Connecting with People: Connecting with People

In Connecting with People, David Aynsley tells many remarkable stories, about the police, about the Cornish town of Camborne, and about the transformation of the lives of many different people with whom he has made connections. What is perhaps most remarkable of all is just how unremarkable are the 'workplace' experiences he describes, experiences that provided the impetus for the journey of which this book tells. Anyone with an interest in local government, policing in general and neighbourhood policing in particular, or community regeneration, will immediately recognise many of the workplace problems which David describes. They will also recognise many of the frustrations that he felt, as he tried to counter both the hardships being endured by local communities, and the institutional structures which always seemed to work against the ultimate alleviation of these hardships. What is extraordinary is the way that David and his team chose to respond to these frustrations.A substantial part of this book is devoted to the re-telling of people's stories, and to reflecting on the power of storytelling. The story that David Aynsley himself tells is as powerful a story as you could ever wish to read. Telling stories provides us with a way of connecting with people, and of making a difference. We hope that you may feel moved to connect with people as you read David Aynsley's remarkable story.