Children in Permaculture International Conference

Overview

Title: Children in Permaculture International Conference 2019

Date: 8th July 2019

Times: 9.30am to 5:30pm

Cost: Sliding scale depending on income: £30 to £120

Location: Cecil Sharp House, London

Refreshments (tea and coffee) included, lunch not included.

Book your place: Online Bookings will close Friday 5th July at midnight.

About the conference

This one day conference for school, nursery and kindergarten teachers, Forest School leaders, parents, permaculture educators, policy-makers, Scout Leaders and anyone else interested in the education of children, to find out about best practice in the field of Permaculture Education, Learning for Sustainability and Outdoor Learning.

It is the day after the London Permaculture Festival at which there will be a Children in Permaculture presence with speakers appearing at both events. So book your travel and come to both the London Permaculture Festival on July 7th and the Children in Permaculture Conference on July 8th. Whilst you are in England, consider joining the International Train the Trainer course from July 10th to 14th.

This conference is being organised by the European ‘Children in Permaculture’ project in which best practice has been shared across the continent from Finland to Italy, Scotland to Romania:

​“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” (p. 1, The Children in Permaculture Manual; Alderslowe, Amus & Deshaies, 2018).

Book your place Online Bookings will close Friday 5th July at midnight.

The vision

The aim of this event is to inspire and inform educators, teachers, policy-makers, parents and carers to embed permaculture into children’s education.

The vision of CiP is that “Humans are living in harmony with each other and nature, and all children can access an education based upon the ethics of Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share". 

Content

At the 2019 conference there will be speakers and workshop leaders from around Europe who are experts in forest pedagogy, permaculture, sustainable living, eco-schools, and related fields. The format is plenary speaches in the morning and two separate workshop sessions in the afternoon. There will be speakers who will address the three main age groups: kindergarten (up to 7 years), primary school and high school age.

Conference fee

Group discount is for when 3 or more people attend from the same organisation/school. This will help support you to implement your learning when you return to the school.

Book your place

To book place, please complete this booking form and make a payment by bank transfer or PayPal. You will be contacted by email to make arrangements for payments. Online Bookings will close Friday 5th July at midnight.

If you would like more information, please email

childreninpermacultureevents <at> gmail.com

If you are unable to email, you could telephone Lusi on 0(044) 7787 374675 or 0(044) 1557 814 810 or skype lusi.alderslowe.

Who is this conference for?

People working with children aged 3-12 years, such as school, nursery and kindergarten teachers, people who make decisions about or influence educational policy, 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.

Children at the conference

Children from age 4 years and up are welcome to join permaculture educators in the morning from 9.30am until 1.20pm whilst their adults attend the main conference talks. There will be a range of permaculture inspired activities for them from the Children in Permaculture curriculum, with something for all ages. Parents are invited to take children for lunch. In the afternoon, several workshops will be designed for children to attend with their parents/carers which will enable families to have a wider choice and learn together.

Those with younger children are welcome to drop in and join us at any time but we kindly request you stay with your little one the whole time. There will also be a baby and toddler area set up on a blanket in the main hall for parents to be able to entertain and relax with the smallest children whilst (hopefully!) being able to have one ear open to the speakers.

Children up to the age of 12 years are free. Youth aged 13 to 20 years are more than welcome to attend and are welcome to come for as little as £5 to cover the cost of refreshments.

About the venue

Cecil Sharp House is an award winning folk arts centre in central London which is a Permaculture LAND Centre. Cecil Sharp House Permaculture Learning and Demonstration Garden is a decorative, ecological, edible low maintenance design inspired by the folk adage: one for the birds, one for the bugs and one for me which chimes very well with the permaculture values of Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share. It is based on working with the soil-food-web, wildlife and plants as co-gardeners to maintain health and fertility.

For more information on the location, please see:

https://www.cecilsharphouse.org/

Getting there

The address is:

Cecil Sharp House

2 Regent’s Park Road

London

NW1 7AY

London has been chosen for the ease of travel from the rest of Europe. There are great rail connections to the whole of the UK as well as Paris and Brussels.

