ABOUT
The vision for this project is skilling up to become a confident certified permaculture educator with specialisation in applying Integral Theory and Practice to existing permaculture design and teaching tools.
I would like to develop both farm- and garden-based learning opportunities, as well as develop design consultancy and teaching programmes for individuals and organisations, on site and online. As part of this path, I would like to explore the dimension of beauty and aesthetics in both facilitating transformative learning experiences as well as enriching the potential of designed places. Ideally, I will work with 2-3 other collaborators both in Poland and 2-3 partners abroad over the period of the next few years.
AIM
There are three aims to this project:
1. Creating permaculture teaching methodology, toolbox and programmes that apply integral theory’s AQAL framework to permaculture tools;
2. Growing an ecosystem of working, learning and collaboration relationships within permaculture and other socio-ecological transition actors;
3. Designing the pathway for income generation based on teaching work, using 7 Ways to Think Differently and other approaches to flourishing.
ETHICS
EARTH CARE. I consciously choose teaching/training collaborations that emphasise long-term relationship to land and its stewardship, and are not just ‚quick contracts’. I also consider deeply the energy-footprint of skilful economic/ecological communication with respect to amount of new materials created and old materials recycled. Choosing re-usable and open source teaching tools, taking an aesthetic and minimalist approach to knowledge transmission are important too in valuing resources supporting information flow. The designed presentations or activities when clear and beautiful, remain accessible and recoverable in the memory of learners for longer, constituting a renewable free resource.
PEOPLE CARE. The courses I develop are not based on statics ‚knowledge’, but are framed as an evolving picture, to which each course makes a contribution. I see learners as co-producers of knowledge and treat learning interactions as opportunities to facilitate emergence of new perspectives and ways of seeing. I ensure that the forms of communication (verbal, visual, kinesthetic) are diverse and enabling, and sustain info-phillic approach to self-regulatory function of feedback. My teaching style is not separate from myself being a visionary and unapologetic person, as I am, therefore I hold myself lightly and spaciously, for others to have space to unfold and discover themselves in the process of learning.
FAIR SHARES. In my collaborations I take care to be transparent and direct about work input, outcome expectations and intentions for further use of co-developed tools or contents. I speak straight about financial renumeration, complementary intersections and flows of benefits, and I value my own and partners’ work as a meaningful contribution to society without downplaying the worth of our work. I apply especially keenly the principle of abundance-, cooperative- and solutions- thinking to forming agreements, honouring commitments and encouraging individual growth by aiming for excellence.
DESIGN PROCESS
SURVEY / ANALYSIS / DESIGN / IMPLEMENTATION / MAINTENANCE / EVALUATION / TWEAKS
SURVEY
VALUES
It is important to me, to use this project as much as possible as an ongoing way of income-generation, which in turn will give me the immediate feedback on refining my vision, design and approach. I also want to support and develop open source toolkit and encourage Creative Commons protection of authorship.
RESOURCES
I HAVE, I WANT
I HAVE, I WANT
- Technology to create resources
- Network of collaborators
- Formal enterprise for admin
- Aesthetic & communication skills
- Collective of supportive educators
- Time-tested mentoring process
- Own recorded/printable resources
- Functional, complete website
I HAVE, I don’t want
- Fb profile >> other outreach forms wanted
- Working relationships to clean up from past
- Library of materials that is disorganised
- Multiple locations of my life at the moment
- Unanalysed commitment/plan to demonstration garden
I don’t have, I don’t want
- Permanent land place in the countryside
- Contact with competitive/fortified teachers
- Living and working in the city
- Overdoing trainings in frequency that deprives me of energy for people care
- Attaching myself to someone’s land project
- Investing in the teacher training beyond my means
I don’t have, I WANT
- Permanent land place in the countryside
- Patronite profile, supporting my projects
- Stable part-time/education design work with an international organisation
- Collaboration/assistance in courses in selected PDC programmes
- Completion of Training Permaculture Teachers (online, in person)
- Portfolio of projects displayed on website
- Deck of design cards and teaching cards in
- Own version of a 5-week „step-by-step” design practice course, w/ recordings
CONSTRAINTS
My main constraint is financial investment in further training. I would like to find ways for exchange-based assistance to other teachers, to learn ways of structuring curriculum and programme and to start running courses in English, also in Poland. Another
SITE/CONTEXT
ON EARTH:
My main collaboration site is the Ecological Folk Highschool, in Central Poland, temperate climate. It is a multi-faceted Agroecology School and Organic Farm with bakery and cheesery. The school has fantastic facilities for running courses for up to 20 people. I can also use my urban allotment as a tiny workshop space for up to 6-7 people.
The other context, in which I could develop teaching activities includes the town of Velez Blanco, Spain, Mediterranean/desert climate. Here is a befriended mutual aid network of permaculture practitioners, that exchange knowledge and skills; as well as the meditation centre that can be designed for micro- food-growing in winters.
The third context, which I am exploring are the nordic countries, Norway, Cool Temperate climate. I have participated in the Nordic Permaculture Gathering with Scandinavian organisations, which gave me a glimpse into LAND network and Diploma pathways, from teacher’s perspective.
IN THE SKY:
Agro-Perma-Lab Foundation is the hub, within which I have been working on developing thematic trainings, action research of good ecosystem practices and run pilot projects. The space is women-led and gives me opportunities to connect and collaborate internationally and look for grants that can pay for niche projects.
LIMITING FACTORS (VISIBLE/INVISIBLE)
AREAS OF COST (MATERIALS, LABOUR, TIME, ETC)
| ITEM | COST/yr | LABOUR |
|---|---|---|
| Admin EKOPOLETKO education enterprise | 1200 Euro | 3h/mo |
| Permaculture Diploma subscription | 15 Euro | 20h/mo |
| Diploma Tutorials 4x/yr | 200 Euro | 5h each |
| Travel/stay at Permaculture events 2x/yr | 400 Euro | 7 days |
| Books / Courses New | 100 Euro | 150h |
| Training Permaculture Teachers (Erasmus+ 2023?) | 800 Euro | 8 days |
| PDC with another teacher FULL 1x (assist? 2023?) | 700 Euro | 14 days |
| Software + media (subscriptions, learning) | 50 Euro | 15h |
| TOTAL INVESTMENT | 3465 EURO |
ANALYSIS
NEEDS
- sustained primary income within an international context for the next few years (teaching pathway generating income, but without pressure)
- taking care of the resources developed and maintaining coherence / professionalism in presentation
- finding a business/jumpstarter programme to help develop economic strategy, products and communication profile for the educational enterprise/project
- generating funding support for the niche & creative sub-projects through patronite site (eg. step-by-step design in action course)
- reconnecting and maintaining communication with learners’ and partners’ network
- analysing & typologising key educational approaches to permaculture
- framing learning programmes in terms of lines and stages of development (Integral Theory) to calibrate methods and approaches to participants
FUNCTIONS
- providing income opportunities in learning/education design
- growing network of collaborators and places for workshops
- building bridges between holistic permaculture & integral theory methodologies
- developing own resources and teaching toolbox
- using courses and course design tasks to trial micro-aspects to future land project
SYSTEMS (NEEDS./INPUTS; YIELDS/OUTPUTS; CHARACTERISTICS)
DESIGN
INTEGRATION (INPUT/OUTPUT ANALYSIS; WEB)
(Intro to Permaculture Design; 14-day permaculture gardening course; online step-by-step Design Practice Tutorial)
PLACEMENT (ZONES, SECTORS, SIT/CONTEXT/MICROCLIMATES)
APPLICATION OF PRINCIPLES
IMPLEMENTATION & MAINTENANCE
PRIORITIES
SEQUENCE
PLAN
EVALUATION & TWEAKING
INCREASED OUTPU/YIELD?
REDUCED INPUT/WORK?
AIMS ACHIEVED?
NEEDS MET?
Ekopoletko 