Eco Learning – an independent think-tank - The World Cafe collective for community and co-operation

An invitation to contemplate an appropriate

response in Times of Change
Eco Learning comprises an independent collective of
students and educators.
We are based around the values and ethos of The World
Café.

You can set up your own Café-discussion and learning

group, or act as an interface between individuals, community and organisations
that want to benefit by participating in a resurgence of community values.

In this work we work across diverse communities of interest: students and pupils
from age three onwards, parents, educators, local schools, universities,
community groups, ecologists, environmentalists, educators, town planners, local
government, Transition Culture and others.

We serve those who want to find out more about the

challenges we collectively face in responding to
climate change and excessive energy demands on
the planet’s resources.

In this work, we liaise closely with a number of

organisations: Resurgence, Schumacher College,
Transition Towns, The Centre for Human Ecology and
the Foundation for Economic Sustainability – FEASTA.
We offer support, resources and a forum for schools, educators and organisations
that want to realise community benefits from sustainable lifestyle, for which Eco
Learning can serve as a guide and The World Café as a catalyst for change.

For those who want to participate in a community of interest around sustainable

lifestyle, “eco-response-ability” – you can see how to benefit from participation in
Transition Culture.
You are invited to visit: www.transitionculture.org.

In this work we are guided by: a number of key works, one of which is the
Resurgence book “Only Connect”, Soil, Soul and Society, which is a collection of
articles from Resurgence Magazine.

Our response
Our response: as citizens and world community members to the
issue of climate change.

Climate change, societal change, the world is changing around

us. How do we as individuals and citizens of the Planet respond
to a cluster of issues that at first may seem immensely daunting
in their scale and implications, when our own response may seem
to scarcely make a difference?

It is not always government and business leaders to whom we

must turn for answers. As individuals it is to ourselves we can
look, as individuals and fellow humans, in order to discern what
may be appropriate, however hidden that may at first seem.

The issue of climate change and social justice is challenging, for

we are surely asked to reach beyond standard conceptions of
material progress and examine how self-realisation manifests – in
this life.

“To know what is going on, takes sense. To know what to do about it, takes wisdom”.
Eco Learning – an independent think-tank - The World Cafe collective for community and co-operation

The Creative Life

One factor is clear, the nature of our response as individuals,
community members and citizens of the Planet rests on the
parts we play both in our community, and as Citizens of the
World and all of that depends, crucially, on the quality of our
capacity for creative response and use of our imagination.

It is for this reason that we are inviting groups (three to ten is

an optimum number for small groups) to find time for eco-
retreats during the course of the next twelve months.
A retreat provides a way to reflect, spend time as a group and
realise one’s own journey - to discern a response through
cultivation of imagination and connection with Nature.

We have a list of venues available for eco-retreat, providing good food and simple
accommodation for small groups accompanied by a group leader or co-ordinator.

Recommended retreat venues include Ringsfield Hall which is suitable for

accompanied school groups, with a minimum of 25 students:
www.ringsfield-hall.co.uk

The work that we recommend you to read in preparation for retreat is “The Spirit
of Silence” – Making Space for Creativity- by John Lane, published by Green
Books.

A handbook for guided groups on retreat is: “ Timeless

Simplicity” – Living in a Consumer Society - also by John
Lane.

Other works that we can recommend you to read on retreat

are available from the booklist available from the Eco-
Campus web site.
These include selected diverse titles by: Satish Kumar,
Joanna Macy, Margaret Wheatley, Benjamin Hoff, Thich
Nhat Hahn, Matthew Fox and Chogyam Trungpa.

Eco-Campus provide a Schools’ service for all who want to

support the work of teachers, educators and parents in
meeting the needs of young people.

We recommend Resurgence subscription for all those with an interest in ecology,

and by wider inclusion, human ecology.

We welcome those who want to work with Eco-Campus to

develop courses, workshops and seminars for self-
managed learning. See: www.resurgence.org.

We offer two “rolling seminar” programmes around the

core themes of Ecology and Personal Power and our
specialist course on practical eco-living and Ancient
Wisdom in action is called: “Aligning Heaven and Earth”.

Eco-Campus at SOL offers members and Resurgence

subscribers, courses in PPE (Philosophy, Politics and
Economics) as well as language study and Right Livelihood
options.

“To know what is going on, takes sense. To know what to do about it, takes wisdom”.
Eco Learning – an independent think-tank - The World Cafe collective for community and co-operation

To read about the connection between Ancient Wisdom and Creativity – you are
invited to access resources, reading list and programme of activities to work with
us to run your own Creative Workshops. See: www.communitycafes.eu

For those who want to know more: Eco Learning overseas

Mediterranean retreats. Eco-Campus @ The Spirit of Life Centre – for SOL

Community members

Transition Culture courses are available for individuals and small groups and are
arranged by SOL Community, The Spirit of Life Centre, Greece.

Courses on a “Dana” basis

As an independent Sangha and retreat Centre in the
Mani Peninsula we do not charge for courses; we
simply ask all guests to cover food and
accommodation costs and make a donation, as they
feel appropriate according to the principle Dana.

“Dana” means “generosity”, and is the basis on

which we run the Centre.

Teacher training
We offer teacher training for prospective TEFL
teachers and those who want to set up and run their
own ethical enterprise or teaching practice, either independently, or with the
support of Eco-Campus services and SOL Community support on a Co-venture
basis.

Schools’ outreach
We especially welcome applications from SOL Community Members who want to
set up a Schools’ Outreach programme, or engage with schools, educators,
students and the next generation who will inherit whatever we leave behind.

This option is designed for those who want to combine language study with
business school experience, orienting themselves around the core values of
sustainable Social Enterprise, in order to live and work in the country of their
choice.

For further reference:

Resurgence Magazine: www.resurgence.org

Human Ecology: www.humanecology.org.uk

Eco-Campus @ The Spirit of Life Centre: www.eco-campus.eu

To apply to join SOL Community as a member – contact us directly.

“To know what is going on, takes sense. To know what to do about it, takes wisdom”.