Cecil Sharp House is located in Camden at the junction of Regent's Park Road and Gloucester Avenue. It is easy to reach by rail, road and underground train and is only 10 minutes walk from Camden Town underground station. To plan your journey to Cecil Sharp House and for up to date travel information, visit Transport for London's (TfL) Journey Planner. The nearest train station is Camden Road. You can also reach us via Euston and King’s Cross St Pancras, then catch the underground train or bus.  

For more information on travel arrangements please see the Cecil Sharp website here.

Lunch

Lunch is not provided as part of this conference. There are two options:

1. You can bring your own packed lunch (and eat in the venue or in the garden)
2. You can purchase lunch from the cafe in Cecil Sharp House. For more information, please see their website: https://www.cecilsharphouse.org/csh-visit-us/cafe-and-bar

Evening entertainment

The organisers would like to nominate a vegan-friendly restaurant to go to together on both the Sunday and the Monday evenings. More information will be posted nearer to the time. Watch this space!

Outline timetable

About the speakers

JON CREE: FOREST SCHOOL ASSOCIATION CO-FOUNDER, INTERNATIONAL TRAINER IN EARTH EDUCATION AND FOREST SCHOOLS

International trainer in Earth Education and Forest Schools has led workshops all over Europe and North America. As a founding director of the Forest School Assocation, for the last 7 years he has helped to disseminate best practice in the education of children. Jon has 20 years of experience working at the award-winning environmental centre, Bishops Wood, where he co-ordinated a programme for disengaged teenagers to learn emotional literacy and appropriate behavior whilst gaining important woodland skills.  He also directed and delivered training programmes for professionals working in conservation and education, including teachers. Jon's words have been published in many places including:

“Earthwalks – an alternative nature experience” – Steve van Matre and Associates (2019) Institute for Earth Education.

“Storytelling for a Greener World” – Gersie, Cree, Nanson, Colleinson and Schiefllin (2014)

“Climate Change – Local and Global” – Teachers in development Education (2005)

“Health and Well-being at Forest School – supporting and assessing” Cree (2017). Forest School Association

“Global Perspectives – Education for Sustainable Development”. World Wildlife Fund (1993)

“Mindfulness and Forest School” – Cree (2015)  Pub Forest School Association

“A brief History of the Roots of Forest School in the UK” – Cree and McCree (2012). Institute for Outdoor Learning in ‘Horizons’#

Jon has a true and deep connection with nature which started with the times he played in nature, and deepened through studying a degree in Natural Environmental Science and a Masters in Conservation. Jon is also a wonderful storyteller, permaculture gardener, whittler and singer. 

MATT WILLER: RHS SCHOOL GARDENER OF THE YEAR 2018 

Matt has become famous for his 'Allotment Project' in the state school which he teaches in, in England. He will be telling us all about how the allotment project was set up, how it has run, it's successes and what we can learn from, when we are applying permaculture in schools. Matt has been a humanities teacher for six years and spent four of those creating The Allotment Project. He has completed an 'Introduction to Permaculture' and a Permaculture Design Course (which he says was an incredible experience!). The Allotment Project has featured twice in the Permaculture Magazine and has recently won a regional award: Norwich and Norfolk Eco Awards (secondary school category) for best eco project. In 2018 he was nominated for the Royal Horticultural Society's 'School Gardening Champion of the Year' for the entire country and won - well done Matt! As a result, he was invited to meet with Prince Charles and has received many visitors to the project including Sir Nicholas Bacon (President of the RHS). The Allotment Project has even featured live on TV (BBC Breakfast show). The Allotment Project has also been shortlisted again for the 2018-19 Norwich and Norfolk Eco Awards (secondary school category) and the school has surreptitiously nominated me for the 'eco-hero' award for Norwich and Norfolk of which I have been shortlisted to the final three. Above all these accolades (which he absolutely never ever set out to achieve as a primary goal), he is, as a person, extremely keen and determined to learn so much more about permaculture and especially how he can engage children and young people in its sound ethical principles, because it is through them that we can start to make a better world. Here are are some links to his work on The Allotment Project: Website & film; Article. Article in the RHS magazine.

