Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning – Page 20 – Dynamic Courses, Books, Resources and Tours for Healthy Groups, People and Culture with Robin Clayfield

'Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning' Creative teachers, Facilitators and Group Leaders Courses

6 day trainings, shorter workshops and consultancy
Robin's Full Re-edited, Reformatted 3rd Edition Book

Now over 5000 copies sold
Robin's New Dynamic Groups Book Due for Release Mid 2016

Robin's partner Rob Clark has just produced a stunning flier about it
Brand New 'Permaculture Principles Card Game'

PLUS 'Creative Process Wild Cards'
Introducing ELFy The Magician to the World

DaDarrr! Mascot, champion and colourful jigsaw puzzle symbol for Dynamic Groups
'The Love Feast' Dynamic Relationships Retreat and Methodology

Shorter workshops and private couples sessions available

‘Dynamic Teaching and Facilitation’ Book Update and Book List Snippet

The first in a series of Robin’s Mini books, entitled ‘Dynamic Teaching and Facilitation – The Foundations’ is almost ready to go to several proof readers before then being updated and finally making its way to the Editor.

The reference book list is complete and ready to add to the appendixes.

A briefing with the artist for the structural design of the book and artwork is imminent.

Two pertinent questions will be sent out to over 200 of you who have done either of Robin’s ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ courses, any of the versions (TAA or BSZ) of the CERT IV in Training and Assessment or the original Skye and Robin’s ‘Advanced Permaculture Creative Teachers Facilitation course. The questions will be aimed at what really worked about the course and its content and where you’ve used, grown and developed the gifts from the course. Many of the responses will be used in the book with acknowledgement of your name and ‘title’/work/profession (with your permission of course). If you don’t get an email from Robin about this in the next two months and would like to comment please email robin@earthcare.com.au

Thanks to the many of you who are giving financial, physical and moral support to this huge endeavor.

Here’s a snippet of the Book Resources and Reference List – the section on Dynamic Groups, Group Dynamics, Group Work, Facilitation, Teaching, Planning, NVC, Problem Solving, Communication, Governance

Social Permaculture is Online Globally with Sustainable Living Guide

Robin will be amongst the presenters for the Sustainable Living Guide’s Global Summit from 21^st to 24^th of this month. Robin’s 30 minute audio presentation is a Q&A interview by the Guides’ creator Lisa Pavati and focuses on Social Permaculture and Robin’s life journey with Permaculture, groups, education and empowerment.

See the Facebook page and links to some of the presenters and several beautiful Promo clips.

Join the Summit on this link.

Robin will then be offering nine presentations and workshops as part of the Sustainable Living Guides’ program over months to come. It is envisioned that they will be offered regularly and will have a project based outcome to integrate all the learnings towards the end of the nine sessions.

Keep an eye on the website for further details or to sign up to receive more information about offerings by Robin’s and other great Presenters from around the globe.

Great Ideas Seen in ACT at AWOL

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.

The local food menu written up on a dark glass panel so the guests could see the recipe and where each local ingredient came from.

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

The rocket stove that Frank made that cooked all the course food.
A Rocket Stove Made from a Dumped Gas Outdoor Heater
An Old TV for a Book Shelf

The Sacred Union Labyrinth at The Planting Festival

The Planting Festival at Woodfordia in early May was a magnificent event. Robin and her troupe of five friends worked together as instillation artists, ceremony holders and workshop facilitators creating ‘The Sacred Union Labyrinth’ for the festival patrons to enjoy.

They were joined by musicians Andy Copeman and Laurel Hefferon from Awakening Centre in Maleny for the two special Ceremonies. Malcolm Fielding also performed two sessions, one each afternoon, for people to walk at their leisure, with the presence of his soulful sounds.

The theme for the Saturdays Ceremony was ‘Weave Together Selfcare, Earthcare and Positive Action’ where participants wove a wrist band for themselves and walked the Labyrinth surrendering anything that could get in the way of their full integration of the different aspects of self. As they emerged from their sacred walk, accompanied by music, the Ceremony team tied the wrist bands on each person for wearing throughout the festival. This first Ceremony followed a one hour workshop entitled ‘Weaving and Labyrinth Beautification’ where the team taught bamboo splitting and bamboo fence weaving to create a small bamboo garden edging all the way around the outside heart shape and a reed woven edge to embrace the central heart. The result was really beautiful as this photograph shows and the participants loved their learning and experience as did the facilitators.

