I have been invited to speak at the World Urban Parks/Parks and Leisure Australia International Congress (iplc2018) in October in Melbourne. My topic will be “Backing Leisure to Win”. The presentation will realize a key dream in my passionate journey that began with a one day seminar in 1974 on the potential of leisure to resolve major emerging social issues.
Leisure has long struggled in a work ethic dominated society. It was ok in my career life dealing with leisure-conscious people who wanted better quality recreation facilities and opportunities. However when I reinvented myself as a Lifestyle Mentor in 2003 I quickly learned that to sell the benefits of leisure to business I had to couch them in terms of personal development, stress management, mental fitness and ageing well.
It’s a tough battle because leisure still wears a stigma of being frivolous and even a competitor to work productivity. Supportive people suggest I may be ahead of my time as society moves toward an uncertain future for the nature of work. (There is a whole presentation in that topic alone.)
What can I hope to achieve by speaking to the converted at a Congress of leisure professionals? Simply, it’s a great chance to sow the seed of what I have learned and experienced over many years so that it might progressively grow and flourish in communities around the world.
If you would like me to speak to your people – before or after the Congress – about the benefits of creative leisure interests for improved personal development, mental fitness and stress management I would be delighted to do so. Email me at
