Learning About Community
Peter Kuenstler describes his experiences of working at Oxford House in Bethnal Green during the Second World War and in the immediate post-war period. Under the leadership of Guy Clutton-Brock Oxford House provided much needed social and community work support services to local people, especially families with children and young people. It played its role as a bomb shelter and aid station. With the experience he gained at Oxford House Peter went into a career in youth and community work at the international level.
Peter was born in Hampstead in London in December 1919. He was educated at the Hall School 1926-1933, at Rugby School (classical scholarship)1933-38, at Oriel College, Oxford (classical scholarship) 1938-40, and at Oxford House 1940-1948.
From 1948 to 1955 he was Research Fellow in Youth Work in the Institute of Education at Bristol University, during which time he was Director of Youthwork training courses at the International People's College, Elsinore, Denmark, Consultant to British and American authorities in Germany, and a Consultant to the Governor of Uganda Protectorate (1953). From 1955 to 1964 he was Secretary of the African Development Trust in London, also lecturing part-time at the London School of Economics, and at Barnett House, the Department of Social and Administrative Studies at Oxford University. He also acted as UN Adviser on community development to the Government of Greece, and as Director of a course for Youth Officials from anglophone African countries for the German Foundation for Developing Countries, West Berlin.
From 1964 to 1979 Peter was a Social Affairs Officer, United Nations. This involved him in being Interregional adviser on Youth (1965-7), Interagency Youth Liaison Officer (1967 to 1979) and Adviser to the Government of Botswana on youth and community development (1973-75).
In 1980 he was Visiting Professor at the School of Advanced Social Studies, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, in the United States, before becoming Secretary of a working party at the Gulbenkian Foundation, London (1980-82).
From 1982 to 1993 he was a Director of the Centre for Employment Initiatives (London and Brussels). Projects included organisation for the European Commission of over 30
consultations in different countries; and also evaluations of the Danish Volunteer Service and of British VSO.
In his last working years he led advisory missions to Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria for EC from 1993 to 1996, and was Team leader for a World Bank mission on Social Welfare in Macedonia.
Peter has an M.A. from Oxford University, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague in the Netherlands. Faber & Faber published two books edited by him: ‘Social Group Work in Great Britain’ (1955), and ‘Community Organisation in Great Britain’ (1961).
In 1962 Peter married Nona (Antonia) Moissiadou. He has a son Paul, and two grandsons Nicholas and Henry. Peter and Nona live in Athens.
The pamphlet was launched at an event in October 2004 at Oxford House as part of its celebration of its 120th Anniversary.
ISBN 0954894308
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