Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning Dynamic Courses, Books, Resources and Tours for Healthy Groups, People and Culture with Robin Clayfield
By Erin Young
Social Permaculture is a nature-informed regenerative design framework for social systems; with particular focus on people care. Social Permaculture is regenerative social design.
Here is a sample of the permaculture principles and how you might see them at play in social design:
Design from patterns to details
Circle structure used for meetings and classrooms. Circle rounds in a meeting use slow and small solutions to hear each person in the group, getting into the details of their input in an effective way. Circles support transparency, being the most efficient pattern for all members to see each other while connected to a common unity through the central space.
Use and value diversity
The eight forms of capital spread ‘wealth’ to eight key areas of resource availability (capital), rather than loading it with financial assets (as is most common). The eight forms of capital include natural, material, experiential, social, cultural, intellectual, spiritual, and financial. Assessing a system’s level wealth through this spectrum of capital allows a broader perspective and accounts for far more enriching qualities.
Observe and interact
Cycles are within and around us constantly, providing a rhythm by which behaviours, outcomes, and interactions can be observed, and for which more appropriate systems can be designed. Mapping the year out in a wheel form (like a pie chart with 12 slices representing each month), allows us to map what’s happening for each month for various aspects of our lives. If rings are also included to this pie chart (like in a tree trunk), various elements of a system can be mapped, month-by-month. One ring might track of the highlight activity of the month. Another ring might track the main monthly goal. And other ring might track our emotional selves. Doing this year after year, allows an understanding of the patterns emerging in our lives; information we can use to design more specifically how we tend to self and community care.
– Designing our Future
Social Permaculture applies from the individual level to the broader community level. It’s scope includes personal growth, community, finance, business, health, art & culture, education, events, media and justice.
These types of tools, and more, will be explored in the upcoming Social Permaculture Weekend, co-hosted by Robin Clayfield and Erin Young – 18 & 19 May 2019 at Crystal Waters Ecovillage in South East Queensland. We’d love for you to join us!
Email Robin at robin@earthcare.com.au to book now.
