STRATEGY ADVICE
Allow me to introduce myself
I'm Douglas Belton II, founder of ABÔDE R+D, a service dedicated to helping organizations and individuals see better and do better for people and planet. We work across private, community, and government sectors, offering a uniquely eclectic suite of expertise in social research and development services, creative communication and education, and therapeutic food systems. We support a range of organizations across scales, sectors, and geographies to understand and effectively address the barriers to positive social, environmental, and technological change; and collaboratively develop effective solutions.
THERAPEUTIC FOOD SYSTEMS
Cultivating Health and Healing Through Gardens
One of the cornerstones of ABÔDE R+D is our therapeutic food gardens. These green spaces are more than just a way to grow food—they’re a space for healing and empowerment.
Whether it’s designing gardens for aged care facilities, creating accessible gardens for individuals with disabilities, or building urban farming hubs for schools, our goal is to foster a connection to the land that promotes health, well-being, and knowledge. These gardens serve as a physical manifestation of our commitment to community well-being, providing access to fresh, homegrown produce and a space for people to learn, grow, and connect.
MY ARTISTIC SIDE
Deej Aye - The Artist / Activist
Outside of my work with ABÔDE R+D, I’m also an artist at heart. My music is my voice, my creative expression, and the way I connect with people around the world. Through my solo and collaborative projects, I explore complex social and political topics through the lens of hip-hop and Knowledge Rap.
I use autoethnographic poetic inquiry—a research method that mixes storytelling with analysis—to weave my observations into my art. This way, I don’t just make music; I make music that tells stories, challenges ideas, and opens up discussions around the issues that matter most. From the classroom to the streets, my art serves as a bridge to understanding and a call to action.
APPLIED PHD PROJECT
Advancing Community-Led Regenerative Development
ABÔDE R+D is proud to facilitate an innovative pathway for applied PhD research that advances community-driven food and housing systems change. Our current research project, "Reworlding the Real World," is exploring how marginalized communities can advocate and collaborate more effectively on green, and circular economic development projects at the intersection of fresh, culturally relevant food and affordable, healthy housing.
This comparative study across two major cities—Sydney and Minneapolis/St. Paul—aims to prototype socially desirable, financially viable, and technically feasible solutions to address systemic issues in food and housing. We believe that in democratic societies, when communities lead the way, real transformation is possible.
Advisory Services
I provide evidence-based guidance to help people and organizations create a more just and regenerative future through research-driven, impactful design.
Therapeutic Food Offering
I design and work with a team to install therapeutic food gardens that promote wellness, skill-building, and community connection in schools, workplaces, homes, and public spaces.
PhD Placement
As a PhD candidate and leader, I research community-led food and housing solutions, empowering marginalized communities through civic education and eco-social enterprises in Minneapolis/St. Paul and Western Sydney.
Hear what people say
"I would highly recommend Douglas for any project requiring a forward-thinking and impactful perspective"
Working with Douglas on the Reimagining Indigenous Housing, Health, and Wealth report was an absolute pleasure. Douglas’s research into new and alternative housing arrangements, particularly communitarian living models, provided invaluable insights that enriched the report’s vision and direction. Douglas brought exceptional insight and analytical expertise to the project, making a significant impact on the depth and quality of the research.
Douglas’s thoughtful contributions and collaborative spirit were invaluable, and his work greatly supported the development of strategies for self-determining change. It was inspiring to witness his commitment to advancing critical conversations in these important areas. I would highly recommend Douglas for any initiative requiring vision, rigour, and a deep commitment to meaningful outcomes. His contributions were instrumental in shifting the report from being merely a traditional analysis to one that was hopeful, informative, and innovative.
Douglas’s abilities combined with his creativity helped ensure that the report not only addressed critical issues but also inspired meaningful conversations about self-determining change. His dedication and collaborative approach made a lasting impact, and I would highly recommend Douglas for any project requiring a forward-thinking and impactful perspective.
"Would I work with him again? Absolutely yes"
I had the privilege of working with Douglas both at Velvet Onion, where he worked as an organisational ethnographer, and VO’s sister school, Velvet Onion Academy, where he was a guest lecturer in our UX course. Douglas brings a rare combination of practical anthropological expertise and genuine human connection to everything he does. His ability to hold space for a classroom of 16 students while delivering complex concepts was remarkable, but what truly sets him apart is his humanity, creative spirit and heartfelt approach to understanding people and culture.
As an ethnographer, Douglas applied his anthropological methods with wisdom and insight, helping our clients navigate complex human-centred challenges. His background as a poet and rapper adds a unique creative dimension to his work, allowing him to see connections and patterns that others might miss.
Douglas's authentic care for people and his commitment to making a positive impact in the world make him not just a skilled professional, but a truly valuable collaborator. His contributions both at Velvet Onion and in our Velvet Onion Academy classroom have left a lasting impression.
Would I work with him again? Absolutely yes.
Louisa
Minutillo
Blacktown Arts
"Directly helped participants in the program develop their skills"
Beats, Bars and Business was a 4-week upskilling program for early-career creatives to develop key skills needed to move further in to the music industry. Led by Douglas and Monks, the program culminated in a performance at 4ESydney HipHop Festival, 2022.
Douglas’s skills as a facilitator, and experience in the industry, directly helped participants in the program develop their skills and gain the confidence needed to take their next step. The program helped Blacktown Arts take stock of who was out there in the community, and what development they might need to progress to working with us.
A big thanks for Douglas and Monks for producing Beats, Bars and Business with BA!
"True pillar of the Western Sydney Community"
Douglas has been instrumental in helping musicians work on their craft consistently, providing a platform for artists to sustain their development. Douglas’s values align perfectly with our commitment to community development and artist sustainability, making collaboration seamless and inspiring. His dedication and vision for the future of our local community make him a true pillar of the Western Sydney community.
Douglas Belton is a regenerative force of nature who embodies his ancestral blessings through his commitment to a tenacious pursuit of justice and community. He simply shows up, engages in understanding, always delivers sage advice and masterful collaborations. Weaving together our work over the past decade, remains impactful for our clients and colleagues.
"…Inspiring and instructive"
Douglas supported a young research staff member in gaining important community survey construction and analysis, as well as qualitative data collection and analysis, skills. Douglas's modeling of his process for thematic analysis was both inspiring and instructive for this young researcher. We are grateful for Douglas's efforts to build the capacity of our community research team.
"Competence and capability in bringing the complexity of urban issues into a quality outcome"
Douglas Belton has worked into the Urban Transformations Research Centre through two important research projects. The first was through some background research on Net Zero Cities in a global perspective which allowed us a general scan of the current knowledge. The second has been through a liveability labs research project where we are considering key indicators to map variations in liveability across Western Sydney. For both research projects Douglas has shown competence and capability in bringing the complexity of urban issues into a quality outcome.
