Children in Permaculture Erasmus Project

Project Title

Children in Permaculture

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Environment and climate change; Natural sciences

Project Summary

The Children in Permaculture project was conceived by a group of experts highly motivated by the vision of creating a future with humans living in harmony with each other and nature, and all children having access to an education based on the ethics of Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share. The project successfully provided the context for a rich exchange of practical experiences, knowledge and skills between the partners from UK, Romania, Slovenia, Italy and Czech Republic. The project team had identified the need for a systematic approach and specific resources in sharing permaculture with children. Permaculture is an ethical and environmentally regenerative design approach and the project built upon the existing know-how of the partners, as well as synthesizing new approaches that combined permaculture knowledge with alternative forms of pedagogy.

The seven participating organisations brought in a wide variety of expertise and skills from five participating countries:
The Permaculture Association (UK) a charitable organisation.
Zakladni clanek hnuti Brontosaurus Forest pobocny spolek (Czech Republic) a non-profit eco-centre.
Paradiso Ritrovato (Italy) a non-profit organisation.
Asociatia Educatiei Neoumaniste (Romania) a non-profit association working with kindergartens.
Asociatia Romania in Tranzitie (Romania) a non-profit organisation.
Drustvo za permakulturo Slovenije (Slovenia) a non-profit organisation.
Gatehouse of Fleet Primary School (UK).

The specific objectives of the project were:
1. To identify, develop and test CiP best practices resources (case studies, curriculum, session plans, activities and other resources) with educators of children aged 3-12 years in the 5 partner countries.
2. To improve competencies and skills in outdoor permaculture education, intercultural awareness and sustainability of school and kindergarten teachers/assistants.
school and kindergarten teachers/assistants
3. To engage children aged 3-12 years in the 5 partners countries in opportunities to learn about the environment, climate change and sustainability.
4. To consolidate and disseminate the CiP best practices with freely available online resources.
5. To establish a European Children in Permaculture Network.

Main activities undertaken
*Creation of CiP best practices resources:
-Website www.childreninpermaculture.com and online platform with searchable database of 865 activities.
-Research paper in which we surveyed existing resources.
-Case studies to present children to permaculture in various settings (formal, non-formal and informal education).
-Curriculum to cover all major permaculture topics with children aged 3-5 yrs and 6-12 yrs.
-3 films, about the school trip from Scotland to Romania, advertising CiP training courses, and a general short film.
-Songs about permaculture ethics, compost and the soil.
-Poster about the permaculture ethics of Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share.
-Guidelines for leading a CiP training course.
-A book entitled ‘Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share in Education: The Children in Permaculture Manual’
*Two training courses for educators and a pupil exchange trip from Scotland to Romania
*7 Multiplier events
*Numerous transnational projects meetings both online and face to face
*Attendance at many conferences, events, courses etc in which we promoted CiP
*Media presence: TV, newspapers, magazines, radio etc.
*Regular newsletter to subscribers
*Social media activities

The impact of the project:
*strengthening the education & training paths of educators
*providing high quality learning opportunities to educators and children
*enhancing the quality of early childhood education and care (ECEC)
*increasing fresh air and exercise
*healthier eating
*deepened understanding of ecology & natural science through direct experience with it
*stimulating all of the multiple intelligences
*deeper connection to and understanding of nature and nature’s patterns and systems
*greater awareness of different people, including their cultures and traditions
*improved knowledge and skills to act in ways which promote care for selves and other people, contributing to a cohesive society
*better understanding of the environmental consequences of one’s actions, and
*improving physical and mental health

Long term benefits
This project has benefitted:
*The permaculture community through bringing awareness of the importance of educating children and guidelines on how to do it.
*The hundreds of children included in the project as they developed a long-term connection with and understanding of nature.
*The CiP team who established connections, organisational systems, resources, knowledge and skills which they will carry forward into the future.
*The state school system where we introduced outdoor classrooms and sustainability in a new, more holistic way.
*Established an international network including an annual CiP Conference.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 249416 Eur

Project Coordinator

PERMACULTURE ASSOCIATION (BRITAIN)LBG & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Paradiso Ritrovato
• Gatehouse Primary School
• Zakladni clanek hnuti Brontosaurus Forest pobocny spolek
• Drustvo za permakulturo Slovenije
• Asociatia Romania in Tranzitie
• Asociatia Educatiei Neohumanista