Asset-Based Community Development Institute :: Ted Smeaton

Ted has worked in Australia, New Zealand and Asia assisting communities and agencies to come up with innovative ways of stimulating community and social renewal. He has a passion for assisting in the creation of healthy, caring, inclusive, sustainable, and just communities.

Ted is the Chairperson of the Asia Pacific ABCD Network. He has a background in community work, community education, senior management and as a University lecturer.

Ted has been instrumental in establishing nine new community-based organizations and developed a number of national programs. He has an extensive history in supporting Australian Indigenous organizations.

Ted has a strong belief that vibrant, strong communities and nations need a strong civil society; that sustainable communities are built from the inside out and we need the passion, ideas, skills, assets, culture, and energy of everyone in the community to create inclusive, vibrant, enterprising communities.

These ideas have led to Ted establishing Inspiring Communities to promote these important ideas with the necessary facilitation, creativity and skills.
Inspiring Communities provides mentoring, facilitation and educational opportunities using Asset Based Community Development, ABCD for Inclusion of people with disability, and Appreciative Inquiry methodologies.

Ted offers support in capacity building, promotion of innovation, strategic planning, community consultation, social planning, community development, evaluation, community education/organising support to NGOs, communities, local, state and national governments.