Convergence Research

Convergence Research

A research into tools, best practices and learnings from various online, blended and live permaculture convergence organisers across the globe.

Team

Aimee Fenech, Cormac Harkin, Ryan Sandford-Blackburn

Reporting Officer: Aimee Fenech

Previously also: Cândida Shinn, Daniel Mello-Mattos, Maria Prieto, Annaik LeNet, Naomi Joy Smith

Area

Network Weaving, Next Steps project, Capacity+ project

objectives for 2022

Convergence organisers and participants will benefit from this work with access to learnings from previous experiences and recommendations. By working with members of PIRN, IPCC and others we will be strengthening the collaboration bonds between teams whilst working towards a common goal. We will also be raising the visibility of CoLab in the larger permaculture community.

OUTCOMES FOR 2022

A design and collection of effective practices and most common challenges, feedback that convergence organisers can refer to when preparing online and blended convergences and that other permaculture colab Circles and organizers can integrate into strategy about services to offer to organizers in the permaculture movement.

objectives for 2023

–  Springboard from findings in case studies performed in the previous research phase.

–  Ongoing identification of convergences to include in proceeding stages of research.

–  Share findings of the research using a variety of methods.

–  Perform outreach via a diversity of channels and methods, within and beyond CoLab.

–  Collaborate with the CoLab “Global Permaculture Movement Map” and “Permaculture Convergence website aggregator” activities.

OUTCOMES for 2023

The project went from harvesting insights from the previous years’ report, to identifying key areas to focus further research, finalising with a second phase of surveys. These were a fruitful time interviewing event organisers, capturing their amazing experiences.

The initiated collaboration with the Permaculture Convergence Website and the Global Permaculture Movement Map teams will prove to be key in the next year to share future developed resources further, especially with event organisers.

The CoLab communications team has assisted in handling external and internal communications with CoLab members and perma.earth newsletter readers.

objectives for 2024

1. Training resources for event organizers.

2. Outreach from the research team.

3. External Research through consultants/existing organisers of events.

4. Case studies to check hypothesis (eg. problem = lack of training on subject a, > provided with training > how has this changed from starting point).

Outcomes 2024

The Convergence Research team has partnered with the Permaculture Convergence website team to share resources, the research team is contributing with resources and the website team provides the infrastructure for publication and helping with the communications.

You can find the website here: https://permacultureconvergence.org/

December update:

We have onboarded a new team member Cormac Harkin who worked on video editing in order to optimize the content we have for publication, to add to the conversations with convergence organisers series, 2 videos have been released and can be found on the CoLab Youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/u_JCgvlGRbg & https://youtu.be/j7hyVgydEsY

You can now participate in our research project by visiting permacultureconvergence.org and going to Research.

Objectives for 2025

1. Release pubslished report for the last 2 years of research work

2. Liaise further with Permaculture Convergence Aggregator efforts

Outcomes 2025

September Update

You can now participate in our research project by visiting permacultureconvergence.org and going to Research.

The website has been updated with the latest upcoming events and the history now includes events that have taken place this year.

Final Update

The convergence research team joined the permaculture convergence team to bring together an updated history of permaculture convergences and practical resources for event organisers. We have also made an effort to contact event organisers with limited success. Website visitors numbers have been steadily growing as more people become aware of the project.

Power & Permaculture

Power & Permaculture

To develop an online transformative course covering power and equity in permaculture.
This course will have two aims:

– to provide a shared language and understanding across all of our associated networks, reducing inequitable power, increasing understanding and generating real change / culture shift!

– to empower and share the skills of marginalised and experienced facilitators teaching others about power, through facilitator-led pods, generating revenue for Colab members.

As an online course this can be taken in self-study format lowering the barriers for people taking the course. The course could also optionally be taught by an experienced teacher, offering a more in-depth learning experience, potentially in a blended format.

Team

Wal , Claudiu, Suzie, Luiza, Meera, Paula, Samantha 

Area

Training and E-Learning

Aim

CoLab members, Permaculture community and allied networks will benefit from the content of this course, with increased understanding – greater understanding leading to greater cooperation and more solidarity, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

Facilitators who are marginalised will benefit from being paid to lead, as well as being recognised in a wider setting as leaders in this topic, being paid fairly for their work.

CoLab (and PAB) will benefit as a leader in JEDI work (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion)

Educators and teachers will benefit from continuous professional development (CPD)

Permaculture community will benefit from greater understanding of what People Care and Fair Shares means now after this year; fostering a culture of accountability and designing safety measures for people who are learning, practising, and impacted by the permaculture movement.

OUTCOME

A course covering power and equity, from a permaculture focused perspective:

Course Structure:

– Re framing Power Module
– Anti-Racism Module
– Decolonization Module
– Gender Roles and Sexism Module
– Queer Permaculture Module
– Accountability

Safety when volunteering / vulnerability Module (including online.. burnout prevention? Care labour etc? … discuss Rights & how to assert them)

Changing our PDC curriculum in light of equity Module

Action / Next Steps module – including signing up at CoLab and other allied networks

Opportunities created for facilitators to hold small groups of learners through this training, complemented with coaching/consulting/evaluation for working groups.

Options for blended learning, self study online, or pods online.

Online Learning Platform and Educator Commons Collaboration

Online Learning Platform

Educator Commons Collaboration

The Educators Membership and Permaculture Association are co-developing an online learning platform and commons to enable the delivery of remote and blended permaculture and other modules and courses.

The online learning platform will be developed to a state where it is possible for CoLab and its allied networks to create their own online courses. This platform can be used later for upskilling and onboarding into CoLab itself for example.

Team

Ewan Findley

Area

Training and eLearning, Capacity+ project

objectives

Use this learning to make a template for CoLab and it’s wider network to create courses and engage CoLab in the best use of resources to develop a course.
Promote the CoLab through the Online Learning project course and communications (MOG’s, educators slack, newsletters, commons meetings etc), so to engage more people with CoLab

DESIRED OUTCOME

Help them identify the best technologies and processes to support which will be the basis of our learning:
– The move to open source platform
– Align the tech with Open badges
– Blended Transformative learning
– Reach a wider audience
– Develop their current work on accessibility, inclusion and equity
– Reaching further with their international educators membership for the commons