With 55 recorded Good Place conversations held on public benches around the world, we’ve witnessed the quiet power of a single bench. It brings people together: with each other, with their surroundings, and with their own sense of place in the world.

This idea is especially close to our hearts in a time when society feels increasingly disconnected. That’s why this interview with Fred Kent (fondly known as The Place Man) and Kathy Madden is so meaningful. It stands as a powerful reminder that cities can become more human, more connected, and more alive, one bench at a time.

A big thanks to Kristen of Plot Twist Placemaking for stepping in and organizing this conversation on a public bench, filmed during the #GlobalPlacemakingSummit in #Toronto

Credits: Robin Cox, Good Place/ A City Made By People Kristen Zupancic, Plot Twist PlacemakingFred Kent & Kathy Madden, Project for Public Spaces, The Social Life Project, The Placemaking Fund and PlacemakingXEthan Kent, PlacemakingXPlacemaking CanadaSanjna Urval (filming & audio)

A shout-out to our community led us to Hannah, who moved to Helsinki for the second time, together with her young family. Originally from Brisbane, with her husband from Melbourne, they’ve chosen Finland’s capital as their home base.

In this episode, we talk about moving abroad, parenting in a new culture, building friendships, and what it takes to feel at home in a foreign country. Enjoy!

Check out Hannah's Instagram with stories: https://www.instagram.com/hannahisinhelsinki/

🚀 Opportunity: Interested in finding your good place? Join one of the offerings here: https://www.acitymadebypeople.com/good-place

🎧 For more in-depth interviews and discussions, check out Good Place on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/goodplace.cc

📸 Follow Good Place on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes content and updates: / goodplace.cc

I discovered Janica's journey via one of her vlogs about living abroad that she shares on YouTube. And I liked the style and honest reflection of the places she visited. So I wanted to know more about her journey from Helsinki to The Hague.

Follow our conversation from a public bench in the harbour of Scheveningen and ofcourse her channel here: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@JanicasJourneys⁩

🚀 Opportunity: Interested in taking part in finding your good place?Join one of the offerings here: https://www.acitymadebypeople.com/good-place

🎧 For more in-depth interviews and discussions, check out Good Place on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/goodplace.cc

📸 Follow Good Place on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes content and updates: / goodplace.cc