New life in IAP2

IAP2 has given many of us great things: new skills, career opportunities, international connections and friendship.

But how many of us can claim an IAP2 link to one of life’s most precious gifts - a baby? Welcome to the world Charlie Louis Butteriss!

This little person was born a few weeks ago to Amy Hubbard and Crispin Butteriss in Melbourne Australia.

Crispin will be known to many on the community engagement scene for his collaboration with IAP2. His company, Bang the Table, is a regular sponsor at IAP2 conferences. Bang the Table also provided the pro-bono support for the recent online member engagement program.

Amy was the Coordinator of the Victorian chapter of IAP2 Australasia during 2008 - 9. It was Amy’s active presence on the IAP2 front that led Crispin to contact her in June 2008 to talk about online engagement. In response Amy organised for Crispin to present to the Victorian committee.

Three months later, while the rest of us were dancing the Ceilidh at the IAP2 conference in Glasgow, Amy and Crispin were catching up again - at the bar outside – and no doubt discussing the finer details of running a world cafe, the benefits of open space and the SpeakOut method.

Amy and Crispin both attended the IAP2 Australasia conference several weeks later in Adelaide and caught up again, this time to talk about wikis, iphone apps and deliberative forums. There seems to be an engaging pattern emerging here!

So that they could keep the conversation going smoothly, Crispin decides to relocate from NSW to inner city Melbourne in October 2008 and then in January 2009 he moves in with Amy. They have a heck of a lot to talk about.

Today Amy and Crispin own a house in a leafy Melbourne street which they share with baby Charlie who was born in April. Oh that's right, Charlie is about to attend his first big IAP2 event on June 11 in Perth. The West Australian chapter are running an event on innovation and Charlie is the youngest IAP2er to register. The committee are discussing a new infant member category. Charlie might be bit small for all this just yet – but as the IAP2 baby he can take advantage of all those Aunties and Uncles….there is no shortage of willing arms ready for a cuddle.

To send a message of congratulations to this fabulous IAP2 trio go to crispin@bangthetable.com or amy_hubbard@capire.com.au.

Desley Renton

President IAP2