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  • From: Russ Grayson <pacedge@magna.com.au>
  • To: Intl permaculture list <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [permaculture] Accredited permaculture course makes start
  • Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 12:07:58 +1000

FIRST MEDIA RELEASE!

Major Milestone for Permaculture –
Nationally Accredited Permaculture Training (APT)

Nimbin, NSW, 9 July 03

After years of discussion and debate, Permaculture International Limited
(PIL) is happy to announce that the five national qualifications in
permaculture will soon be available. Known as “APT”, these qualifications
are the first and only nationally accredited permaculture courses in
Australia.

There will be five qualifications on offer under APT – Certificate 1, 2, 3,
4 and Diploma. Certificate 1 is suitable for beginners, from school age
upwards. The Diploma is for experienced practitioners. People who have
completed a Permaculture Design Course, (PDC) will receive significant
credits towards the new qualifications.

APT has been designed to recognise and build on current training in
permaculture, including the PDC. Now that accreditation has been achieved,
we are anticipating input from permaculture practitioners into the detailed
content of the accredited courses. APT will be reviewed every 12 months,
and undergo extension as our collective body of knowledge and experience
increases.

APT provides a new opportunity to attract public funding and subsidy,
through programs such as Farmbis, NHT, Landcare, labour market programs, VET
in schools, CDEP, Work for the Dole etc.

Qualifications can be achieved in two ways – by recognition of prior
learning (RPL) for experienced permaculturists; or through study at venues
approved to deliver APT. (note: while these venues may include TAFE and
other training institutions, APT is owned by PIL on behalf of the
permaculture community.)

PIL is negotiating a partnership with a Registered Training Organisation
(RTO) to enable training and recognition (RPL) services to be available
throughout Australia. This arrangement will create opportunities for
existing permaculture trainers and training venues to offer APT.

*** PIL will shortly release details on how existing trainers can be
involved in APT, how experienced permaculturists can achieve recognition for
their knowledge and skills, and how access to APT can be achieved.

*** A series of regional and capital city Course Orientation Workshops is
being planned and details will be announced by email and in PIL’s magazine
“The Planet”.

For more information, contact PIL or one of the reference group members –
see ‘background’ below.

”With the development of this new range of accredited qualifications, the
richness and choice of colours in the education palette has vastly improved.
Permaculture education has just come of age.” Virginia Solomon

“The enormity of this undertaking was daunting in the early stage. With
true permaculture co-operation and synchronicity, the pieces began to fall
into place. I think what kept us going was the knowledge that this would be
a course that was designed and written by permaculturists, constantly
updated by the permaculture community, that would lead to increased
credibility for our thinking and practices in this new century.” Janet
Millington

“Another win-win situation for people doing permaculture – you can now get
recognised training while doing something positive for the environment.”
Ian Lillington

“This new permaculture training is breaking exciting new ground, not only
for the permaculture community but for mainstream vocational training and
environmental education. It’s been an intense yet wonderful process of
cooperation strengthening our networks and building bridges within
permaculture. APT will equip permaculture with an excellent educational
framework for edging deeper into the mainstream while remaining firmly
grounded in grassroots action and the Earthcare ethics.” Robyn Francis

“Accredited Permaculture Training will foster widespread community
acceptance and recognition of permaculture. It will also provide greater
access and uptake of permaculture training as it will attract pubic funding
and subsidies targeted at nationally accredited training.” Guy Rischmueller


**************

BACKGROUND

A national reference group was established in 2002 and has been developing
the new permaculture units. Units are the ‘skeleton’ of a training program,
and it is this skeleton or framework that has now been approved. The group
met in Melbourne in November 2002 and Nimbin in 2003. The majority of the
development work has been done by email.

The reference group comprises:
∑ Robyn Frances – Nimbin, NSW <erda@nor.com.au
∑ Ian Lillington – Willunga, SA <kookaburra@internode.on.net>
∑ Janet Millington – Noosa, Qld <miltech@bigpond.com>
∑ Virginia Solomon – Eltham, Vic <vsolomon@netspace.com.au>
and has consulted with Terry Leahy in Sydney

The reference group engaged a training consultant, Guy Rischmueller, to
guide the project through the approval process. During the next six
months, PIL will form a partnership with a Registered Training Organisation.
This RTO will manage quality assurance and issue qualifications to those
completing training.

**********

While PIL is committed to ensuring existing venues and permaculture programs
continue, there are some key considerations for delivering APT programs:

1. Anyone currently teaching permaculture courses at any level will
have the opportunity to teach the new, accredited format. To deliver
accredited training in Permaculture, a trainer will have to complete a
Course Orientation Workshop, and will need Certificate IV in Assessment and
Workplace Training, (BSZ98). They will also have to provide a curriculum
vitae and must be competent to deliver this level of training.

[The BSZ course and the permaculture certificates can be achieved by RPL,
which means gathering together evidence of your existing work and presenting
it to an assessor. Although there will be a charge for this process, it is
expected that there will be a huge increase in demand for permaculture
training, so up front costs will be recouped.]

2. Venues where permaculture is already taught will be able to teach
accredited permaculture courses, providing they meet appropriate OHS and
insurance requirements.

3. There are opportunities to integrate existing training programs and
resources into the new format. A ‘resource bank’ is being considered as a
system where trainers can lodge their training materials and can borrow
other materials from this bank.

By managing the implementation of Accredited Permaculture Training (APT)
nationally, PIL is attempting to optimise benefits and returns to
permaculture practitioners, enterprises and trainers in a variety of ways
that can meet different training needs from school education to professional
development.

Caring for People, Caring for the Earth

Anna Kowalczyk
Office Administrator for
_______________________________________________
Permaculture International Ltd.
ABN: 13 196 056 495
PO Box 219 NIMBIN N.S.W. 2480 Australia.
Ph/Fax 61 [0] 2 66891155
Email: admin@permacultureinternational.org
http://www.permacultureinternational.org




  • [permaculture] Accredited permaculture course makes start, Russ Grayson, 07/09/2003

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