In October 2011 I was contacted by the British Association to join a project, focused on Permaculture Training.

During the following 5 months many countries joined the project and worked on the application for the Leonardo Partnership Funding: Germany, Latvia, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Bulgaria, Portugal, Spain, England, Italy, France.

We all agreed on the name of the Partnership:

European Permaculture Teachers partnership

Teaching Permaculture in Europe: Sustainable Ways of Sharing Knowledge

Nicknamed immediately EPT, the partnership met for the first time after EUPC2012 in Kassel, Germany. The location the beautiful Esherode community.

Croatia giving a portrait of the Country, two different association joining in and presenting themselves. Photographs courtesy of Cathrine Dolleris.

What struck me about this partnership is that many representatives are from the PDC I have taken with Geoff Lawton and Bill Mollison in November 2010, in Istanbul Turkey. 6 out of 12  representatives are from that PDC: Italy (well, me of course!), Sweden (1), Portugal (1), Bulgaria (3). One woman from Sweden is linked with that PDC anyway, and well'see who will join in the future.

As well as few from a Teacher Training with Rosemary Morrow we have taken in Austria, at least the same number of people came from that course...

Again: Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Italy, Austria...

It seems such a small world! (And I love statistics...)

Who are we?

http://permateachers.eu/about/

At present the countries that joined (after the bid) and that are working on the project are 26. We actually are Permaculture Teachers, students in their Diploma Dathway, Permaculturists interested in teaching and set up a structure in their own Country.

Photographs courtesy of Cathrine Dolleris.

Few are from outside Europe: Canada, New Zealand, Ukraine.

What are we doing?

http://permateachers.eu/about/project-summary/

The Learning Partnership aims to support the professional development of permaculture teachers. This relates to the Leonardo programme in 3 ways:

1. Increasing teachers’ own skills for employability;
2. Improving the quality of vocational education & training that those teachers deliver;
3. Developing the capacity of organisations to deliver courses, and thereby employ permaculture teachers.

Why we are doing this?

http://permateachers.eu/about/rationale/

there is a genuine desire among these teachers to inspire and empower their students, and a recognition that teaching must be of a high quality to achieve this. Consequently there is a high demand from many teachers for knowledge about teaching methods, and a desire to professionalise their practice. At the same time, teachers from mainstream education are increasingly crossing over into permaculture with a wealth of teaching skills and knowledge to offer other permaculture teachers, but a need to develop their subject knowledge.

There are also apprentice teachers who are new to both the subject and to teaching, who are seeking to develop their skills and knowledge, but lack opportunities to do so in their country as there is currently a low level of permaculture activity there. Creating a network including all these communities of teachers/learners will enable two-way sharing of information about both subject and didactics.

What will the oucomes be?

a lot of work is going on, we aim for:

1. A pan-european network of teachers to cooperate on the delivery of permaculture to adult learners is established
2. Foundation laid for improvement of professionalism & practice of existing permaculture teachers and for confidence & personal sustainability of new permaculture teachers in countries where permaculture is emerging
3. Brochure about the various educational structures in Europe available online (pdf-brochure)
4. Various national permaculture education organisations’ processes & support mechanisms discussed (and where applicable developed & improved with support of network)
5. European permaculture teachers’ network expanded, diversified and strengthened.
6. Subject knowledge of new permaculture teachers improved & deepened by visiting projects and seeing practical solutions – evidenced by evaluation questionnaires at intervals during the project
7. Booklet about Best Practice published (pdf-format)
8. Teachers’ handbook (pdf-format) published (comprising latest pedagogical ideas, methods, curricula, strategies for widening participation)

Is it possible to join in?

Yes, to participate in person contact the organizations listed in EPT the website: http://permateachers.eu/

To participate by virtual conference visit: http://permateachers.eu/virtual-conference/

Next meeting will be in Portugal in march 2013

;)