Joe Erpenbeck

Consultant and ABCD Institute Faculty Member

Working Together

Projects and Impact

Stories

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Colour Coded Understanding

Colour Coded Understanding

After a day of conversations about community, connection, and care, someone grabbed my arm as I walked out of a session. “I...

If You Listen Long Enough

If You Listen Long Enough

Last week, Dr. Vivek Merthy, former US Surgeon General, spoke at a conference in Cincinnati. He discussed the current culture...

Stronger Together

Stronger Together

Last week, I had the privilege of spending time with one of the most heart-centred, creative, and committed groups I’ve eve...

A Place to Gather

A Place to Gather

A Place to Gather On a recent trip back to Vancouver, workers constructed several wooden benches in my old neighbourhood. Dur...

Reciprocity

Reciprocity

We had been discussing an asset-based approach to building community connections. We have focused on being curious about...

Remembering John O’Brien

Remembering John O’Brien

I first met John O’Brien many years ago at a training session. At the end of the day, he read Oregon’s Journey&n...

Home is Where the Heart is

Home is Where the Heart is

Home is Where the Heart is I was curious about a stump on our sidewalk that contained all sorts of items. On any given day, t...

Reaching for Happiness

Reaching for Happiness

This week’s New York Times magazine was their “happiness issue.” It contained articles exploring the idea o...

“Joe has created a small team of people who are moving from providing service to building community. His work has radical implications for social service and he has the results to show it. Joe’s work is done with great compassion and courage. He directs a group that is applying the asset based principles of John McKnight in new ways. The results he is achieving are significant; his group is directly bringing those on the margin into community...Joe is creating a model for care and inclusion that sets the standard for what is possible.”

Peter Block

Peter Block

Noted Cincinnati Author & Consultant

"Joe Erpenbeck is in my opinion one of the very best, if not the best community connector in North America."

John McKnight

John McKnight

Co-Director The Asset-Based Community Development Institute

"Community development is a big idea, and a thing I’ve enjoyed so much about Joe’s work is that his approachable manner allows everyone to participate and see how they could have a role. I’ve been part of this conversation with groups who have been together for a long time, having the same old conversations, and its been a gift to watch Joe lead - not push - them into the potential of new ideas in an appreciative way. Like many, I did not enter those conversations easily, and, like many, I came to really appreciate his genius (I use this work carefully) for this work."

Aaron Johannes

Aaron Johannes

www.imagineacircle.com