Greece, the difference between integration and assimilation, and her experience of the Greek political system.

"The LGBTQ+ community is not just my friends and what some people refer to as a chosen family, but it's also a connection to history and what got us to where we are now." Stewart O'Callaghan (they/them) is the Founder and Chief Executive of Live Through This, the UK's only LGBTIQ+ cancer charity and one which is firmly patient-led. When, aged 29, Stewart was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia, they moved back to England from Germany in the hope of being better supported there. Unfortunately, as a queer person, they instead encountered biases and barriers within cancer care. Julian talks to Stewart about their treatment journey and how that led them to set up a charity to improve the representation, information and support available to LGBTIQ+ people affected by cancer.

"If we live in a culture where where hate is made easy, we are more likely to take that path. Hate gives us a sense of empowerment. Rage gives us a sense of agency. Othering gives us a sense of superiority. It may all be an illusion but at least we don't feel vulnerable and powerless [...] In political debate, fear has been used to create a triggered state where people are going to be in 'fight or flight' so we'll choose to hate rather than welcome." In this week's episode, Julian speaks with Jennifer Nadel, the co-founder of Compassion in Politics and chair of the Global Compassion Coalition. They talk about her fascinating career from qualifying as a barrister to becoming Home Affairs Editor for ITV, and the writing, campaigning, and activism she has moved into since. Throughout her career, Jennifer has been looking for a platform to tell the truth, however inconvenient, and to stand against injustice. But she combines this with a deep optimism about the human potential for compassion. In their conversation with Julian, they talk about some of the failings of the criminal justice system, the potential of the media to trigger positive change but also to have harmful intended consequences, and the need for greater compassion in our political system and wider culture.

"If we are attuned to the reality that our biological, emotional, and spiritual needs are totally dependent on others, then we will feel gratitude and tenderness towards others." Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University, a Professor of Pedagogy in the University's Department of Religion and the founder and spiritual director of Drepung Loseling Monastery. After spending 27 years as a monk, Professor Negi has pioneered compassion training programmes and contributed to the development of compassion science. In 2004, he developed CBCT® (Cognitively-Based Compassion Training), a secular contemplative programme based on Tibetan Buddhist practices that works to cultivate compassion. He also oversees SEE Learning™ (Social, Emotional and Ethical Learning), a programme which, championed by the Dalai Lama, spans from pre-school through to university. SEE Learning helps develop children's capacities for ethical discernment, attentiveness, and compassion for self and others. Geshe Lobsang speaks with Julian about his monastic training, Buddhist teachings about compassion, and how we can all become more compassionate, whatever our beliefs.

89: Dr Jim Nininger & Dr Mary Lou Kelley: Compassionate Ottawa "In community development, as the outsider, you can help with facilitation, you can help with organising, you can help with identifying resources. But you are never the leader." In this episode, Julian is joined by Jim Nininger, Co-Founder of Compassionate Ottawa, and Mary Lou Kelley, Professor of Social Work and Gerontology at Lakehead University and Professor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. They talk about the history of Compassionate Ottawa, its biggest successes, and how they see it developing in the future. Jim and Mary also share their advice for anyone wanting to start a Compassionate City movement in their own community. Compassionate Ottawa draws much of its inspiration from Professor Allan Kellehear's work on the Compassionate City Charter. It is a citizen-led movement which seeks to change the way we think of living well, dying, death and grief, and to strengthen the capacity of people to care for each other in times of serious illness and loss. You can read more about Compassionate Ottawa on their website and you can find out about how to work towards accredited Compassionate City Charter status here.

"There's this really interesting untapped potential within the threshold of your neighbourhood and if you could have a pair of special glasses to see all the invisible stuff that modern life blinds us from seeing, you'd see the gifts of your neighbours, you'd see the possibilities in your associations, you'd see all of the things that never get reported." This week's Survival of the Kindest podcast sees the return of Cormac Russell. Cormac has a new book out, The Connected Community: Discovering the Health, Wealth and Power of Neighbourhoods, written with John McKnight, co-originator of Asset Based Community Development. It is written for people who want to better understand how communities can come together and transform their neighbourhood, from within. Cormac Russel is the Founding Director of Nurture Development and a member of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute, at DePaul University, Chicago. His previous book Rekindling Democracy – A Professional's Guide to Working in Citizen Space focussed on the how professionals can reorientate their work to fit within the context of community. On this episode, Julian and Cormac talk about the themes of both books, maps of misery and treasure maps as ways of seeing our communities, the building blocks to a good life lived with our neighbours, and the wisdom of indigenous ways of being. You can listen to their previous conversation on the podcast here.

"With Jobe, I have to slow my whole life down, but it's quite a blessing... He takes me back to basics." Ben Taylor-Davies was born and raised on a farm in Ross-on-Wye before studying geography at Liverpool University. He worked as an agronomist, an expert in soil management and crop production, until his son, Jobe, was badly injured in an accident on the farm. That incident changed the course of Ben's career as well as the rest of the family's life. To reignite his love for agriculture, he travelled internationally to learn about other farming techniques and, as a result, his understanding about the biology of soil was transformed. Now an expert on regenerative farming, Ben advises governments, large food, production companies, and farmers alike around the world, while he, his wife and their three children also manage the farm he grew up on.

86: Ben Raskin - The Cooperation Beneath Our Feet "Something Darwin knew all about is the power of diversity - crops are more successful when they're grown as part of a mix." On this episode of Survival of the Kindest, Julian speaks to Ben Raskin, Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry at the Soil Association. Ben has been working in horticulture for over 25 years, since he helped out at a vineyard in Italy to say thank you to the owners who had invited him for dinner. Ben co-chairs the Edibles Horticulture Roundtable within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; sits on the boards of the Organic Growers Alliance and the UK's Community Supported Agriculture Network. He set up and ran the 10-acre horticultural production at Daylesford Organic Farm, before moving to the Welsh College of Horticulture as commercial manager. Now living in Sussex, the produce from his walled garden supplies a Michelin-starred restaurant. In his conversation with Julian, they talk about the similarities between the ecology of healthy soil and that of strong communities; evidence of co-operation and interdependence between the millions of organisms within soil; and why Ben is optimistic about regenerative, sustainable farming.

85: Professor Gilbert - The Compassionate Mind "Your strength comes from your community, how you care and what you share - not from putting a fence around yourself and keeping others out." Professor Paul Gilbert is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Derby and Visiting Professor at the University of Queensland. He founded and developed Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and established the Compassionate Mind Foundation which supports thousands of clinicians around the world to develop, practice and promote CFT. Professor Gilbert as spent decades researching evolutionary approaches to mental health alongside working as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist in the NHS. He has over 300 publications including 22 books. In his conversation with Dr Julian Abel, they talk about the Buddhist view of consciousness and compassion, the development of CFT, evolutionary theories of mental health, societal shifts from 'hold and control' to 'care and share', and much, much more.

"What matters most for any baby with a brain injury is the environment they go home to and grow up in... What happens in hospital has a relatively minor effect." Dr. Tommy Wood is currently the assistant professor of paediatrics and neuroscience at the University of Washington. He originally trained in biochemistry at the University of Cambridge, going on to study medicine at the University of Oxford, and complete a Ph.D. in Norway on neonatal brain injury. His research now focuses on improving brain health and function across the life-course and supporting recovery from brain injury. He is also Associate Editor of the journal, Lifestyle Medicine, competes in Powerlifting and Strongman competitions, and is a strength and conditioning coach. In his conversation with Dr Julian Abel, they talk about neuroscience, nutrition, and how learnings from neonatal care can help us support people in later life. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

