Social Permaculture

New PDC Course October 18 – 30 For the second year running now Crystal Waters Community Co-op has organised a PDC (Permaculture Design Course) with Max Lindegger as the key Teacher. Robin’s been a guest presenter each time.  The sessions she presented in April addressed ‘Making an income as a Permaculture Practitioner, ‘Group work and Group Dynamics’ to prepare the group to work together in small groups for their property design activity and Prepping for the Design phase. This last topic saw Robin lead an exercise involving her ‘Patterns in Nature’ Card game where everyone got to design something inspired by nature’s patterns. She also introduced scale rulers, flexi curves, circle templates and hand drawn templates made to scale  as tools the groups could use. To stay in touch about PDC’s at Crystal Watersvisit http://crystalwaters.org.au/permaculture-design-course/

Participants from Robin’s ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ courses go back into the world, back to their groups and into their workplaces and communities with a huge toolbox of processes to try out, adapt and share with their groups plus the confidence and ability to create whatever they need for any group or learning situation. Several past participants from the courses attended Robin’s session at the Permaculture Convergence in Tasmania recently and took on Robin’s challenge to jump in the deep end and lead the group of 35 people with a favourite processes they’d gleaned, modified or adapted from the Dynamic Groups course. Tamara Griffiths, Permaculture teacher from Victoria was one of them. She used a card game. Pete the Permie had some fun with puppetry and Dick Copeman from Northey Street City Farm had us cross crawling as an energiser. Here’s what Tamara wrote about the process she used. “I’ve …

More than a year has passed since Robin began in earnest writing the first in a series of books documenting over 20 years of training teachers, group leaders and facilitators. Book I, outlining the methodology and giving examples, activities and some processes to use, is almost half written. It has attracted a dedicated team of proofreaders, assistants and an editor over the months, namely Ange Jackson, Erin Young, Tracy Adams and Eve Witney. Robin’s partner Rob Clark is working on the artwork for the cover and for two card games that will be ready for launching before the book is completed. Prof Stuart Hill is reading the book with a view to writing the forward. It’s still early days, though Robin aims to have it in print in the first half of 2016. Here’s a sample activity from the ‘Empowerment’ chapter in Book 1 under the section of ‘Working from …

What a surprise! The opening evening saw Robin and 13 others acknowledged and honoured as Elders of the Permaculture Community. It was explained that you had to be over 55, contributed substantially over many years to Permaculture and be present at the Convergence. Robin accepted the plaque with tears in her eyes and a joyous heart.  Robin was one of four key note presenters at the Australasian Permaculture Convergence in March. She presented directly after David Holmgren on the first day and led the 200 attendees in an interactive greeting, icebreaking, networking and theme building session entitled ‘Social design and the culturing of Permaculture.’ It was obviously enjoyed and appreciated by all with everyone feeding back their theme groups suggestions with enthusiasm and team support. A lot was achieved in the one hour session and the energy of it carried out into the rest of the convergence. Robin’s workshop the …

Robin’s offering just 2 ‘Dynamic Groups’ Courses this year as she’s busy writing a series of books on ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’.  23rd to 27th August in UK at The Sustainability Centre, Hampshire ENGLAND with Looby Macnamara as a Special Guest. Enquire and Register with Looby at www.designedvisions.co.uk    Click here to see the poster and details 15th to 20th November in Australia at Crystal Waters Permaculture Village, SE Q’ld. Enquire and Register with Robin via email – robin@earthcare.com.au  Click here to see the poster and details

Robin Clayfield is celebrating over 21 years of training teachers, facilitators, trainers,  presenters and group leaders. She is writing it all down and indulging in a partial sabbatical time so will only be offering one ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ Creative Facilitation and Teacher Training this year.  It will be a 6 day residential intensive adventure and not to be missed if you’ve been waiting awhile to do one of Robin’s highly acclaimed and respected courses. 13th to 18th October 2014 at Crystal Waters Eco-Village in SE Queensland Click here to view a poster for the course There is a ‘Sliding Scale’ for payment, concession prices and payment plans available.