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.

The Sustainability Centre, three miles from the picturesque village of East Meon, is situated on the South Downs Way and surrounded by a network of footpaths and lanes. It sits in 55 acres of woodland and natural chalk downland & has a wide range of habitats: rough grassland, chalk grassland, native woodland, coniferous woodland, ponds and hedges. All of which they are actively restoring, maintaining and researching to increase biodiversity. The Centre teaches the public that economic development can be achieved without degrading the rural environment. It also has office space, seminar rooms, catering facilities and a cafe area.  The Wetherdown hostel, where we will be mainly based, has been refitted using sustainable building materials and boasts an integrated solar photovoltaic roof and a wood chip biomass boiler.

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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 other projects where permaculture theory is being put into action.

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.