“The twin ideas of national sovereignty and competitiveness are preventing so much of the collective action that we need”. This week survival of the kind of podcast features, Alex Evans. Alex is the founder of Larger Us, an organisation which aims to enable social change through expanding our sense of a collective self, rather than thinking in terms of us versus them. Alex is a Senior Fellow at New York University's Centre on International Cooperation and author of The Myth Gap: What Happens When Evidence and Arguments Aren't Enough? , a book which uses deep stories to unlock systemic social and political change, addressing a world of increasing them-and-us identity. He has been Campaign Director at Avaaz, where he ran campaigns on areas including Brexit, tax havens, humanitarian assistance, and human rights. He has done various stints as a political adviser, including as special adviser to two UK Secretaries of State for International Development. He has worked in the UN Secretary-General's office; and as consultant for organisations from Oxfam and WWF to the Ethiopian government and the US National Intelligence Council. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

"Are you committed to telling the truth and playing fair? And are you committed to supporting those who do tell the truth and play fair regardless of political view? And are you prepared to cast out of your political party those who do not tell the truth and play fair?" This week's Survival of the Kindest podcast features Dr Rick Hanson. Rick is a psychologist and senior fellow at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, founded by Dacher Keltner, who has also been a podcast guest. He is a New York Times best-selling author. His six books have been published in 30 languages and include Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Just One Thing, Buddha's Brain, and Mother Nurture He is an expert on positive neuroplasticity, and has great knowledge into brain neurophysiology. He became interested in meditation in the 70s an and is the founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom. His combination knowledge of meditation with his knowledge of psychology and neurophysiology provides fascinating insights into how these diverse fields fit closely together. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

"We want care to be place-based. We want people to be able to get care close to home, or in their home. We want care to be experienced as Safe. We want care to be experienced as Compassionate. We want people's families to be included and Respected." Dr Kirsten Auret is a palliative care specialist and assistant professor at the University of Western Australia Medical School. She was naturally connected to her community, and the development of palliative care came from community roots. So, when she started hearing about compassionate communities and compassionate cities, it was a natural progression from what she was already doing, complementing the way that she was working. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

"Remember that when you lose a loved person, grieving is a long-term and sometimes very painful process and with many turns ups and upside downs that will affect the entire your entire life. But at the same time grieving is a natural and a healthy process because through grieving you are able to progressively adapt to a new reality from which your loved one is missing. You build a continuing bond with a person who has died." This week's Survival of the Kindest podcast features Professor Danai Papadatou. Danai is Professor of Psychology at the University of Athens. Her glittering career is so full it seems like she has lived three lives. She has authored and edited numerous authoritative books and published extensively research articles on bereavement, particularly relating to childhood bereavement. She is an international keynote speaker and member of international committees. But perhaps most impressive of all is her work with Merimna, the charity she set up for childhood bereavement. She was invited by the Greek government to help when 7 children were killed in a school bus accident in northern Greece. The charity has more recently worked with unaccompanied refugee minors, many who have multiple traumatic experiences. Danai has always seen community as a key part of her work, providing a blended model of psychological support from individual work to community participation. Her remarkable film about the school bus tragedy will be shown at The Stroud Film Festival on Sunday March 19th . She will be attend remotely and will be free to answer questions. To donate to Merimna, please click on the link here. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

"Death and life are bound together. Without life, there would be no death." This week's Survival of the Kindest podcast is a joint interview between Professor Allan Kellehear, Dr Libby Sallnow, Dr Richard Smith and myself. Richard was editor of the British Medical Journal for 25 years. Libby and Richard are lead authors in the Lancet Commission On The Value Of Death. Allan founded the field of public health palliative care back in the 1990s and has overseen the development over the last 25 years. Libby is a consultant in palliative care in London and a leader in the field of public health palliative care. Both Allan and Libby have featured on previous episodes of Survival of the Kindest. The story of dying in the 21st century is a story of paradox. COVID-19 has meant people have died the ultimate medicalised deaths, often alone in hospitals with little communication with their families. But in other settings, including in some lower income countries, many people remain undertreated, dying of preventable conditions and without access to basic pain relief. The unbalanced and contradictory picture of death and dying is the basis for the Lancet Commission on the Value of Death. Drawing on multidisciplinary perspectives from around the globe, the Commissioners argue that death and life are bound together: without death there would be no life. The Commission proposes a new vision for death and dying, with greater community involvement alongside health and social care services, and increased bereavement support. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

