Introduction to Urban Permaculture – An Initial VET Course Erasmus Project

Project Title

Introduction to Urban Permaculture – An Initial VET Course

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 vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

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

Project Summary

The project is based upon a need analysis from the perspective of the following trends:

VET trend – In order to effectively address the dynamic and changing needs of the labour market, vocational education in the EU is changing from focusing on learning a narrow set of skills for a pre-defined, ‘traditional’ vocation, to offering broader transversal competencies for a dynamic labour market with transversal sectoral needs.

Demographic trend – It is forecast that the EU’s urban population will grow from around 70% in 2020 to over 80% by 2050. A 10% increase in 30 years could result in 45 million more people living in cities across the EU.

Socio-political and cultural trends – The various dimensions of urban life – environmental, economic, social and cultural – are interwoven and success in urban development can only be achieved through an integrated approach.

Permaculture can be understood as principles for working with, rather than against nature, “Permaculture offers ways we can design human habitat, places for people to be, that work with nature.”
There are increasing localised trends and grassroots movements in cities across Europe that align with the principles of permaculture such as roof top gardening, wildflower planting, urban farming and urban beekeeping. However, if mainstreamed, principles of permaculture can be translated into all human activities within Europe’s cities including occupational activity.

Based on this analysis the partners have identified a need to develop and deliver an introductory VET course in urban permaculture that is transversal and cross sectoral in that it can be integrated into different vocational directions. The course will offer VET learners an introduction on how to build and maintain healthy, sustainable and harmonious urban habitats within their working environments.

Project Aim: To develop an introductory course in urban permaculture as part of a wider initial vocational education for learners with fewer opportunities.

Project Objectives
1) Develop a 15-day course framework with lesson plans and learning objectives that address 3 thematic modules (Outdoor Permaculture, Indoor Permaculture and Urban Wildlife)
2) Develop a series of suggested training methods that fulfil the learning objectives of the modules
3) Test the developed course on 100 VET learners with fewer opportunities
4) Publish the course in a PDF Compendium as an open recourse
5) Ensure the dissemination and exploitation of the course

On completion of the project at least 20 institutions will have expressed an intent to offer the developed course to the target group.

The course will result in new learning opportunities for VET learners who face challenges in engaging in mainstream educational routes. The course will increase the target groups opportunities for acquiring innovative and transversal competencies and increase their opportunities in the labour market. The course will utilise a learning approach that considers the target groups learning challenges and takes in inspiration from the non-formal education sector. It is expected that within two years after the project’s completion circa 500 leaners will have accessed the course.

The course will be published in a PDF teacher’s manual including:
– A description of the course, and suggestions of its integration into broader IVET programmes or its implementation as a standalone short course
– A course framework, including lesson plans, learning objectives, and suggestions for reflections and observations of learning outcomes
– A series of training methods that use a non-formal learning approach to address the learning objectives of the 3 modules

Project teams within the partner organisations will work together over three years to develop the project output and results.

30 labour market representatives will participate in the research phase of the project. A further 50 stakeholder representatives will be involved in the testing phase of the project ensuring that vocational education that has closer links to business and the community.

The project will contribute to improving the quality and efficiency of education and training and reduce the rate of early leavers from education and training; as per the visions of ET 2020. In addition, the project will contribute to the EU’s urban development policies, promoting an integrated approach to urban development, through fostering the principles of permaculture across various urban occupational activities, and thus fostering occupational activities and environments that work with, rather than against nature.

The project will contribute to addressing the stagnation of job creation and social progress, and the impact of climate change in Europe’s cities. In doing so, the project will support the achievement of the smart, sustainable, inclusive society envisaged in the EU 2020 Strategy.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 179825 Eur

Project Coordinator

FGU Aarhus & Country: DK

Project Partners

• InterBildung e.V.
• Central European Chamber of Commerce
• SC INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIPS SRL
• Permakultura Dalmacija
• KOCAELI IL MILLI EGITIM MUDURLUGU
• INTER COLLEGE APS