This week's guest, Maff Potts, is the pioneering force behind Camerados, an ever-expanding global social movement centered around one simple yet powerful concept: Public Living Rooms. Designed to foster a sense of togetherness within our communities, these spaces provide a welcoming environment where people can come together, share a cup of tea or coffee, engage in conversation, and experience the transformative power of human connection - all without any expectations or agenda.

Before launching Camerados, Maff served as CEO for various charities, witnessing firsthand how traditional approaches to tackling social issues like homelessness, domestic abuse, and social isolation often fell short by merely addressing the symptoms rather than the root causes. This revelation led him to the realization that the two fundamental needs every individual requires are "friends and purpose."

By stepping outside conventional frameworks, Maff has harnessed the potential of Public Living Rooms to not only alleviate the symptoms of numerous social issues but also to address their underlying causes. As a genuine difference maker, Maff has successfully established over 170 Public Living Rooms across five countries.

If you're feeling disheartened by the current state of our societies and the erosion of social connection in the wake of the pandemic, this episode will inspire and uplift you. To join Maff's mission, become a Camerados, and create your own local Public Living Room, follow the link in the show notes.

Now, let's hear from Maff Potts himself.

What we discuss

00:00 Intro

03:00 Who is Maff Potts?

04:10 What made Maff?

06:15 The values instilled in him

09:41 His love of Jazz and music

13:30 Seven days that changes his life

18:00 What he is working to achieve?

22:00 His experiences in running homeless charities

25:20 The problem with the charity model

30:45 The emergence of Camerados as an idea

36:10 Witnessing death caused by isolation

38:30 The value and Impact of Camerados

42:50 Mutal Aid as a model

46:00 Maff explains the Public Living Room concept and principles

50:00 How it works in practice

51:50 My Camerados commitment

53:00 Taking Camerados on the road in the UK

57:00 The origins of the name

58:20 Where Maff want to be by 2030

59:30 Can brands play a role?

01:02:00 The actions people can take

01:05:00 Dealing with doubt

01:07:25 On failure and emergence

01:10:00 His talents

Social Links

https://camerados.org Camerados

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maff-potts-4044b915/ Maff on Linkedin

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGit00ofSez5BndPru0Z5gA YouTube

https://www.instagram.com/camerados_org/?hl=en Instagram

Links

https://oscarpeterson.com/ Oscar Peterson

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2ZuvkS_sALJfTNCpHK3N1g - Noah and The Loners

https://www.amazon.com/Winners-Take-All-Charade-Changing/dp/0451493249 - Winners Take All book

https://www.jonalexander.net/ - Citizens Jon Alexander

https://cooperation.town/ - Cooperation Town London

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