Winter to Spring

As we approach the shortest day, the darkness tends to draw us inside. With the turn of the year a few weeks away it can also be a reflective time, thinking about what we'll do next in our lives.

In permaculture education, one of the models we use is the 'action-reflection' cycle - this recognises that learning about anything is improved when we do stuff, think about what happened, identify things we could have done differently, design a new approach and then act on it - as we go around the cycle again we improve each time - getting closer to our goals and perhaps changing them!

The next opportunity to engage with our action-orientated approach comes in the longer days ahead with our Spring into Action! Permaculture Design Course in east London. Book here

This course will be 6 weekends fortnightly on the following dates:

12 - 13 March
26 - 27 March
9 - 10 April
23 - 24 April
7 - 8 May
21 - 22 May

If you want to see what our courses look like, check out these photos from our current Design 4 Action course, we're half-way through already!:

Spring into Action 2016

We're currently getting excited about the Design 4 ACTION permaculture design course (PDC) which starts in 3 weeks time (as of today a couple of places remain so get in quick if you want to start a course this year!)

But we're also planning ahead for our next PDC: Spring into Action 2016 which commences in March 2016.

This course will be 6 weekends fortnightly on the following dates:

12 - 13 March
26 - 27 March
9 - 10 April
23 - 24 April
7 - 8 May
21 - 22 May

Find booking forms for both courses here

What are our courses like?

Participant feedback on the 2015 Spring into Action! Permaculture Design Course.

Design 4 A.C.T.I.O.N.

Design 4 A.C.T.I.O.N (Active Community Transformation In Our Neighbourhoods) - A different kind of permaculture course - positive design for your life, your community and your world!

The Design 4 A.C.T.I.O.N course is participatory and dynamic, using diverse visual, audio and kinesthetic learning methods such as group work, games, problem solving, discussion, observation, field trips, practical activities, lectures and slideshows during course sessions. 

Participants are encouraged to further their learning through home study during the breaks between modules, which can include further research, personal reflection, and application of what’s being learned in practice. Participants will also work together on applied design projects relevant to their own situation that will consolidate the learning content and empower students to take solutions-based thinking back into their own homes, gardens, lives & communities, providing essential skills for effecting positive change whatever their concerns. 

In addition to 6 core weekends that will cover permaculture fundamentals, design methods and applications to the natural world and built/human environment there will be additional optional days on forest gardening, holistic health, green building, community development and more.

The course will be taught by Graham Burnett (Dip. Perm Des), Claire White (Dip. Perm Des), James Taylor (MSc. Human Ecology) and some great guest teachers. 

The 6 core weekends will take place between September 2015 and February 2016 on these days:

Sep 26/27

Oct 10/11

Nov 7/8

Dec 12/13

Jan 8/10

Feb 13/14

We are pleased to announce that we are holding our course fees for another year:

£380 - Individual, concessionary rate (unwaged)

£580 - Individual, waged (income less than £25k)

£780 - Individual, waged (income more than £25k)

£780 - Sponsored/organisation rate

The booking form for the course is now live and we are accepting participants.

[In Spring 2016 we will again be running the Spring into Action! Permaculture Design Course - 6 weekends fortnightly March-May contact James if you would like to know when booking for this course opens)

Permaculture Design Courses: Autumn/Winter 2015/16 and Spring 2016

The Spring into Action! 2015 Permaculture Design Course came to a celebratory close yesterday with three great design presentations from the students.

The Spring into Action! teaching team is dissolving for the Summer, but we will be coming together again:

•  in the Autumn for a new format Permaculture Design Course: Design 4 A.C.T.I.O.N! (1 weekend a month over 6 months - September 2015-February 2016 - with optional add-on Practical Workshops in Green Building, Holistic Health and Forest Gardening)
• and again next year for Spring into ACTION! 2016 (6 weekends fortnightly March-May 2016)

Further details and how to book will be posted here shortly!

[If you can't wait that long, check out Graham Burnett's Summer courses at Spiralseed.]

Spring in Action! in 2015

Six weekends fortnightly:  7/8 March, 21/22 March, 4/5 April, 18/19 April, 2/3 May, 16/17 May
Tutors: Claire White, James Taylor & Graham Burnett