Permaculture Education

Education

Traditionally permaculture has been taught outside the Australian Qualifications Framework and students have thus received no recognition by government or most TAFE institutes and universities. Some permaculture courses have been recognised by the Permaculture Institute, but this has not conferred general recognition as a tertiary student. Whilst the tried and true Permaculture Design Certificate course remains available, things have changed with the recent accreditation of Permaculture Certificates I-IV and the Diploma of Permaculture.
On this page you will find information about individuals and organisations who are delivering training under the various accreditation systems .

Accredited Permaculture Training (APT)
The latest on APT in SA can be found on The Food Forest's website accredited permaculture training

What is a Permaculture Course?

INTRODUCTORY COURSES
These vary tremendously in content, but this link provides a good example.
The Introductory Course is the most popular, accessible, and widely taught Permaculture Course.
This, plus intelligent reading, and diligent visiting of practial examples, is the way many people successfully undertake their 'Permaculture Education'.

PERMACULTURE DESIGN CERTIFICATE
This Course is a prerequisite for anyone wanting to teach Permaculture Courses, or to use the term, which is copyright, in any other course, in their business, or in the provision of any service.
There are many formats, but a minimum of 72 hours contact time is essential.
The curriculum is set out in: 'Permaculture - A Designer's Manual', and more simply in 'An Introduction to Permaculture', both by Bill Mollison

Diploma of Applied Permaculture
Procedures:
1. Complete a Certified Permaculture Course.
Teachers supply and sign certificates, and forward student lists to regional recorders.

2. Complete Applied Diploma Work.
After 2 (two) years of applied work, Certificate holders, with or without degrees, can forward an application for a diploma of applied design. Most in fact work for three to four years before such an application.

Supervision for the Diploma is not mandatory, but it is desirable to keep in touch with the faciltator of your PDC, as he or she is required to write supporting your Diploma Application to the Institute. Work counting towards a Diploma is required to be practical, not academic.
The application must be accompanied by affidavits from co-workers, field reports, photo's, journal articles, or supporting evidence.

The Principles of Permaculture Design can, and should, be applied in every field of life, as indicated in the suggested fields for working towards a Diploma:

Education: This includes special education, education via electronic media, or the development of educational aids.
Media: Many students are developing information systems based on film, photo libraries, print or electronic systems, and some have succeeded as journalists.
Site Development: This indicates work on a farm or village over a long period, working to develop a Permaculture system or community facility or project.
Site Design: People acting as consultants to a variety of projects, rural and urban, may submit for applied degrees. Planners and consultants for projects in Permaculture.
Community Services: For those devoting their time, often with great hardship, to populations in poverty, fourth-world (tribal peoples), disadvantaged or aged groups, and to peoples in urban and rural poverty.
Finance and Business: Developing and promoting local employment, non-monetary exchange, cash recycling in community, co-operative endeavours, models of development, and cost benefit analysis of real projects, accounted financially, socially, and environmentally.
Technical Development: People developing technical systems in transport, energy, processingsystems, recycling, conservation systems, or efficient appliances.
Resource Development: Making supporting resources available via land banks, plant or seed resources, livestock development, contract services and other essential support systems.
Architecture and Building: Completion of projects demonstrating low cost and energy-efficient housing and special purpose buildings, or the construction of villages and suburbs.
Research: The broadest category, covering all Permaculture-related areas; a blend of the practical and theoretical is ideal.

A Diploma may be awarded in one, two, or three related fields, but no more.

List of fields adapted from The Foundation Year Book of the Permaculture Academy, compiled by Bill Mollison, 1993

INTERNSHIPS are available, which are an excellent way of getting started on working towards your Diploma.

For Local Courses, see Calendar

PASA has a register of Permaculture Educators, and many of these are happy to discuss specific requirements eg. courses or workshops on a specific aspect of Permaculture, or in a particular locality.

Contact one of PASA's Educators

PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSES IN AUSTRALIA:

South Australia:

THE FOOD FOREST, GRAHAM AND ANNEMARIE BROOKMAN, GAWLER, SA

Other States:

RESIDENTIAL COURSES WITH DAVID HOLMGREN, HEPBURN SPRINGS, VICTORIA

SOUTHERN CROSS PERMACULTURE, RICK AND NAOMI COLEMAN, LEONGATHA, VICTORIA

PERMAFOREST TRUST, BARKERS VALE, NSW

ROBYN FRANCIS, DJANBUNG GARDENS, NIMBIN, NSW

DARREN DOHERTY, VICTORIA

CORRESPONDENCE COURSES

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Contact Us........
Permaculture Association of South Australia
info@permaculturesa.org.au
Or
c/- Conservation Council of SA, Level 1, 157 Franklin Street, Adelaide SA 5000

Tel/Fax: Graham or Annemarie Brookman (08)8522 6450

Website Information

Webmistress - Annemarie Brookman

Last Updated 1st August 2004

URL - http://www.users.bigpond.com/brookman/education.html