Welcome to my inclusive Permaculture Course, designed with accessibility at its heart. As a lifelong wheelchair user, my experiences have profoundly shaped my perspective and drive towards creating inclusive, sustainable solutions. From age 15 to 22, I volunteered on a college farm, which deepened my ambition to follow this path. Combining my passion for sustainability with a desire to help others, I established Feed Our Communities CIC. My driving force is to provide people with the same opportunities that one person once gave me.
Join me not only to learn but also to build a community that thrives on sustainability and inclusivity. This course is designed to make permaculture accessible to everyone.. It covers adaptive techniques, inclusive design principles, and practical applications to create sustainable and accessible permaculture systems, fostering community support and resilience.
The course is divided into several modules. The first module, Introduction to Inclusive Permaculture, covers the principles and ethics of permaculture, the importance of accessibility, and key concepts and design principles. This sets the foundation for understanding how permaculture can be made inclusive and accessible to all.
Next, the Adaptive Techniques for Permaculture module explores practical methods such as raised beds and container gardening, ergonomic tools and equipment, and adaptive gardening techniques. It also includes vertical growing using tools like berry pickers as an alternative to raised beds, ensuring that all habitats are accessible.
The Inclusive Design Principles module introduces universal design concepts and strategies for designing for diverse abilities. It includes case studies of accessible permaculture projects to provide real-world examples of successful implementations.
In the Creating Accessible Garden Spaces module, participants learn about designing pathways and access points, creating sensory gardens and therapeutic spaces, and incorporating various accessibility features into their garden designs.
The Community Engagement and Inclusion module focuses on strategies for inclusive community engagement, building support networks, and developing community-based projects. This module emphasizes the importance of bringing communities together and supporting one another.
Personal Development and Self-Care is another crucial module, covering mindfulness and self-care practices, stress management techniques, and personal resilience and growth. This module helps participants develop the skills needed to maintain their well-being while working on permaculture projects.
Finally, the Project Development and Implementation module guides participants through planning and executing accessible permaculture projects, monitoring and evaluation, and scaling and sustaining initiatives. This comprehensive approach ensures that participants are well-equipped to develop and maintain successful permaculture systems.
Each session includes a discussion, an activity, a self-assessment, and a follow-up discussion. The follow-up discussions provide an opportunity for participants to share ideas and thoughts, support one another, and develop their projects and sites collaboratively. This inclusive course aims to bring communities together and ensure that everyone can participate and benefit from permaculture practices.