76: Dave and Sara Brave Heart - Humility and Compassion Your responsibilities to others are more important than your own personal wants. This week's podcast features Dave and Sara Brave Heart. Daves childhood was not easy. His father suffered from alcoholism and Dave also found some solace in alcohol. Both he and his father were successful in coming to grips with their addiction, finding compassion and wisdom in their Native American roots. Despite quite different backgrounds, both David and Sara, his wife, found connections and similarities. Dave leads the healing Annual Mahkato Pow Wow , the Dakota Wokiksuye Makoce, or Land of Memories Park in Mankato, Minnesota. This was where the Dakota People held many gatherings before the execution of 38 warriors during the U.S. Dakota War of 1862. After that mass execution, the Dakota People moved out of the area and scattered to different parts of the country. This pow wow is an effort to bring them back to their homeland. Dave was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as motor neurone disease, in September 2021. Both Sara and Dave's openness and care for each other shines through in this podcast. Dave's speech is slurred from his ALS. He is still able to communicate well and his wisdom and humour are evident throughout. A GoFundMe for Dave can be found here to help make Dave and Sara's house more accessible. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us at sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

75. Dr Ros Watts - Psilocybin As A Treatment For Depression I have become more and more interested in community and nature as important ways of integrating not only psychedelic experiences, but just life experiences. On this week's Survival of the Kindest podcast I am delighted to welcome Dr Ros Watts. Ros managed to combine both a conventional and unconventional side to her childhood, doing well academically at the same time as enjoying a thriving dance scene. She became a clinical psychologist and got a job supervising people using psilocybin in a clinical trial for depression at Imperial College. What was clear from the outcome of the trial was that people developed a sense of belonging after having taken psilocybin in a therapeutic clinical environment. This naturally led Ros to consider the role of community in mental health. She has designed a therapeutic intervention that connects people both to nature and each other. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

74. Holly Prince - You Will Be An Ancestor To Somebody. And What Is Your Legacy? Start thinking about being accountable to the next 6, 7, 8 generations down the line, it really encourages you to live your life in a good way. We welcome back Holly Prince to this week's Survival of the Kindest podcast. Holly was a guest on episode 15. She is a First Nations palliative care researcher who worked alongside Mary Lou Kelly, who was a guest on episode 7. Mary Lou and Holly together ran an exemplary participatory research project in First Nations communities in Canada, which endures to the present day. Holly is now midway through her PhD. She is researching First Nations ways of knowing and being. She's using innovative research techniques to make sure that the elders of her community determine what they think is important to say, and furthermore her interpretation of this will be checked directly with them. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

"Suggesting that those things be practiced misses at least 50% of the point which is not just about getting us to live longer but it's about moving us incrementally toward being better people, being more, kind and compassionate to ourselves and to other people, purely for the sake of doing it." On the Survival of the Kindest podcast we try and piece together a variety of different views which help to explain why compassion is so important.   We have heard from Professor Julianne Holt Lunstad about the dramatic effect of social relationships on reducing the risk of dying. We heard from Professor Steve Cole about how this works at a molecular level, including the field of human social genomics. On this week's podcast we hear about the fantastic work of Professor George Slavich. George and Steve are colleagues. Starting with a psychology degree, George became increasingly interested in the biological impacts of social relationships. This led him to the field of psychoneuroimmunology. The depth of his interest is amazing. He has managed to describe as complete a picture of the impact of social relationships in all the body systems as we have. He has developed the field of social safety theory which comprehensively examines the evolutionary roots and the impacts of a variety of different environments, both physical and social, on how our bodies function.

