Children in Permaculture (CiP) is an innovative international cooperation bringing together educators (from different organisations, educational settings and countries) in order to cross-fertilise, share and synthesise ideas, inspirations and best practices. On this website, you will find practical resources that have been developed, tested, adapted and implemented for engaging children in permaculture in fun and exciting ways. 

To find out about the Children in Permaculture resources, click here

Children in Permaculture International Conference 2019

After the success of the first ever Children in Permaculture International conference, held in Prague, Czech Republic in May 2018, the 2019 conference will take place in London over two days. The first day will be a section of the London Permaculture Festival on Sunday 7th July 2019, and the second day will take place in Cecil Sharpe House on Monday 8th July 2019. The conference is aimed at educators of children aged 3-12 years. For us the term 'educator' refers to anyone who is involved in the education of a child including school, nursery and kindergarten teachers, parents, Forest School leaders, Woodcraft Folk leaders, Scout leaders, grandparents, foster parents, aunts, uncles and many more. 

About Children in Permaculture (CiP)

The CiP Vision

Our vision for the future is that humans are living in harmony with each other and nature, and all children can access an education based on the ethics of Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share.

Why engage children in permaculture?

‘The future of our planet depends on a change of consciousness, in which the people and the resources of the natural world are no longer taken for granted and exploited without considering long term impacts. Supporting children from early childhood to develop a sensitive, compassionate and cooperative relationship with each other and the natural world is a crucial step in generating this new consciousness.’1

‘Childhood is an ideal period in which children can develop fundamental attitudes towards the world including towards nature and each other. Doing permaculture with children supports them in learning to value resources and find creative ways to live in harmony with the world. It also supports them in developing a cooperative, mutually prosperous culture rather than one based on individualistic competition for limited resources.’1

Background

Children in Permaculture (CiP) began as an Erasmus+ project in which seven European organisations worked together to improve the education of children in formal, informal and non-formal settings through the development of resources such as a curriculum, session plans, films and other resources. These resources have been designed to enable kindergarten and school teachers, permaculture practitioners, parents and other educators to engage in holistic, sustainable education with children based on permaculture ethics and principles.

Children in Permaculture Training courses

Below are details of a two day training course which we held in Scotland. We are keen to have more courses in different locations, please get in touch if you would like to host a course in your locale. 

Background:

“The future of our planet depends on a change of consciousness, in which the people and the resources of the natural world are no longer taken for granted and exploited without considering long term impacts. Supporting children from early childhood to develop a sensitive, compassionate and cooperative relationship with each other and the natural world is a crucial step in generating this new consciousness” (p1, Alderslowe, Amus, Deshaies 2018).
This two day training course is the finale of the three year European ‘Children in Permaculture’ project in which best practice has been shared across the continent from Finland, Italy, Scotland and Romania. In this process many resources have been created and shared including surveying existing resources, writing case studies, creating films, and writing a book ‘Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share in Education: The Children in Permaculture Manual’.

Who is this course for?

People working with children aged 3-12 years, such as school, nursery and kindergarten teachers, as well as those working in non-formal settings such as after-school or out-of-school club leaders (e.g. scout leaders), parents (whether natural, foster, adoptive or grandparents) and others who are aware of the importance of their role in children’s education.

Testimonial from school teacher, Miss G. “That was the best CPD course I have ever done!”

Aims

The aims are for participants to:

* Be inspired and empowered to take children outdoors for experiential learning.

* Find positive solutions to their interests and challenges working outdoors with children.

* Learn about a holistic, creative approach which involves children in the whole process as a partner in their learning.

* Envisage how the ethics of Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share can be integrated into an educational setting.

* See, hear and experience examples of good practice and inspirational stories.

* Meet other like-minded people.

* Find out how permaculture can help them in their work with children.

Biographies:

Lusi Alderslowe, co-author of the ‘Children in Permaculture Manual: Inspiring Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share in Education’ and coordinator of the Children in Permaculture project for the Permaculture Association and Gatehouse School. A Forest School Leader, Human Ecologist (MSc) and Permaculture teacher (Diploma and Training of Teachers), Lusi has been engaging children in permaculture for 12 years in many places including an outdoor playgroup, a Children’s Garden, after-school groups, and many nurseries and schools across Scotland.

Nim Robins is the lead designer and founder of a school based permaculture design company 'Organic Playgrounds'. She has an educational background in both Ecological science and teaching, and worked as a primary school teacher for several years before deciding to specialise in outdoor learning. Nim is especially passionate about exploring new ways to design habitats specifically for children to inspire their imagination and connection to nature, and teaches regularly in forest schools, home education groups and after school clubs. Nim holds a Diploma and teacher training certificate in Permaculture design and is a trained Forest School leader.

The Advanced Peer to Peer Training in Engaging Children in Permaculture (2017)

The advanced training course took place for a week in September 2017 in Gatehouse of Fleet, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. This innovative training course included training adult participants and then supporting them to lead sessions with children. Educators were then given detailed feedback about improving their session/activity/pedagogical style for the future. This was a highly rewarding, deeply immersive experience for educators who came from across Europe to share their skills in engaging children in permaculture; it was wonderful to see our colleagues in action working with children. The children had a great time with several said it was their best day ever in school! The whole school is now working to integrate permaculture into school life.

Outdoor Classrooms: A Permaculture Education with Children 

with Carolyn Nuttal and Janet Millington (2016)

Three teacher training courses were held in Britain with two in London and one in Gatehouse of Fleet, Galloway, Scotland. Feedback from a teacher who attended the training in Gatehouse was "It was the best training course I have ever done!" Delighted with the success of this course led by international experts Carolyn Nuttal and Janet Millington, teachers across the country are now deepening the permaculture education of children throughout Britain.

To learn more about the other training courses, check out the dedicated Children in Permaculture website.

Children in Permaculture in the press

We have been delighted to read articles in the local press about this innovative project, in

The National: Australian permaculture experts help equip Scottish children for challenges of climate change.

Learning for Sustainability Scotland: This month's newsletter highlights Children in Permaculture

The Galloway News article on 26th May 2016 included a double-page spread entitled "Aussies' visit was a g'day"

About the Children in Permaculture (CiP) project

CiP is an innovative project of international cooperation bringing together key educators (from different schools, nurseries, practices and countries) in order to cross-fertilise, share and synthesise ideas, which will strengthen the capacities of all involved.

Children in Permaculture is a 3-year project funded through Erasmus+ Key Action 2: School Education, which started in September 2015. The partnership is across 5 countries: UK, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Italy. The lead partner is the Permaculture Association (Britain), and the other partner in the UK is Gatehouse School.

This international exchange will develop, test, adapt and implement practices in permaculture education with children. It will:

•     develop a permaculture curriculum suitable for children
•     create well designed materials for educators
•     collect and create an open education resource
•     foster a cohesive society through learning with people from other countries and cooperation between formal and informal education settings
•     share best practice and new perspectives on designing kindergartens and schools, and promote better outdoor learning experiences for children.

There is lots more information about the partners, the intellectual outputs and more on the dedicated website: www.childreninpermaculture.com