Social Permaculture

“I gained so much from the dynamic groups and facilitation workshop. Robins approach to teaching is both engaging and heartfelt, so that learning is embodied and is a true testament of walking her talk. She teachers leaders how to lead, by actually leading by example! The skills I have gained gave me confidence to provide Community Consultation services to work with not-for-profit groups to achieve their goals with dynamic and fun process, provide dynamic facilitation to focus as shared vision for projects like designing a nature playground, and to develop a garden therapy program – all with great results. I am confident to provide my services to fulfil the obvious demands for inclusive, focused and effective decision making through the lens of Social Permaculture because of on her training. My Permaculture Design Courses have been the success they are because of the holistic teaching methods she has inspired me with. …

Several places have become available in Robin’s next ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ six day Creative Facilitation, Teacher Training and Group Leadership course. People booked into three of the four available special cost price/scholarship places have cancelled or postponed for various reasons and a further two have deferred to a future time. There are still the numbers for the course to proceed so Robin is offering three more places for the cost price of $500 which includes all meals for 6 1/2 days. Accommodation in the EcoPark at Crystal Waters for the camping option is only $10 per night so this makes it a really affordable opportunity. A bed in the bunkhouse is $22.50. Some help and contribution, trade or donation would be most welcome as part of the exchange. For example, Robin is needing one person to come a couple of days early to help in the set up for …

A new documentary celebrating the past, present and future of Crystal Waters is just being released. It is possibly the most extensive exploration of an ecovillage in a documentary yet produced… I’d love to hear of other examples. In 2018, Crystal Waters, a world-first permaculture settlement and wildlife sanctuary, is now 30 years old – located near Maleny, South East Queensland. Given a UN Habitat Award in 1996, Crystal Waters is known worldwide for its permaculture related educational courses. Community members run monthly markets, bakery and cafes, bamboo and timber plantations, a fire brigade, cinema, even a cemetery. A visitor park offers cabins, caravan sites and tent sites. Over 100 dwellings and community buildings showcase diverse building methods – rammed earth, mud brick, straw bale and pole construction. The flow of the program entwines history and present views in a colourful and engaging manner. It may not answer all your …

Did you know you can design harmonious and effective groups who thrive towards their aims and purpose as a collective? Yep, it’s called Social Permaculture. And this is what Permaculture pioneer Robin Clayfield and social change-agent Erin Young are brewing for the SOCIAL PERMACULTURE WEEKEND on 18 & 19 May at Crystal Waters Permaculture EcoVillage, near Maleny in South East Queensland. This unique weekend is a rare opportunity to be guided in developing your social design fluency by applying the nature-based principles of permaculture. Using interactive and dynamic experiences, Robin and Erin will share with you insights to regenerative people systems and approaches contributing to happy and healthy humans on the levels of the individual, organisational, and societal. Various angles of effective social design will be covered, including group ecology, community governance and decision-making, group effectiveness, social space retrofits and confidence in acting for change. This course is for those …

Robin’s ‘Calendar of Events’ that she’s involved in this year include (known and confirmed dates)… ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ Creative Teachers, Facilitators and Group Leaders Course. Crystal Waters in SE Qld. 17th to 22nd February. Here’s the link to the FaceBook Event which has the poster with details in the Discussion section.  Being Woman… Gathering. SE Q’ld. 8th to 11th March. Ceremony and Workshop. Follow this link. National Labyrinth Conference. Canberra. 21st to 24th March with workshop on Ceremony and Ritual on 22nd March. Follow this link. PDC (Permaculture Design Course) at Crystal Waters Permaculture Village. April 29th to May 11th. Max Lindegger as primary tutor plus Richard Mochelle, Annaliese Hordern and with Robin Clayfield as special guest presenter. Here’s the link. The Sacred Union Labyrinth at The Planting Festival with Ceremonies, Workshop and Music to walk to. 3rd to 5th May at Woodfordia. Here’s the link to the website …

It’s now possible to watch snippets of the Main Presentations at the International Permaculture Conference in Hyderabad, India late last year. One of the sub themes was ‘Women as Agents of Change’ so Robin initiated and was then invited to led a panel of Women in Permaculture, especially emphasising Social Permaculture. She asked the question “Are Women Leading the Change?” and “What areas of change are you active and successful in and what qualities do you feel support this?” Women joining Robin on the panel included Vandana Shiva, Starhawk, Rowe Morrow, Robina McCurdy, Padma Koppula and several others. There’s a few seconds of the panel at 4.27 and a shot of all the presenters to begin with. Enjoy.