"If you're looking at the bits you're not seeing the bigger picture" On this week's Survival of the Kindest podcast I am delighted to welcome Diana Reynolds. Diana is the Sustainable Development Change Manager for Welsh Government, where she is a leadership coach and manages a long term behaviour change programme. Diana has, in various existences, been a school teacher, head of computing, private sector training manager, semiskilled machine operative and university staff development officer. She spent several years working freelance in mid-Wales as a management consultant; providing advice and training on educational management, adult education, information technology and environmental education, through the medium of Welsh and English.

"Music provides the vehicle to express things that are quite difficult to express" On this week's Survival of the Kindest podcast I am delighted to welcome Judah Amani. Judah has an extraordinary background being brought up in Iran, London, and Israel. This unique combination of different cultural upbringings was somewhat disorientating for him. Judah found that he was able to make more sense of his complex world through understanding design. He took a diversion in the world of music, and perhaps found this equally disorientating. Going back to design via the route of human rights, he used the processes he understood working with prisoners and help them develop In-House records. The social context of design has been really important to him and there is a real commonality of language with that of community development. Design is in everything and is part of power structures, equity and human rights

'The small moment of someone choosing to invest a hundred dollars, $500 in a local business, makes such a huge difference. It's a radical act. If we can have more of those small moments, I believe it'll make a huge difference.' On this weeks survival of the kindest podcast I am delighted to welcome Jenny Kassan. Jenny grew up in something of a radical household, familiarising her with a critique of capitalism. She studied psychology at UC Berkeley and then did an intern with Ralph Nader in Washington DC. This was a formative period for her working on Civil Rights and exposing the negative aspects of big corporations. She went on to law school and then worked for a non-profit community development corporation in Oakland called the Unity Council, where she served as staff attorney and managed community economic development projects, including a $100 million housing project and the formation and management of several social ventures designed to employ and create business ownership opportunities for low-income community residents. Jenny co-founded the Sustainable Economies Law Center, a non-profit that provides legal information to support sustainable economies. Jenny is also a fellow at Democracy Collaborative. Jenny's legal practice, Jenny Kassan Consulting, provides legal services, coaching, and consulting for mission-driven companies, investors, and intermediaries and includes educational programs for entrepreneurs Connect with Jenny on twitter

This weeks survival of the kind of podcast features Olaf Kuhlke. Olaf was brought up in Germany and studied cultural geography. He went on to study higher degrees in Canada and the United States. He is an associate professor in the department of geography and philosophy at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Olaf's career Took an interesting turn after a visit to remote communities in northern Canada. As a cultural geographer, he has written about international migration, large-scale dance festivals and their place in national and local discourse, the representation of national identity in Canadian popular music, the global diffusion of dance practices, and the places of Freemasonry in the United States. Most recently, he has been a passionate advocate for the establishment of cultural entrepreneurship as an academic discipline and practice, and have written about the theoretical foundations of this new form of entrepreneurship emerging out of the liberal arts.

"I guess we don't really get taught so much at school about how to deal with hormones and how to accept them and be like, that's okay, that's fine." CW: depression and suicide. This week Julian talks to TR-14er Amara Leigh Hull. Aged 19, Amara talks openly about the hardships she has been through ranging from depression in school, to her more recent struggles, and where dance and music has fitted in with that. Throughout lockdowns, very dark periods, and going to uni, Amara has kept up working as a leader with the TR-14ers. To hear her speak about the place it has in her life is to learn from someone what a difference community can make.