ALETHEIA MASHIRI: SOCIAL AND THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE FOR ALL THROUGH FOOD GROWING OF WINTER GREENS

Aletheia has worked across three SEN schools as support staff and an UQT in the past 5 years doing vocational as well as social and therapeutic horticulture with young people with special educational needs and was pleased to have the permaculture school garden in Luton recognised by CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England), Bedfordshire and awarded the CPRE Mark under the Youth Award in the 2016 Living Countryside Awards in the category that recognises the young people and schools who are making a positive difference to their local environment – and in turn are encouraging a love of the outdoors and natural world in the future generation.

2016 also saw her 'Pick-Your-Own' community front vegetable garden in Hitchin filmed for BBC2's 'Big Dreams, Small Spaces' Series 2, Episode 5 with Monty Don (now available on Netflix) nominated for the local newspapers annual Comet Community Awards where they were finalists in the 'Great and Green' environmental category and winners of the 'Best Neighbour' Award.

Since being introduced to permaculture through friends in Zimbabwe and at 'Fambidzanai Permaculture Centre' before moving to the UK fourteen years ago, Alehteia has worked with different communities and stakeholders in various community gardening settings the first being attached to one of the first Surestart Children's Centres in South Bedfordshire, and in adult and children's education as an ESOL tutor and in horticulture.

She has recently started a social enterprise called 'Getting Rooted C.I.C.' and has worked with school gardening clubs, a secure mental health unit and the local foodbank to help their communities develop their own vegetable gardens and wildlife friendly spaces. She is in the process of developing an outdoor Permaculture learning centre and shared community garden 'Ron's Plot' at allotments on a council estate in Hitchin, North Hertfordshire.

DIDI A. DEVAPRIYA: NEOHUMANIST EDUCATOR, AUTHOR

Didi (a.k.a. Denise Deshaies) is a permaculturist and member of the CiP team. She coordinates a community supported agriculture (CSA) organic farm in Romania, which hosted one of the first PDCs in the country. She is also a leader and international trainer in the Neohumanist Education movement, which aims to nurture an ecological, inclusive and compassionate worldview from the early years. She has directed nursery, kindergarten and afterschool programs since 2001 and authored the Neohumanist Education Early Childhood Curriculum for Romania. She is one of the co-authors of the "Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share" manual. Didi has written numerous articles, and travels to train educators in the Netherlands, USA, Lebanon, Australia and Italy as well as in Romania, where she has been based since 2005. She is also a founding member of the Neohumanist Education Association in Romania. Phew - what a talented and skilled lady! 

LUSI ALDERSLOWE: PERMACULTURE EDUCATOR AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE CHILDREN IN PERMACULTURE PROJECT

Lusi has coordinated the Children in Permaculture project for the Permaculture Association (Britain) and Gatehouse Primary School in Scotland. A Forest School Leader, Human Ecologist (MSc) and Permaculture practitioner and teacher, Lusi has been engaging children in permaculture for 13 years in many places including an outdoor playgroup, a Children’s Garden, after-school groups, and in nurseries and schools across Scotland. Lusi has been teaching permaculture to adults since 2010, in many Permaculture Design Courses, and as a Diploma Tutor. Lusi is a co-author of the book “Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share in Education: The Children in Permaculture Manual” (2018).

RAKESH ROOTSMAN RAK: PERMACULTURE AND SOCIOCRACY TEACHER

 Rakesh co-founded the Children in Permaculture project and is an experienced permaculture teacher and low impact living designer having taught over 200 permaculture, forest gardening, eco village design and related courses since 2009. Along with Permaculture, Rakesh focuses on the human skills of communication and planning so necessary for successful communities.

GAYE AMUS: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR AND NATURE PEDAGOGUE

An environmental educator specialised in early childhood education and is based in Helsinki, Finland. She has had 12 years experience working in kindergartens including a Rain or Shine nature kindergarten in Finland. She is currently training educators internationally, contributing in conferences, giving seminars and consultation in nature pedagogy and outdoor education. Gaye initiated the nature movement for kindergartens and primary schools in Turkey in 2015 with Forest Schools and Forest Kindergarten Leader trainings. She pioneered and co-founded the Children in Permaculture project. Gaye is a co-author of the book “Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share in Education: The Children in Permaculture Manual” (2018).

