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

In modern times we seem to have lost the age old tradition of supporting our young people to make the transition from boyhood or girlhood or young personhood into young adulthood.

Virtually all indigenous cultures have Rites of Passage imbedded in their way of life and use ceremony, challenge, storytelling and wisdom sharing as key elements to support the change. Often the young people are witnessed and celebrated as they return to community after an experience in nature, away from daily life and distractions.

In recent decades in Australia we have had the Pathways to Manhood and Pathways to Womanhood which in Queensland has now evolved into Journeys to Manhood and Journeys into Womanhood. Powerhouse Programs is the host and organizer and a skilled and dedicated team lead two camps a year for the boys and the girls program has begun and is finding its natural flow.

Robin is one of the two Program Managers for the Women’s part of the boys program within the Journeys to Manhood camp and has witnessed hundreds of families benefit from their involvement since she first attended as a Mum with her Son and his ‘Uncle’ some 14 years ago.

The boys are taken away into the bush for five days by their fathers (or step fathers, mentors, uncles etc) and about 20 awesome men, including Leaders of the different aspects of the camp, Elders, Staff, Volunteers and Young Men who have been through the camp and return to help.
They go as boys and return to their community, family and friends with their head up, shoulders back and a sense of pride and confidence in themselves. It’s something to be felt and seen and brings hope to our culture and world, judging from the very positive feedback received from the Families.
See the website here

Delvin Solkinson’s next awesome publication will be a mega extension of the popular Permaculture Design Deck. This new edition will feature many new cards by Robin Clayfield, Graham Bell and Susan Weed. Robin has contributed heroically to the new edition of this creative resource deck, including sharing a new feature framework that she unpacks in her upcoming book called the ‘Vision Tree’.

The Permaculture Design Deck, now 20 years in the making, recently rewritten at sacred places on Delvin and Grace’s Irish honeymoon last September has gone to print at last!

You can download the 2018 edition for free or support the initiative by pre-ordering a deck. Here’s the Link.

Robin’s wonderful creative friend, collaborator, author and documenter extraordinaire Delvin Solkinson recently asked Ben Tour to create an artistic image of her for use in her work and promotions and also for Delvin to use in his eNewsletters, books and promotions. “Thanks so much Delvin, I love it, though it is rather flattering and shows me as a younger woman! I can live with that.” Robin said recently.

Over 300 Woodfordia Citizens, staff, volunteers and Woodford Folk Festival organisers and friends got together recently for a weekend of reconnecting, future planning, ideas generation, music, fun and mural painting.

The main highlight was the announcement that the Woodford Folk Festival is back this December, as usual pre Covid, from 27^th December to 1^st January.

The Saturday program of the Citizen’s ‘Gathering the tribe’ weekend began with Robin leading a one hour Reconnection session with participants, followed by a stunning performance by Linsey Pollak. After lunch lots of subgroups formed to brainstorm and develop ideas for getting the word out about the festival, supporting volunteers, forming an onsite logistics working group as well as discussing ideas for The Planting Festival to have a new life and initiate the Conservatree project.

Of course there was the now traditional ‘Mad Hatters Tea Party’, great music and entertainment and lots of exciting conversations around the fire and the grounds.

Gavin Ryan held the thread of continuity through the weekend with the opportunity for everyone to add their unique designs and colour to the huge mural that will become the program cover artwork and other promotional delights.

Thanks go out to Amanda, Bill and McBride for their vision, leadership, work and dedication.

Here’s the link to the festival website to book.

The festival will be slightly smaller than 2019 but 100% as good.

Robin and Erin’s Weekend Social Permaculture Workshop is only days away and there is still a few places left. The focus will be towards tools for change to grow healthy groups, healthy people and a healthy world.

A full toolbox of processes, activities and strategies will infold to create a full and inspiring journey to aid your professional and personal work.

Contact Robin by email for more details.

Here’s the poster with information and contact details.

After a very successful Permaculture Design Course (PDC) at Crystal Waters last September, the Crystal Waters Cooperative and the organisation team have decided to offer two PDC’s this year. The first one is just under a month away from 6th to 20th March.

It’s an intensive 14 day training with a focus on design and all the basics for understanding Permaculture Principles and applying them to design and sustainability. There will also be lots of fieldtrips, hand’s on implementation, interactive activities and great learning from a variety of skill full, local Permaculture presenters and educators.

Here’s the link to the website with full details.