‘Everybody wants to coach the elite athletes, Olympic athletes, the ones winning races, the ones qualifying for championships. You name it. What about everybody else? Because the vast majority of us are everybody else ' CW disordered eating. This week Julian talks to host of the Endurance Planet Podcast, triathlon coach Tawnee Prazak Gibson, described as ‘holistic health and endurance sports coach, mother, multisport athlete, writer and speaker,' on the Edurance Planet website. For many women involved in endurance sports it can feel like the training on offer ignores the reality of their lives. From periods to parenthood Tawnee has approached incredible athletic feats with care of her own mind and body at the fore front. Throughout this conversation with Julian she talks about the incredibly difficult journey she has had, handling an eating disorder, the death of her first child, and how to coach other athletes. Tawnee's approach is filled with the compassion that Survival of the Kindest hears about often and wants to amplify - understanding what success means is different for everyone, and that everyone deserves to be professionally guided towards their goals. Another beautiful conversation that meanders around loss, grief, life, and sports and has much to say along the way. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us compassion.pod@gmail.com

The story of how a policeman became instrumental in setting up a Cornish dance group is fantastic. The TR14-ers, named by its young members, are based in Cambourne in Cornwall (a.k.a TR14) and was set up in 2005 by David Aynsley our guest this week. David's core of compassion, and his understanding of how communities can be nurtured led him to sign his Neighbourhood Police Team up to the first ever Connecting Communities programme run by our former guest Hazel Stuteley, and the rest is history. It is an extraordinary story that shows what policing can do. The TR14-ers are now a self-run charity, the lessons are free, the young dancers self-organise and lead the dance sessions. This conversation is full of stories that show how you can feed what is good in a community that to many looks like there is nothing, how you can be a supportive police force, how amazing and hard that is, but mostly how worth it it is. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us compassion.pod@gmail.com

‘My focus now is on how do we transform the economic system so that it fosters connection, that it helps people connect to other people, helps them connect to themselves and helps them connect to the natural world.' This week Julian talks to regenerative economist Bennet Zelner. While economics is not something that is habitually associated with compassion, in this episode Bennet highlights how it affects us on a day to day level: How our current economic system is draining monetary resources from communities for the benefits of shareholders, and how large the impact of having a different system could be. Bennet's work is revolutionary, and his mission of injecting humanity back into economics is well funded and long over due. By changing the way we think about money - as something that benefits many rather than just a few, we can change society. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us compassion.pod@gmail.com

‘Our community is a living organism' This week Julian talks to Nicole Hewlett. Nicole grew up unaware of her aboriginal roots until her teens, however she always had a deeper understanding of herself which somehow acknowledged a difference, and she always was drawn and emotionally and socially connected socially to minority communities. After studying Psychological sciences and then public health, Nicole now works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, as well non-indigenous communities, creating accessible palliative care that breaks down the current intrinsic barriers.   The very deep knowledge that indigenous communities hold, from being over 60,000 years old, and from always drawing on their ancestors and their communal learning, is an entirely different understanding of life, death, people, animals and place, to the one we learn in schools and in life in general. Throughout the conversation Nicole gives shape to these ideas (in a language which inherently has tried to stamp out the aboriginal culture for many years), and what non-indigenous communities can learn, and how not having this understanding has been affecting the way society does social care, death and dying.   Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us compassion.pod@gmail.com

"The biological changes, the chemical changes that happen in the brain when people get a sense of inference and control is huge. It's massive." This week Julian and Hazel conclude their conversation about Hazel's amazing work after the enormous success of the Beacon project in Cornwall. While Hazel had a disappointing stint with the Government, who failed to grasp the importance of what she achieved, her success did not go unnoticed. Through speaking up and down the country Hazel met a hoard of doctors, and various academics, who understood how transformative the Beacon project had been. Hazels work since then has been no less successful. And throughout all of it she has held onto the key principles that drove the initial project - connection, listening, and giving people space. While it sounds simple, it is incredibly hard to execute with authenticity. For more information on the work that Hazel has done you can hear last week's episode, and also look at C2. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

