Tag Archives: Community

21 people from all over the world and all sides of the country gathered at Crystal Waters EcoVillage in SE Queensland to participate in Robin’s annual Crystal Waters ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ six day training. It was her first Dynamic Groups course since offering them across Europe and returning home last August. March seems to have been a good time of year to offer this course with people attending as part of their yearly plan being put into action. Fortunately the persistent rain from earlier weeks gave way to mostly pleasant conditions so the campers were dry and sessions could take place outdoors. Good use was made of the beautiful EcoCentre, a purpose build training venue hired for the event.     One participant made this statement about the course on their evaluation form. “Magic! This word defines my synthesis of this course. Something inside me that was shut down …

Here’s a couple of photos of the Social Permaculture weekend led by Robina McCurdy and Robin and hosted by Samantha Hawker and Frank near Canberra after the APC (Australasian Permaculture Convergence) in April. Participants got a lot out of the workshop and went home with much inspiration and many tools for applying to their local groups and course environments.

Hey, Check out these cool ideas at Samantha and Franks home at AWOL (Another Way Of Living) at Wamboin near Canberra which is part of the Southern Harvest Association. Southern Harvest is an educational and marketing non-profit, incorporated, local food association at the forefront of supporting and promoting local and regional food production and consumption in South East NSW and ACT.  Sam and Frank organised, hosted and participated in as well as cooked for the Social Permaculture Course Robin Clayfield and Robina McCurdy did at their property in April.  The course was their first ever at the new venue that they have created in their home and all went very well. Wow! Fantastic food, fantastic people, fantastic family farm. A Creative Menu Board A Rocket Stove Made from a Dumped Gas Outdoor Heater An Old TV for a Book Shelf        

By Erin Young, 3 June 2018 The Australasian Permaculture Convergence is a bi-annual 4-day event, creating a hive of connection and sharing for permaculture practitioners, gardeners, thinkers and doers from Australia, New Zealand and surrounding countries like East Timor. The 2018 Convergence was held in April in Canberra, along the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. Around 200 people converged to share and attend sessions covering various aspects of the field of Permaculture, including school gardens, Social Permaculture and international aid. Amongst the rich pot of offerings were the contributions of Robin Clayfield and myself, Erin Young, focussing strongly on Social Permaculture elements. We both presented several sessions, all employing ‘Dynamic Groups’ tools to engage and ignite. Robin’s first workshop included all participants in a session called “Fast Tracking Change with Social Permaculture” and focussed strongly on the conference theme of ‘Connectivity’. Robin craftily drew out collective wisdom on Social Permaculture …

Not long now till Robin’s next ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic learning’  creative teachers, facilitators and group leaders course to be held at her home community of Crystal Waters Permaculture EcoVillage using the community village area, kitchen, deck and dining room facilities in amongst the beautiful 640 acre property. This will be her first Dynamic Groups course back in Australia after successfully leading four of them across Europe last year. Here is a quote from one of our Permaculture Elders, Declan Kennedy, 83, from Lebensgarten EcoVillage in Northern Germany after he participated in (as well as organised and hosted) the six day course. “This course is a must for people trying to facilitate events in a democratic/sociocratic way. The toolbox is extensive and helps the facilitator do his/her job thoroughly, deeply and with fun. Robin walks what she talks during the course of the course. She is so quietly and humourously skilled …

Group Agreements and how to navigate this successfully with groups of all sizes and persuasions seems to be a hot topic at the moment. It’s important not just for community group, organisations, learning and education group and businesses but also for anyone in a family or relationship who values clarity and shared understandings. Robin has fielded several questions from interested people over recent months about this topic or people have asked for more guidance about her ‘Group Agreements Icon Set’ that she uses in her courses and with groups. Now the interest will be taken into a Q&A Zoom session for an hour of exploring together with any of the Patreon Patrons who would like to join, contribute, question and unravel this essential topic. The session will be on Tuesday 23rd January at 7am Qld, Australia time (so people from Europe and UK have a chance of joining). Learnings and contributions …