permaculture

["J. Hobbs" <hobbsj@efn.org>]

Title: Week-end courses

Toby and I facilitated an Urban Permaculture Design course based in a specific neighborhood in my hometown.  The convenor raised funds through a neighborhood grant program and most students attended for free, trade,  or $45.U.S.  The classes were every other weekend and held  upstairs at the local Health Food Store. This space was traded to us - we did some clean-up in the parking lot beds.  Participants also supported the store by running downstairs for snacks and lunch potluck items.   We walked to different students houses to do hands-on work and the final design projects. There were several challenges I would like to note: the real world distractions come into play a bit more-- which sometimes lead to participants being late or not being able to continue the course.  Pre-course cliques can create a feeling of exclusivity.  This was resolved by an interactive exercise offered to the group by a participant:

A Visioning Session: "the future of  Whiteaker Neighborhood through Permaculture"

Goals :

* To learn more about individual and group vision(s) for Whiteaker and Eugene through permaculture, for the near future as well as for the distant future (e.g. 50-100 years from now);

* To explore the potential of community groups working together using Permaculture as a tool to transform the Whiteaker and other neighborhoods;

* To imagine the potential of a permaculture community to affect large systemic or environmental issues (food security, drought, etc.);

* As a point of reference for the class group discussions about the assigned collective design projects (e.g. what can we do together to move towards a collective vision?).

Small break-out groups answered these questions:

* #1. What could Whiteaker and/or Eugene be like in 10 years using permaculture methods?  Be specific about sites if you wish.

*  #2.  What do you imagine Whiteaker and/or Eugene could look like or in 50-100 years? 

* #3.  What is one step we could take as individuals or in this group towards a shared short or long term vision?

The entire group reconvened and  dynamic discussions followed. This exercise dramatically changed the focus of the group.

By the way,  we had one of the Most outrageous talent shows I have ever experienced held at  at a participants cozy home.

Jude

P.S.  I just remembered that the discussion of week-end courses were addressed in May of 2001.  If you take a look at the archives,  Thu, 03 May 2001,  Toby wrote a letter to the listserve on the topic.

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