The Sunday’s theme was ‘Plant Seeds for Your Future’ where everyone walked in a swoosh of energy, opening the possibility of everyone’s needs being met for their future. People got to plant some Marigold seeds into a small pot of soil and walk the Labyrinth again, with the intention and care to support their dreams to manifest.

Please enjoy this delightful snippet of the Sunday’s Ceremony showing beautifully Andy and Laurel’s music, which supports our Ceremonies so powerfully.

This clip created by Andy Copeman.

And a track by Malcolm Fielding playing solo on his beloved Ngoni.

Thanks to ‘The Planting Festival’ for inviting us. A truly fantastic festival.

Delvin Solkinson Visits Australia

Robin and Erin recently enjoyed the company of Delvin Solkinson at a special dinner to celebrate his flying visit to Maleny as part of the Visionary Permaculture Pilgrimage he and Annaliese Hordern were organising. The four shared an Aussie style Indian Feast and honoured Delvin’s visit from Canada, especially for the Pilgrimage. Delvin and Annaliese trained with Robin in her ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ course back in 2011 as part of the inaugural Pilgrimage that they also initiated.

Delvin has produced many fantastic and supportive Permaculture card games, teaching notes and resources which can be found at https://www.visionarypermaculture.com/

He has always had the most honouring respect and words to shower Robin with. Here’s some that arrived recently by email.

“Dear Robin, A thousand blessings of life to your sacred journey through the ever magic. Your shine has uplifted so many of us around the world, empowering us to our potential as teachers, creatives and visionaries. Endless thanks for the countless gifts you continue to give the world community, making highest use of your unique intelligence and precious time in this planetary reality.”

As you may imagine, this brought tears to Robin’s eyes.

‘Dynamic Groups’ at the Australasian Permaculture Convergence 2018

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 from the elders of the movement. We then gathered in smaller groups around the sub themes of the Convergence and chose one which we felt most engaged by. Especially exciting was the challenge to bring something from the small group to contribute to the rest of the Convergence during the time we were together – which most groups took to with gusto. This was a wonderful example of bringing the wildcard into a multi-day heavily scheduled event. The contributions went well, with various gatherings through the week for conversations on the different topics. A really fun contribution was a newly-created song to support permaculture for children.

Robin’s other sessions included ‘Creative Permaculture Education is Positive Chance in Action’, plus a guided session supporting Permaculture Australia’s Directors and Members with future[planning , and our classic final session of ‘Jumping Into Action’, pioneered by Robin and loved by the group. This last session occurs at the end of each Convergence: a powerful opportunity for individuals and small groups to be witnessed in announcing their intentions for the coming two years, jumping off the stage with a big YES to bring it into being. This time also provides a beautiful opportunity to recap on what was brought into action since the previous APC, and space to hear the creative and inspiring projects to which people are dedicating themselves.

I presented a session each day; providing me a great opportunity to more deeply cut-my-teeth in sharing Social Permaculture through the ‘Dynamic Groups’ medium. I was particularly excited to present the daily Folk Forum session – during the free-time break before dinner. For 1.5 hours, people would come to sit in sharing circle. I shared guiding principles for being in the circle, and folks had the opportunity to speak their experiences of the Convergence, while also hearing from others. The Folk Forum provided a vital connection point and feedback loop through the event and I look forward to it continuing at the next APC event.

My three sessions through the scheduled program included ‘Cultivating Your Group Ecology’ – sharing insights to understand the ‘ecology’ of characters that tend to turn up in groups and how to dynamically work with them to have balance, effectiveness and fun. Another was ‘Effective Collectives with Sociocracy’ – sharing the collaborative governance framework of Sociocracy in it’s deep embodiment of Permaculture principles for supporting groups achieve their visions. And my third session was ‘Sharing Circles for Connected Folk’ – exploring the social technology of sharing circles as a valuable feedback loop and vehicle for connection amongst a group of people.

It was also a joy to experience Robin holding her stall, pollinating her valuable ‘Dynamic Groups’ resources to help facilitators, teachers and trainers be further tooled-up for engaging dynamically with their groups.

A highlight was both of us being invited to be on a panel led by Robyn Rosenfeldt from PIP Magazine, entitled ‘Women Working for Change’. Another was having Costa as our MC for the 4 days of the gathering and also the launch of David Holmgren’s new book, Retrosuburbia.

The Convergence was quite akin to being in a bee-hive for 4 days: with enriching connections had between old friends and new. Especially, the event allows people like Robin and I to share our creativity and passion in applying ‘Dynamic Groups’ processes and Social Permaculture; playing an important function in real-life real-time cross-pollination of passionate people.