Participants Feedback 2009

Workshop One: Beaudesert and Tamborine Mountain

Topic: Local Living Economy

Q. What was the most interesting and/or helpful from today's workshop?

• Aspects of the Local Living Economy and how it relates to tourism;
• Networking exchange of ideas, bigger picture of development/sustainability issues on Scenic Rim and council initiatives;
• To see how similar issues to those facing my community are looked at here;
• Regional Development snapshot;
• Brainstorming session;
• Developing carbon footprints;
• Seeing what ideas come from a group workshop for sustainability;
• Future vision and thinking long term;
• Hearing people's feedback on Council's services/lack of services;
• Comments and input by people of varying business interests and perceived solutions;
• Opened my mind to the resources and numerous ways in which a business can overcome their problems;
• Local Living Economy concept.

Any other comments?

• Looking forward to next month;
• Keep them coming!
• Wow, so good - have to process it;
• Excellent;
• Get them out to more people.

Workshop Two: Beaudesert and Tamborine Mountain

Topic: Resource Sustainability

Q. What was the most interesting and/or helpful from today's workshop?

• Re-focussing my goals re resources;
• Eco-sustainability for our business and identifying the ways we can continue with this;
• Hearing stories/examples from participants;
• Everything - great workshop, having access to professionals;
• Open discussion;
• Great education;
• The Story of Stuff DVD;
• To reinforce the waste we use & how it can be reduced on a more proficient level;
• The information on the Ecobiz program;
• The networking and BSSB resources;
• Everything, especially group discussions.

Any other comments:

• Good awareness creator;
• Keep up the good work and thank you for all your help;
• I wish this was ongoing on a monthly basis - networking ideas

Workshop Three: Beaudesert

Topic:  Strategic Sustainability

Q. What was most interesting and/or helpful from today's workshop?

• Encouraging us to recognise and appreciate what we have here in the Scenic Rim but to be ever searching for new sustainable ideas;
• Networking and general sustainability info;
• Resilience and more strategic systems which I can put in place for my business;
• Need to get myself more familiar with what other small businesses are doing, including their sustainability measures (in our Shire);

Any other comments:

• I think they worked very well, Sally is an inspirational speaker.

Participants Feedback 2008

What participants have said about the Free Workshop Series
Feedback forms are provided to participants in the Free Workshop series. Here are the comments…… they will be updated after each workshop series.

Q. What was the most interesting and/or helpful from the workshop?

Workshop One

• The general overview of sustainability.
• Understanding of localisation and general understanding of sustainability.
• The importance to “rethink” from globalisation to localisation.
• Learn from nature.
• Sustainability can be done inside the family as well.
• All the info was helpful – final exercise very thought provoking!
• The Trinity of Management.
• Sustainability – ecological and economic is possible.
• All of it.
• That anything is possible.
• Fuelled with knowledge of the sensitive state of our future.
• Listening to others.
• The concept of story.
• The opportunity to network.
• I have already been taking action without realising it!
• Personal values impact work values.
• Sustainability is a lifestyle change for life.
• Getting back amongst people who are doing this - I am starting to feel rejuvenated!
• The amount of information, help and resources that are available to the general public and those who are searching.
• Other people’s ideas and problems –exchange of views – lightbulb moments!
• Discussing business problems apart from your own business.
• All the information given will be very helpful to me in chieving my business and personal goals. It is great to see so many people interested in sustainable business and living.
• Making us more aware of how we conduct our business – hearing of other people’s problems.
• Helping me to focus on creating a sustainable business and what my values are and what would I like to achieve for myself and others by what I do with and in the business.
• The topic – sustainability – its been on my mind a while and here I can focus on it.
• It was all most educational and interesting and gave me an insight into things I need to be informed about.
• The most interesting was the information on peak oil.

• Selling quality of life vs standard of living.
• Reinforcing my Franciscan vacation with ideals 1,000 years old with modern thinking – nothing changes!
• To talk about strengths and opportunities – a “positive” – it’s easy to think and ponder and slide towards being negative about government, lack of community etc.
• Networking with other like-minded people –the knowledge of the presenter was great.
• Discovering a sense of community in a small way – discovering that others are thinking similar things.
• Group work and discovering real problems and ideas of what I can do.
• Reminder that planning is important and fluid.
• Discussions.
• Business planning.
• Brainstorming with others re issues, opportunities and threats.
• Sally’s presentation
• Discussing and comparing different opinions of various threats and opportunities to see a new perspective from other businesses
• The ongoing discussions around the room were stimulating and thought provoking
• All the discussion was great, learnt a lot and have left with lots of ideas
• Hearing other people’s challenges and how they are similar or affect ours.

• The point made to deconstruct your business, examine its sustainability and reconstruct it with new, fresh goals and mission.
• Contact with sustainability energized people, ideas, support systems.
• Hearing about local business issues and sustainability initiatives.
• Implementing sustainable business practices and outcomes as critical components for commercial success.
• Such a good overall view.
• Promotion of eco benefits into marketing.
• Pointing out ‘cultural’ sustainability.
• Opportunity to think about sustainable business planning.
• Basic background information.
• The Planning Guide and video.

• I am excited to have found a program that can help me grow while supporting my own values.
• Great – very useful – well done.
• Great to have opportunity to discuss and swap ideas.
• It was a well-rounded introduction.
• Congratulations – this is a fabulous project that is adding value to this journey and empowering people.
• I truly gained valuable insight into sustainability but would love to follow up in six months or so to see what we’ve done.
• Thoroughly enjoyable and informative.