Designed Visions - Sustainability through Permaculture - Courses, Design and Consultancy

This practical course will bring the possibility of significant and positive life changes. Although permaculture is most commonly thought about in connection with gardening & farming, its principles, ethics and design methods can be adapted and used in each individual's own work, interests and home to bring about a more harmonious & sustainable lifestyle. Permaculture offers a perspective on all aspects of building a sustainable future. Permaculture encourages us to use our individual skills, knowledge and interests, whilst drawing on traditional wisdom, science and our innate ability to observe and learn from the world around us.

Course participants will be awarded the Permaculture Association (Britain)'s internationally recognised Certificate in Permaculture Design.

Ourganics Evolving Systems constitutes five acres of water meadow close to the coast in rural West Dorset. It is a working permaculture project set up by Pat Bowcock in 1999 with its own detailed design that participants will have the opportunity to interact with. It is a venue that has already been used for apprentice design work on previous design courses, and that also regularly hosts tours by local schools & groups. Pat started Ourganics because she wanted to run her own business that was sustainable and debt-free unlike so many that run in constant debt. She wanted to show that permaculture principles could go hand in hand with being Soil Association-registered to create a land-based, self-financing and viable business which would provide affordable organic vegetables, herbs, salads, fruit and flowers for the local community, with produce going out direct from the field as well as via farmers' markets, box schemes, farm shops etc. Ourganics has the extra label "evolving systems" because like anything organic, the project is continually evolving, responding and changing. Ourganics is a fantastic venue for this course and includes many well established practical demonstrations of permaculture in action.

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We use group work, discussions, videos, slide shows, observation, guided walks & practical activities as learning methods. These are supportive of different learning styles & for people with learning difficulties. We will also be visiting projects where permaculture theory is being put into action. Planned site visits include a trip to Bridport TLC, the excellent local recycling project & biodiesel makers.

Design courses are not just about imparting information to the students, there is plenty of knowledge out there, the important thing is knowing how to use this & feeling confident to do so.

Empowerment is the essence of the course. We will be using practical and theoretical teaching methods to create a fun, lively & inclusive course. The course culminates in the main design activity that helps to consolidate all of the learning & empower students to take permaculture back into their own homes, lives & community. As a group we will benefit from collaborative learning & from having fun together. We don't expect any previous knowledge & recognise that everyone has their own unique skills, knowledge & areas of interest to bring to the course.