Robin attended the Australasian Facilitators Network (AFN) Conference in Ballana, Nth NSW in early November last year. This annual gathering of peers, along with the approaching ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ course in mid-November in SE Qld, were used as the launching pad for Robin’s long dreamed of ‘Creative Process Wild Card’ set. Beautiful graphic design by Robin’s partner Rob Clark and thorough editing and brilliant InDesign tuition by Eve Witney made the project possible and supported Robin to achieve a high standard result.
Front Cover of the Wild Cards
The Cards evolved out of a long used ‘Dynamic Groups’ course activity that’s designed to challenge participants to try out new and creative processes to teach or present on a topic. This evolved from an original process that Skye and Robin began using 25 years ago to great effect. For example, if you are a little tired of teaching your pet topic the same way each time or you notice people seem bored or tired when you offer it, imagine you shuffle the cards and ask, “What processes will I use to teach … (Soils or Healthy Eating or Mud Brick Building or Project Management or …) next weekend?” or “Which processes shall I use to facilitate tomorrow night’s meeting for the two major agenda items?” Pick a card, or two. Maybe you’ll get Puppetry or Large Scale Chalk Drawing or Quiz Shows. Perhaps you’ll draw Music/Dance/Movement or Recipes, Water Play or L.O.V.E. You trust that you’ll rise to the challenge, take a deep breath and after a good planning stint your presentation becomes motivating, engaging and fun for your participants and their ability to take in and remember the information is greatly enhanced. Plus you discover many new ways to present, teach and facilitate.
The set contains 60 cards in total. 50 Creative processes and 10 more conventional ones that Robin feels she can’t live without or that have a creative edge or don’t take much to make them so. They are printed on high quality card, printed locally and come boxed in a 100% recycled cardboard box that is coloured using soy based inks. Click this link if you’d like some
Thanks to the awesome graphic design skills and willingness of Robin’s partner Rob Clark ‘The Manual for Teaching Permaculture Creatively’ now has a brand new colour cover. Very fitting seeing as the iconic 320 page text, written by Skye and Robin in the early 90s and published by their business Earthcare Education in 1995, is turning 21 this year. Yeah! Many hundreds of people have purchased the Manual and it’s enjoyed in over 65 countries.
Rob’s Wonderful Art and Design Skills Support Robin’s Work
In recent times it’s become available as a PDF through a DropBox Folder system. It was originally designed as a solid ring binder so it could be a huge ‘Tool Box’ to be added to over and over by its new owners as they witnessed, created or adapted processes that they wanted to remember and find easily. This hard copy is preferable to most people though click this link if you’d like to purchase the PDF version and enjoy!
Robin recently completed a massive five week teaching and facilitation journey in Victoria, timed around an invitation to present at ‘Rainbow Serpent Festival’ and also enabling her to present at ‘Sustainable Living Festival’ and display her relevant books and resources there while helping out in the Edible Garden Area.
Night Lighting in the Lifestyle Village with Cocoon Venue in the Background
‘Rainbow Serpent Festival’ was a fantastic and wildly different event which mostly catered to young people out to dance and party hard. The more recently introduced ‘Lifestyle Village’ area opens the festival to a wider more conscious audience which is where Robin was invited in to be part of. It’s replete with a visionary art gallery, two ephemeral temple spaces, a small and a quite large presentation and workshop venue as well as a Permaculture garden area, Indigenous village, free healing and massage zone and children’s area. Robin presented two workshops on Permaculture design and Social Permaculture and was the only woman and only Australian on a five person panel which explored ‘Future Thinkers – What Comes Next for the World?’ as the culminating presentation of this years Lifestyle Village. In amongst fiery debate and strong masculine presence Robin held her own and brought a balanced, informative and much needed nurturing touch to the panel of international speakers and brought Permaculture and other important streams forward passionately.
A full house welcomed Robin to present her ‘Social Permaculture’ one day workshop for several Transition Towns groups, organized by Julie French and Transition Banyule. Great feedback was received and Robin enjoyed meeting and working with the group very much.
Robin swapped hats for three days and became a student while being hosted by her dear friend and training assessor Virginia Solomon. She spent much of the time documenting everything she could manage to prove her competency in 11 Diploma of Permaculture units to show RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning).
PeteThePermie with a Chain Saw Sculpture in her Spirit Care Area on the Farm
Next up was a ‘Dynamic Decision Making’ one day workshop and a six day ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ course up in the Dandenong’s at Telopea Mt Permaculture hosted and organized by Pete the Permie and Sylvia on their Heritage Fruits farm, nursery and teaching site. Wow! What an amazing example of Permaculture in practice and bringing Permaculture right into the heart of Social Enterprise with a goodly dash of Spirit Care on the side and many tasty farm treats for the satisfaction of all.
Lamas are part of the Menagerie at Telopea Mt Permaculture Farm and Nursery
A highlight of the ‘Dynamic Groups’ course was having two gentlemen over 70 in the group and a diversity of mature women mixed with more youthful energy. Also, witnessing Pete’s naturally supportive way of applying ‘Natural Succession’ in a Social Permaculture sense through mentoring and active encouragement with many opportunities for his students, supporting the next generation of teachers in his area. Brilliantly done. Visit Telopea Mt Permaculture website by clicking here
Sand Pit Process in the ‘Dynamic Groups’ Course
Robin’s presentation at SLF (Sustainable Living Festival) was next to Federation Square, on the banks of the Yarra River. It was very well received and attended by founding members of both Common Ground and Moora Moora Communities as well as Murundaka Co-housing members. Titled ‘Seeds For Change – Social Permaculture’ with the subtitle ‘Permaculture, Social Design and the Environment, ‘The Shed’ was the perfect venue and allowed Robin to turn it into a socially designed space, in a circle with rotating rings so most people could see and interact with each other in the creatively facilitated session. Click here for more about session & SLF
Melbourne Permaculture business wizz and mentor Ed Walter whisked Robin away at the end of the festival to drive her, and all her luggage and left over books and resources, to her next engagement, a guest teaching spot in David Holmgren’s PDC at Rocklyn Ashram near Creswick and Hepburn. Ian Lillington extended the invitation and Robin jumped at the opportunity of presenting on ‘Health and Spiritual Well Being’ in a Permaculture course, this topic being one of the domains in David’s much revered book ‘Permaculture Principles – Pathways Beyond Sustainability’. The peace and tranquillity of the gardens, buildings and the residents made a perfect setting for the course and Robin’s visit was timely, well received and inspiring to many.
Barwon Heads Community Arts Garden Entrance fence section
After a few days visiting family in Western Victoria Robin completed her journey with three restful and lovely days catching up with Permaculture friend Wendy Marchment in Geelong where she got to visit a community garden, a recycled shipping container café and spend a little time with Wendy supporting Robin’s work on her new book.
Robin with Wendy Marchment at Barwon Community Garden
All in all a fantastic, fruitful and richly satisfying adventure.
Robin would like to thank all her hosts, the organisers of her courses, workshops and presentations, those who drive her around and showed many kindnesses, friends old and new, the participants in all her sessions and all who bought her books and resources. THANK YOU 🙂 It is through your support and the shared journey that we all make together that social enterprises like Robin’s are able to grow and evolve and support our beautiful world.
Things are moving slowly with Robin’s writing of the five book series, though the two card games that are part of the project have been successfully launched – the ‘Permaculture Principles Card Game in September last year and the Creative Process Wild Cards in November. All the wild cards fed straight into the chapter that’s being worked on at the moment in Book 1, the ‘Tool Box’ chapter. As well as the 60 Creative Processes in the card set, the chapter will highlight many other processes, some that act as ‘Glue Processes’, serving the function of supporting the group to work well together, meet and greet and make the most of the material and the time spent together. Ice-Breakers, Name Games, Grouping Processes, Revision Processes and Check-In’s are a few examples.
Brian-storm for 5 Book Series Project
Also included will be many conventional processes that, even though not creative or participatory, still are valid as ways to present content or teach specific information. Ways to tweak them to be more engaging, fun and memorable will be outlined to support teachers, facilitators and group leaders to have the biggest and best tool box ever.
To register interest in staying in touch for when the first book in the series is launched email Robin by clicking here
Every year Robin facilitates at several gatherings, festivals and conferences around Australia and sometimes overseas. Two gatherings that are closest to her heart and that’s she’s also involved in the behind the scenes support and the ceremony creation and energy holding are ‘The Joining’ held around the spring equinox and ‘Being Woman…’ held close to International Women’s day.
Being Woman Women in Circle
This year’s Being Woman… gathering had the powerful theme of ‘Freedom to Fly’ and supported approximately 70 women relax, deepen, share, create, empower, dance, release, heal, cry, laugh, hug and generally have a wonderful 2 ½ days away on retreat in the Mary Valley.
The Joining is fast approaching this year and promises to be an expansive, deep and nourishing time. The theme is ‘Weaving the Invisible Threads of Community’. Men and Women come together to connect, explore, heal, communicate, challenge themselves, have fun, dive deeply and grow. The next gathering is from 22nd to 25th September.
Woodford Folk festival attracts 120,000 visitors over a six day period from 27th December to 1st January each year. For three years running Robin has coordinated and enjoyed immensely participating in creating ‘The Sacred Union Labyrinth’ as an art instillation and community ceremony space.
The Sacred Union Labyrinth
It takes weeks of gathering materials, a full week to construct and one and a half days to return to nature at the end. Much maintenance is required to keep the space fresh and beautiful throughout the festival for literally thousands of people to walk. Four sacred ceremonies are held, where participants walk the Labyrinth to live music. The ceremonies are facilitated by Robin, Mark Healy, Christine Clegg, Stephane Cazard and Rob Clark.
Robin Clayfield and Rob Clark walking The Sacred Union Labyrinth
Robin is deeply honoured to share her design with the world in this expansive and supported way and acknowledges Mark for his spark of inspiration, Rob for his co-dreaming of the project and stunning sign and visual art and Christine and Stephane for bringing their creativity and flair and being such a big part of the innovative team of 15 people that crafts such beauty and sanctuary.
The journey promises to continue into future festivals and you can follow the documentation of the journey on the dedicated FaceBook page for The Sacred Union labyrinth. Click here to like the page
Making the Labyrinth Paths in the First Ceremony
The Labyrinth’s lead musician Andy Copeman has recently written an instrumental piece called ‘Labyrinth’ inspired by the Woodford ceremonies. He has produced a stunning video track, accompanied by footage his partner Laurel Heffron took in Ceremony in the Labyrinth at last year’s festival. Click here to view and listen
Robin’s annual and much appreciated creative teachers, facilitators and group leaders six day residential intensive course will be held from 19th to 24th May and will be a little warmer than the mid-winter course last year. The fire will still be going when needed and …
Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning Dynamic Courses, Books, Resources and Tours for Healthy Groups, People and Culture with Robin Clayfield
As well as the 60 Creative Processes in the card set, the chapter will highlight many other processes, some that act as ‘Glue Processes’, serving the function of supporting the group to work well together, meet and greet and make the most of the material and the time spent together. Ice-Breakers, Name Games, Grouping Processes, Revision Processes and Check-In’s are a few examples. 