"I was taught how to be compassionate, and you need to be taught" This week is the first part of a conversation with Hazel Stutley O.B.E. Her work has been lauded widely for both the impact that it has had and the way that stakeholders are at the centre of her work, in a way that has been truly transformative. In part 1 Hazel talks about how she came to community development, and in particular how she started the Beacon project in Cornwall which went on to win awards and, more importantly, had remarkable side effects on the community ranging from better school grades for primary school children, to safer housing. Hazel's kindness, and belief in the ability of humans to also be kind and engaged given the opportunity, shines throughout this episode. Through connection and communication grounded in compassion, Hazel has achieved so much, and shown what is possible. For more information on the work that Hazel has done you can tune in to next week's episode, and also look at C2 Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

"We're part of nature, we're all nature and we've done a damn good job of trying to get away from that." This week Julian talks to ecologist Dr Rod Gritten, the former Head of Ecology of Snowdonia National Park. Since becoming enthralled with spiders as a young boy, Rod has always been invested and connected in the environment and the ecosystem. He has a deep understanding of how it is now, how it could be, and how human health is deeply connected to the health of nature. Despite the impressively gloomy outlook for our environment, this conversation is positive. Through re connecting with nature we as a species can find our way back to a more interdependent life with our surroundings. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

"It's when somebody's dying that we can join with them in this beautiful space of the celebration; they're transitioning." This week Julian is joined by Dr Tess Moeke-Maxwell, founding member of the Te Ārai Palliative and End of Life Research Group in the School of Nursing at the University of Auckland where she is also a Research Fellow. The reclamation of knowledge that is occurring world-over in indigenous communities has been making waves in every area of life and community, and in this podcast Dr Moeke Maxwell talks about how Maori knowledge and way of life has moved with her through her research in Palliative care and life in general. She brings deep historical and traditional knowledge that sees life, death, people and place in a way that western medicine could never understand and does not seek to. However, her research is seeking to bring that knowledge forward. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

This week Julian is joined by Dr Tess Moeke-Maxwell, founding member of the Te Ārai Palliative and End of Life Research Group in the School of Nursing at the University of Auckland where she is also a Research Fellow. The reclamation of knowledge that is occurring world-over in indigenous communities has been making waves in every area of life and community, and in this podcast Dr Moeke Maxwell talks about how Maori knowledge and way of life has moved with her through her research in Palliative care and life in general. She brings deep historical and traditional knowledge that sees life, death, people and place in a way that western medicine could never understand and does not seek to. However, her research is seeking to bring that knowledge forward. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us compassion.pod@gmail.com

"What if we don't manage to stop a collapse of biodiversity? Then a windmill electric car will be of no value to, I guess, hurricanes against mass migration and so on. But if we're doing what we know is a flourishing democracy, with equality and trust amongst people, that'll mean everything for our ability to continue civilisation, as we know it under such conditions." On this week's episode Julian talks to Eivind Hoff-Elimari, local politician for the municipality of Nesodden in Norway. Eivind ‘s take on what politics is for is simple - it is for creating a good life. Not in the sense that we culturally understand a good life, but one that is good for everyone, people, places, plants, pets alike. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

On this week's episode Julian talks to Eivind Hoff-Elimari, local politician for the municipality of Nesodden in Norway. Eivind ‘s take on what politics is for is simple - it is for creating a good life. Not in the sense that we culturally understand a good life, but one that is good for everyone, people, places, plants, pets alike.Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us compassion.pod@gmail.com

"It's hard in Norway, and this may be because we get so much of our national money from oil and gas. There's an expression; never expect a man to understand something when his salary depends on him not understanding." Norwegian Green Party politician Kristoffer Robin takes Julian through where Green Politics is at this moment in time, and where he thinks it is pointing. Having grown from scientists who have seen and fully understood the situation we are in as a species, and as a planet, Green parties have often leaned towards alarmism. However in this conversation Kristoffer talks passionately about how green politics is also the politics of compassion, and one which is planning for a better future for humans, rather than for the stock market. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