CLAUDIU OPREA: CHILDREN'S PERMACULTURE EDUCATOR IN INDIA & ROMANIA

Claudiu is a permaculture educator, artist, chef, healer and linguist. He splits his year between teaching children at Yogi Art Centre in Goa, how to grow food and medicine for 6 months a year. He is passionate about designing and experimenting with new ways of implementing reform into mainstream education. In the summers he returns to Europe for ongoing projects at music and arts festivals in the UK where he created welfare systems for crew, and teaching at summer design schools around Europe. He is currently reconnecting to his ancestral home in Romania where he is creating a queer arts and permaculture sanctuary in honour of his grandmother. 

LARA KASTELIC: PERMACULTURE EDUCATOR WITH CHILDREN IN SLOVENIA

Lara is a biologist curious about lifestyles that can support humans and nature. She is passionate about social tools, living in community and bringing permaculture to children, youth and adults.

ROBERTO CARDINALE: MUSICIAN

Roberto from Italy will be our Master of Ceremonies (MC), as the MC Roberto will bring a professional, musical and fun air to the whole conference, keeping us all on schedule and providing entertainment. 

CHRIS WARBURTON-BROWN: RESEARCHER & 52 CLIMATE ACTION COORDINATOR

Chris Warburton Brown has been the Research Coordinator of the Permaculture Association for 7 years. He is also the coordinator of 52 Climate Actions. His interests include soil, trees, the history of farming, and all aspects of human-landscape interaction. He has a first degree in Modern History and a Phd in Urban Studies. He loves cycling, exploring, playing board games, wild swimming, eating cake, and watching films. He has two amazing teenage daughters, one an aspiring actress and singer, the other a maths genius and trapeze artist. He is a little disappointed that neither of them have (so far) shown much interest in permaculture, but both are engaged with climate change. His wife is a psychotherapeutic counsellor. He mostly lives in Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne, in a house overlooking the parrots in the park, and sometimes in his off-grid cabin in Northumberland.

STEPHANIE MEEHAN: PERMACULTURIST, WALDORF EDUCATOR

Stephanie is a California native who has been living and homesteading in the French countryside for the last four years, where she works as an educator at a Waldorf school. She has been working with children for over ten years, but has no formal degree because, after two years of design school, she decided she no longer wished to partake in the mess that is the U.S. credit system. Instead, she spent five years traveling, visiting various permaculture farms and projects, educating herself by doing, seeing and experiencing along the way. This, in turn, has informed her educational approach of facilitating experiential learning for children. She is now a mother to two young children with whom she looks forward to continuing to grow and learn.

MANDY MERKLEIN: ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGIST, PERMACULTURE FACILITOR

Mandy is a environmental biologist, mother, family house holder,  and permaculture facilitator/teacher. I am co-founder of a permaculture association on Mallorca, Permacultura Mediterranean (PermaMed.org), Escola Kumar-a permaculture education and demonstration site, and Youth in Permaculture. She runs workshops, certification courses, and events.  They work with schools and through informal education-mentoring  to introduced and facilitate the inclusion of permaculture and Gaia Youth (EDE) tools for wholistic site design and to enrich the curriculum. Their orientation is student, youth and teacher lead: collaborative, dynamic and co-creative (and of course, fun). They provide mentorship, skills, and encouragement to youth wanting to bring permaculture into their lives and the world. They encourage organisations (including schools)  to include youth and children's voices and views in their organisations, vision and design making processes.

CRINA CRANTA: TEACHER, COMMUNITY GARDENER

Crina Cranta is a teacher, a community garden coordinator, ceramist and mom of two also a contributor to CiP curricullum. With an MBA in ceramics and more than ten years of teaching about art, nature, manufacturing and sustainability in museums, schools, kindergartens, for groups also for individuals of any age, she is searching to create powerful interactions and meaningful learning, flexible and adapted to each one's level. 

POLLY CHARLTON: PLAYWORKER AND GARDENER

Polly is a trained playworker with 20+ years experience with a passion for outdoor play & a focus on growing food, crafts using natural resources & permaculture. A volunteer for Brighton Permaculture Trust, she helps run an Eco Club in my local junior school, gardening sessions in the local infants school and is about to start on my Diploma in applied permaculture design.