Tag Archives: Creative Facilitation

Robin and Wronka met nearly 30 years ago when Wronka applied to study Pedagogy for three months with Robin and Skye at Crystal Waters as part of her University studies. She come from Germany and participated and helped with the ‘Advanced Permaculture Creative Teachers Facilitation Course’ and the Permaculture Courses that they were running. In 1998 she returned the favour and hosted Robin and Skye in North Germany and organized the Creative Facilitators course for them to offer there, as well as touring them all around the Permaculture places in North Germany, including all kinds of wonderful inner Urban communities and gardens in Berlin. More recently she attended Robin’s ‘Wise Women’s Weekend Retreat’ way up in the mountains in Switzerland as a birthday present to herself. She then drove Robin and helper Kym Chi to her home in a little electric car to the Lakes area and hosted them both …

A passionate and skilled group of 18 people from India, Sri Lanka, Uganda and Solomon Islands plus two University Professors (Kristen from UQ and Jagjit from Monash and India) and two student interns participated in a specially designed 3 day tour of places of interest in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland in mid December 2023. Robin hosted the tour group with Raven’s help covering logistics and most admin tasks. The program included beginning in Maleny with an Acknowledgement of Country, Lunch at an Indian restaurant and a presentation by Assistant Manager of 44 year old Maple St Co operative, a wonderful member owned food health food store. The afternoon completed with some shopping time and a tour of the Co ops, Collectives and points of interest around Maleny then a bus ride to Crystal Waters Permaculture Ecovillage and dinner with Yoav from ‘Good Food Vibes’ on the Deck at Crystal Waters. …

The annual build of The Sacred Union Labyrinth by 14 people over the week prior to Woodford Folk festival, coordinated by Robin and organized by a core group of four – Christine, Stephane, Rob and Robin, went very well despite extreme heat and then some rain. The front entrance to the Labyrinth received a new mural art paint job, the guiding pennants got a solidifying make over and a quarter of the stone Labyrinth had some major drainage work done by hand!!! This drainage work turned out to be much needed due to rains during the Festival with thousands of people walking through the pathways then heavy, consistent rain on our pack down day. Huge thank you to our Build Crew team and for Woodford Folk Festival for supporting us as a mini Department and Volunteers. Also big gratitude to Woodford Programming Department for supporting us as a Ceremony team …

The last week of July promises to be a lively, creative and fantastic learning time. It’s a year since Robin’s last ‘Dynamic Groups’ course. It’s her annual offering of this type of course at Crystal Waters and since Covid began she has only offered this once a year in her home community as travelling to other states and countries by invitation wasn’t possible. The six day intensive runs from 23rd to 28th July and will be followed a day later by a big Permaculture Music gig with ‘Formidable Vegetable’ launching their new album. People booking for the course are recommended to stay the extra day and night and be part of the event. More info about the ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ can be found on the FaceBook event here. Treat yourself to some Professional Development and lots of fun and confidence building. Contact Robin now to book your place.

Spontaneous, unsolicited testimonials are always the best kind. This one from Charlie appeared on FaceBook this week and Kate picked up on that and posted on LinkedIn. Thanks to you both for your support of this important work. “If there’s one thing we need more than ever, it’s the ability to organise in harmonious ways. Robin Clayfield is a master of bringing people together and creating dynamic, transformative and… dare I say, FUN groups with the ability to make meaningful change in the world.” – Charlie McGee “I can’t put it better than Charlie, but what I can say is that Robin Clayfield’s Dynamic Groups work has been formative in my own facilitation and practice. I can’t recommend this course highly enough. The annual Dynamic Groups residential training is coming up next month at Crystal Waters Eco Village. Email Robin for more information”. Kate Williams

Robin adapted a quote she wrote some years previously to present at the Deep Ecology Weekend recently. Here’s the latest version… “The Great Remembering It is the time of the Great Remembering… Remembering as humans that we are part of the Earth. Remembering our nature intelligence as many indigenous cultures still do. Remembering we are part of a symbiotic and amazing ecosystem that bubbles and pulses with life. Yes, we can remember our hunter-gatherer roots, yet we can still purposefully gather all the tools, resources, courage and companions to connect together for a healthy world. We are powerful, creative and co-creative beyond measure and we are a tiny speck in the web of life, finding our way back home. May each speck be a spark of illumination and remembering of our ancient roots and deeply intimate relationship with Earth and all beings… for a better world.” – Robin Clayfield Sept. …