Norwegian Green Party politician Kristoffer Robin takes Julian through where Green Politics is at this moment in time, and where he thinks it is pointing. Having grown from scientists who have seen and fully understood the situation we are in as a species, and as a planet, Green parties have often leaned towards alarmism. However in this conversation Kristoffer talks passionately about how green politics is also the politics of compassion, and one which is planning for a better future for humans, rather than for the stock market. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us compassion.pod@gmail.com

"Mutuality is baked into Camerados. You don't come to Camerados to be helped you come to Camerados just to look out for each other." This week Julian talks to Maff Potts, the founder of the Camerados Movement, former government adviser and policy writer on homelessness, and the man who convinced the Millennium dome to be a venue for Crisis at Christmas before it went out of public ownership. At 21 Maff's whole life had changed shape as between 17-21 he lost both of his parents. Trying to rejig who you are as an adult in your twenties is hard enough without the extra pain of grief, and understandably Maff went through many hard times. For him working with Crisis at Christmas was the thing that got him through and started him on the path to where he is now. The mutuality of Crisis, the homeless people that helped him while he helped them, showed Maff that relationships and meaningful interactions should be the top priority. Camerados Website Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

This week Julian talks to Maff Potts, the founder of the Camerados Movement, former government adviser and policy writer on homelessness, and the man who convinced the Millennium dome to be a venue for Crisis at Christmas before it went out of public ownership. At 21 Maff's whole life had changed shape as between 17-21 he lost both of his parents. Trying to rejig who you are as an adult in your twenties is hard enough without the extra pain of grief, and understandably Maff went through many hard times. For him working with Crisis at Christmas was the thing that got him through and started him on the path to where he is now. The mutuality of Crisis, the homeless people that helped him while he helped them, showed Maff that relationships and meaningful interactions should be the top priority.Camerados WebsiteFollow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us compassion.pod@gmail.com

"Its basic purpose is to enable people to live with as much meaning in their lives as they can. In a way that both combines individual autonomy with warm social interaction." Brendan Martin came to community development through a very interesting path. Having worked as a journalist with a particular interest in how privatisation of various industries in the UK was working from the perspective of trade unions, and the actual workers it was effecting, his remit gradually grew outside of the UK and he travelled to over 70 countries looking at similar situations, advising, researching and teaching on how organisations and unions can work, and can self-mobilise. Eventually his experience with his own parents and care homes in the UK, combined with his expertise in how to run effective organisations where the service providers and service users are equally as autonomous, led him to start Buurtzorg Britain and Ireland - self managing care teams which work with NHS trusts, and which have amazing outcomes both for the staff and for those who are being cared for. Brendans work, and the work of Buurtzorg, is another incredible example of a different way of working which far exceeds the expectations we have of our current system. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk

Brendan Martin came to community development through a very interesting path. Having worked as a journalist with a particular interest in how privatisation of various industries in the UK was working from the perspective of trade unions, and the actual workers it was effecting, his remit gradually grew outside of the UK and he travelled to over 70 countries looking at similar situations, advising, researching and teaching on how organisations and unions can work, and can self-mobilise.Eventually his experience with his own parents and care homes in the UK, combined with his expertise in how to run effective organisations where the service providers and service users are equally as autonomous, led him to start Buurtzorg Britain and Ireland - self managing care teams which work with NHS trusts, and which have amazing outcomes both for the staff and for those who are being cared for. Brendans work, and the work of Buurtzorg, is another incredible example of a different way of working which far exceeds the expectations we have of our current system. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us compassion.pod@gmail.com

"I think we are craving in our pain a way to feel less alone. And sometimes that can't come from the people closest to us because they're in pain too." CW Rape Our guest this week, Lisa Keefauver, is a grief and empathy expert. In this extraordinarily tender and moving podcast Lisa talks to Julian about her career and her life which have led her to her current work now, educating people on how to be there for those in grief, and how as a society we can better accommodate those who are grieving. Follow Survival of the Kindest on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to listen to get our episodes as they are released. Email us on sotk@compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk