Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning Dynamic Courses, Books, Resources and Tours for Healthy Groups, People and Culture with Robin Clayfield

Some Exciting News…

It’s been 14 years since we stopped creating The Chai Tent at Woodford (and Maleny) Folk Festival.

Now for the big news… Woodford Folk Festival itself is bringing back The Chai Tent.

A group of us did it for 23 years as a stall, which became a venue as well which the Festival supported in various ways. It had such an evolution over that time… then it was time to stop.

Since then literally hundreds of people have asked me can you folks do it again, bring it back, we miss it, the festival isn’t the same etc, etc…

Let’s celebrate that there will be The Chai Tent at the Festival this year. It will be new and different but it will be founded on the same care and elements that made it so great back then… and Robin and friends will get to just sit around, drink Chai and enjoy being happy patrons.

❤ Thanks Woodford ❤

We’re so lucky to have Robina McCurdy visiting Australia to offer some workshops and touring the film she co-produced. Here’s the details…

EMPOWERING BIOREGIONAL FOOD SOVEREIGNTY
Besides co-facilitating ‘GROWING COMMUNITY – Social Tools for Effective Group Collaboration’ workshop with myself, Robin Clayfield, Robina will be facilitating several workshops on community food systems in NSW, as well as a facilitators training in her interactive methods.

To enable the goal of community scale food sovereignty at bioregion scale, Robina’s strategy begins in neighbourhood backyards, schools grounds and community gardens. Paralleling this is the piggybacking of social organisations with local food strategies, education with production programmes and the strengthening of rural-urban food links. This comprehensive approach leads to the regeneration of local food economies and positive governance level policy changes.

A visual journey through Aotearoa-NZ, showing inspiring examples of communities quietly and powerfully moving towards food resilience, is included in all of Robina’s presentations. This material was captured during her Localising Food Project documentary filming and workshop tours and beyond, where she worked with communities in every province to create their own food sovereignty action plans.

Here is where you can experience Robina’s offerings:

‘EMPOWERING BIOREGIONAL FOOD SOVEREIGNTY’ WORKSHOPS (for locals)
Sun 7 and Thurs 11 Sept- Mullumbimby, NSW
Contact: Techa Beaumont director@mullumseed.org.au

Sat 13 and Sun 14 Sept: FOOD SOVEREIGNTY FACILITATOR TRAINING (for anyone)
Byron Community College – Mullumbimby, NSW
Contact: Vicki Walker vicki@byroncollege.org.au

Wed 24 Sept – Brisbane (intro only)
Northey St City Farm, Brisbane
Contact: Gavin Hardy Adult Education Coordinator adultedn@nscf.org.au

Sat 27 and Sun 28 Sept – NSW Central Coast (for locals)
At Narara Ecovillage, NSW
Contact: Rafaele Joudry rafaelejoudry@gmail.com

FILM EVENINGS
‘Edible Paradise: Growing the Food Forest Revolution’

Thurs 11 Sept: at Mullum Seed, Mullumbimby, NSW
Contact: Techa Beaumont – director@mullumseed.org.au

Fri 19 Sept: at Crystal Waters Ecovillage, Maleny, Sth QLD
Contact: Robin Clayfield – robin@dynamicgroups.com.au

Fri 26 Sept: Narara Ecovillage, Gosford, NSW
Contact: Rafaele Joudry – rafaelejoudry@gmail.com

At this very moment, far away in South Australia, inspirational and highly skilled puppet maker, Rebecca Dostel is carving and creating a 30cm ELFy Puppet. If you haven’t met ELFy before, ELFy is a Jigsaw Puzzle, where each of the pieces represents an essential aspect which, when all the bits are combined, creates a successful, fun and dynamic group.

ELFy stands for ‘Educator, Facilitator, Leader’ and is a colourful, elven like magician that embodies the ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ Methodology.

There’s been two versions of ELFy previously, one created originally as a flat plan magician by Monica Marion from Spain. The second version is a wonderful illustration by Rob Clark which is on the back of both Robin’s more recent educational card games – ‘The NEW Permaculture Principles Card Game’ and ‘The Creative Process Wild Cards’.

Now for this three dimensional puppet that will stand without strings and be able to be photographed in many different scenes and postures as the graphics for Robin’s upcoming book ‘Dynamic Teaching and Facilitation – The Foundations of Group Work’.

Rebecca is carving ELFy out of Rosewood, first with a bandsaw then fine tuning it with chisels and sanding etc. She’s also wonderfully creative with fabric and ELFy will even have luscious leather magician shoes.

There will definitely be a photo in the next newsletter because it’s still in process and under wraps for a bit longer yet…

Join Robina McCurdy and Robin Clayfield for this rare opportunity to learn about and grow community with two of Permacultures Elders and Pioneers.
This Weekend Workshop includes two full days plus Saturday evening activities, a Spring Equinox ceremony early Sunday evening and an optional Pizza Dinner together 5.30pm on Friday 19 Sept (self pay) followed by free entry to the film: Edible Paradise (see poster).

Venue: The EcoCentre – Crystal Waters EcoVillage
Lot 1, 65 Kilcoy Lane, Conondale, Sth East Queensland
* What are the elements that grow community and assist our groups, teams, organisations, businesses and families to be at their best?
* What tools, processes and resources can we use?
* What nourishment is needed?
Through ‘gardening’ many answers to these questions and harvesting the gifts of our group collaboration, you’ll gain skills, resources, processes and inspiration to take your group facilitation to the next level.
You will leave this course with a deep understanding of how groups function and a packed solutions-based facilitation toolbox to apply in your community development work.

Workshop Content includes How To:
* Create ‘community glue’
* Use specific tools for effective groupwork
* Meet collective needs without compromising individual needs
* Form an aligned group and generate a common vision
* Build co-operative culture within a group
* Rejuvenate renewal of purpose in an established group
* Create appropriate ceremonies for honouring and celebration
* Apply Permaculture principles to people care and social change
* Build dynamic and resilient social systems
* Gain motivation and confidence in action for positive change

Who For:
* Community development workers
* Course group leaders & facilitators
* Social enterprises & workplace teams
* People involved with organisational management
* Permaculture designers, educators and developers
* People living in shared households, land-based communities,
eco-villages or co-housing

FACILITATORS BIOS
Robina McCurdy:
Robina is a dedicated Permaculture educator-designer, organic grower, pioneer-resident of 40-year-old Tui Community & Trust, and founder of the Institute of Earthcare Education Aotearoa. She has facilitated community-building in 10 different countries, and with 38 community organisations and 21 land-based intentional communities in her home country of Aotearoa-New Zealand. She has produced a range of community resilience resources focusing on participatory processes for decision-making and collective action, the most prominent being ‘Grounding Vision, Empowering Culture’ – a manual for community facilitators.
Websites: www.earthcare-education.org www.localisingfood.com
Robin Clayfield:
Robin is a creative facilitator, educator and best selling author who’s lived at Crystal Waters Ecovillage for 37 years. She is passionate about healthy groups, organisations and communities, particularly their structures, governance, facilitation and group dynamics. As a global presenter and consultant, her comprehensive ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ methodology, complemented by Permaculture, Social Permaculture, Deep Ecology and Dynamic Decision Making provides a solutions-based approach which fosters collaboration, supports well-being and generates positive change.
Website: www.dynamicgroups.com.au
FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/192727033179/

Cost:
– Funded Organisations & Businesses: $450
– Standard Waged: $350
– Concession: $250 (limited numbers)
*Food and handouts included for everyone.
Accommodation is extra as there are several options: Crystal Waters EcoPark (to book, phone 07 5494 4550 between 2 – 5 pm or book online at https://crystalwaters.org.au/ecopark-accommodations/ 

Contact & Registration: Robin Clayfield – robin@dynamicgroups.com.au

Coming up soon at Crystal Waters. Looking forward to you joining us.

Have a look at the website here

Come join us for our next Permaculture Design Course at Crystal Waters Permaculture Ecovillage for two weeks of immersive and inspiring learning.

All the key information is on the website and you can see a glimpse here with a photo taken during the PDC last August.

More info is here