‘DYNAMIC GROUPS’
For Transition
An Adventure in Creative Facilitation, Interactive Learning Methods
Personal Empowerment and Skills Development.
A 4 day Training Intensive usually offered for Facilitators, Teachers, Trainers, Groups Leaders, Change Agents and People in Creative, Healing and Sustainability Industries who would like more skills, tools and confidence to work and play with groups.
Offered specially for the Transition Towns Movement on this occasion and designed to address some of the HEART aspects from The Transition Handbook as well as Group Dynamics and Creative Facilitation.
26th to 29th July 2010
At the Tathra Surf Life Saving Club
Tathra, NSW
COST $390 (concessions available) Includes morning and afternoon teas and lunch, notes, resource use, night time sessions on two nights...
This course is a unique opportunity to work with Robin Clayfield of Earthcare Education in an open, creative and stimulating atmosphere. The aim of this course is to up-skill anyone involved in the areas of education and group work from established teachers, people conducting introductory workshops or guest speaker spots to anyone wanting to start teaching or working more creatively in groups. It is being offered this time to contribute to the upskilling of people involved or coming into the Transition Movement and has been aimed, in the past, specifically at Permaculture Practitioners and others in sustainability, community, healing and creative industries.
It is for people who are willing to look past the expert/dominant/hierarchical process called teaching to a more interactive, participatory process of encouraging learning. It will concentrate on how we can create environments in which people can learn and work together effectively, rather than what facts they should be made to remember.
This is a practical hands-on course which will cover such areas as Accelerated Learning, Educational Kinesiology, how people learn, Cross crawling, brainstorming and mind mapping, role playing, PMI technique, Visualization, and many other creative Facilitation processes, confidence building, problem solving, conflict resolution, music and movement, process development/session planning and many of the other tools and processes used by Earthcare Education. Much of this course is ‘needs-based’ where everyone will be involved and contributing to their own learning process. Please bring tools, resources, books, coloured pens, crayons etc, juggling balls, instruments and any other materials that you may feel are appropriate.
Since 1990 Earthcare Education (Robin Clayfield and Skye) have run over 30 (2 week residential) Permaculture Design Courses using these techniques with great success and enthusiasm from participants. In their time working together they facilitated 21 Teachers Facilitation courses over 12 years in Mexico, Cuba, USA, Germany, England, Sth Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Robin is now working alone (while Skye works in Brazil). You are invited to attend this course and experience the fun and magic of learning, while learning how to teach and facilitate other peoples learning and facilitate groups in an effective and co-operative way. You are assured of a dynamic journey in creativity, fun and learning.
EARTHCARE EDUCATION HISTORY
Earthcare Education are leaders in applying modern education strategies, interactive learning processes and creativity within the areas of teaching Permaculture, Teacher Training, Group Dynamics and Personal Empowerment.
In 1990 Robin Clayfield and Skye (based at Crystal Waters Permaculture Village) started to feel uncomfortable with the lecture format of teaching. It seemed impersonal, disempowering and from memories of college and university neither effective nor efficient.
With little more than our own creativity, intuition and commitment we decided to never lecture at people again.”
“What followed was an amazing journey of research, creativity and excitement, as we developed, tested and then later came to understand the real dynamics of how people learn. Only more recently have we found that our developments are well founded in and supported by modern research in areas like kinesiology, neurology, psychology (refer to writings of Carl Rogers, George Lazonov, Bernie Neville, Edward de Bono, Howard Gardner, Richard Bandler etc). Not only is our approach effective and sustainable, it is clearly the future direction of education at large.”
Earthcare Education has merged two important philosophies, Permaculture and Creative Education while also working very much with empowerment of ourselves and all who come to work and play with us.”
What to Bring
While Tathra is on the coast it will get cool in the evenings especially in winter, so some warm clothing is recommended. It also has a reputation of raining so wet weather gear is advisable.
If you need accommodation we suggest the local caravan park (right next to the Surf Life Saving Club), I will set up a mailing list for attendees so we can share costs. There may also be a limited number of billets available.
Participants are encouraged to bring any references or resources that may be appropriate books, videos, reports of projects you are/working on or have been involved with, charts, maps, slides, games ...
Other useful items include a torch, coloured pens, basic drawing equipment, writing paper, a sense of humour, musical Instruments if you play one and a willingness to experience a new way of learning and of seeing the world.
The only things you should not bring are pets, especially cats or dogs.
THE FACILITATOR
ROBIN CLAYFIELD. Since doing the first Women’s Permaculture Design Course in Australia in 1983 Robin has been active convening and facilitating groups using creative, interactive learning methods, designing and consulting for local landholders, saving forests and growing food. Having settled at Crystal Waters Permaculture Village in 1988 she became actively involved in the development of the community as well as other co-operative groups within the Maleny area. She has been a staff member and trustee of Maleny L.E.T.System for over 18 years and has run the Business of Earthcare Education for 14 years learning many different skills.
Robin has facilitated and co-facilitated 30 Permaculture Design Courses over 12 years and now only occasionally teaches a 2-week course for Japanese participants entitled ‘Permaculture, Deep Ecology and Earthcare Design’. She has also created the ‘Dynamic Groups’ Course (originally with Skye and called ‘Advanced Permaculture Creative Teachers Facilitation Course’). She has facilitated over 25 of these (mostly in a 1 week format though occasionally as a 3 day compressed version). Since Dec. 03 Robin has trained five of the eight competencies of the old CERT IV in Assessment and Workplace Training for nine courses in four States. This was called a CALF (which went hand in hand with the COW) and both have now been upgraded to be Part 1 and 2 of the new TAA40104 CERT IV in Training and Assessment. She has now trained 6 of the new Part 2’s of CERT IV T & A.
Robin has diverse interests and skills and is particularly involved and interested in Participatory Design Processes, Deep Ecology, Growth (of plants and people), Group Dynamics and Creative Facilitation, Writing (about Permaculture, Women’s Journeys, Healthy Living and other juicy things), catering and raw food living. Music, B.R.E.T.H. work and developing unbounded spontaneity and creativity are also strong passions. She has established and enjoys a partially self-sustaining, Sub-tropical Permaculture jungle, and supports her 13 year old son to ‘Home School’ High School. She is also a Grandma
Robin has written and self-published ‘You Can Have Your Permaculture and Eat It Too’, a 260 page book which links the garden and the kitchen together. With Skye, she has co-authored and published ‘The Manual For Teaching Permaculture Creatively’. Four years ago she published her 3rd book ‘Gifts for Wild Women’ and has recently produced a CD of seven of her guided journeys set to music.
Robin is delighted to have been asked by Janet Millington and Sonya Wallace from Transition Sunshine Coast to address some to the Heart and Soul aspects of Transition by creating workshops and programs for full emersion in these important matters. She has recently completed the Training for Transition 2 day and the 4 day Train the Trainer Training with Sophie and Naresh from Totnes. This will be her first offering for the Transition Movement.
Dates, Times, Costs, Places, Accommodation
9am till 5pm Tuesday 26th, Wednesday 27th, Thursday 28th and Friday 29th July.
Tuesday night - scheduled evening session with meal provided.
Thursday night - it can be helpful to hang out together and plan / prepare for a presentation on Friday.
Friday night - have a meal together to celebrate.
Go to http://nswcommunities.org.au/tttrain.html and click on the link to the “Tathra Surf Life Saving Club and Accommodation” to get a map. It is strongly recommended that everybody book in to the “Tathra Beach Tourist Park” to get the most value out of our time together, and check with other attendees if you want to share accommodation.
Contact John Barlow with any questions:
