Ecovillage Design Education - Training of Trainers
27 October - 24 November 2007
Presented by the Findhorn Foundation in partnership with the
Global Ecovillage Network and Gaia Education
Based on the Gaia Education Ecovillage Design Curriculum - an official contribution to the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014
Facilitated by: Pracha Hutanuwatr - Director, Wongsanit Ashram, Thailand
May East - Director, Gaia Education Jonathan Dawson - President, Global Ecovillage Network
Michael Shaw - Director, The Ecovillage Institute and
Findhorn Ecovillage experts
You are invited to join this four-week comprehensive training of trainers on the fundamentals of sustainability design for urban and rural settlements, covering all elements of an ecovillage-based education. This will entail training at three distinct levels:
First, we will explore the content of each of the four key pillars of ecovillage-level sustainability: ecology, economy, community and worldviews.
Second, we will weave together insights and discoveries made in each of these areas into an integrated design process with hands-on practical application exercises.
Third, we will explore different participatory learning approaches to deliver the Ecovillage Design Curriculum, developed by leading edge sustainability educators from around the world.
While the course will be facilitated by a very experienced team of ecovillage educators, it will be highly collaborative in nature, with all participants drawn in as rich resources for the learning community.
The programme is based at the Findhorn Ecovillage and comprises four separate weeklong modules, which may be attended as a whole or separately. It will provide a practical forum for learning and developing skills needed to work with and teach effectively design for sustainability at all levels.
Module details
Social Design – Week 1: Oct 27 – Nov 2 Building Community & Embracing Diversity; Communication Skills, Conflict Facilitation and Decision-Making; Coaching, Personal Empowerment and Leadership, Celebrating Life: Creativity and Art
Ecological Design – Week 2: Nov 3 – 9 Whole Systems Approach to Ecological Design; Appropriate Technology: Water; Organic Agriculture and Local Food; Appropriate Technology: Energy; Green Building & Retrofitting
Economic Design – Week 3: Nov 10 – 16 Shifting the Global Economy to Sustainability; How Money Works: Community Banks and Currencies; Right Livelihood; Social Enterprise, Nurturing Local Economies; Legal and Financial Issues
Worldview – Week 4: Nov 17 – 24 Holistic Worldview, Listening to and Reconnecting with Nature; Awakening & Transformation of Consciousness; Personal Health; Planetary Health; Socially Engaged Spirituality and Bioregionalism
Who should apply?
Ecovillage Design - Training of Trainers is an advanced training course aimed at individuals involved in sustainable community initiatives of all kinds; students and professionals in architectural, engineering and building careers; permaculture and other sustainability designers; sustainable land use and regional planners; social workers, educators and busi
