The document describes an action learning project involving three individuals - Jan, Pippa, and Don - who worked together over four years to develop the Brighton Permaculture Trust and design course. They formed an action learning guild to support each other through the permaculture design diploma process. The guild met regularly and provided feedback and support. Through their collaboration, all three individuals were able to complete the diploma, and a new area reference group was formed to support further diploma students in the region.

1. Action Learning Guilds, Pathways and Zone 00 A Dip Perm Des-based case study in Reflection, Connection, Learning, Dissemination

2. Jan Mulreany Pippa James & Don McLean A Three-Group - “fast-tracking” the Diploma, working together & apart , acting as Area Reference Persons for the BPT Diploma Group. A timetabled set of Action Learning Guild meetings , 3-6 hours with food, succour, up to 1 hour each, one listening & clarifying, one scribing… A common Design Support Tutor (AL) and different AL Tutors*

3. A rehearsed joint session to an invited audience of design course Graduates, registered Diploma students, the DST and BPT members, with feedback from all. Three very different styles but with a deep knowledge of each other, having worked together for four years, developing Brighton Permaculture Trust, running the design course, A designed joint reflection of BPT with examples of each person’s individual contribution to the Trust’s formation the Pc network’s development in Brighton, Sussex & beyond its educational activities

4. We had some lovely moments… ALGuild’s timetable d “ are we alike as procrastinators?”

5. My Own Stuff... Jan’s needs Support to keep going A mirror for my thoughts Honest feedback Continued self-actualisation, especially in older age. Jan’s goals Getting the Diploma with a reasonable amount of work, but not overdoing it! Succession-planning for the BSC course, so I can hand over after 2005 run Develop a 5 yr Retirement Plan for 2009 ! Jan’s barriers A just-in-time person Very little spare time! Capable of sabotaging by doing things like displacement (well, when else does the floorwashing get done?) Less ‘land-based’ thinking than may be needed? Tendency to intellectualise Jan’s ethics People Care comes first - me too, so look after self a bit! Justice seems to be high on my list…fair shares, which can be challenging to me too… EarthCare - a history which has now evolved into me using my purchasing power to support others’ right livelihoods, rather than trying to do it all!

6. Jan’s Action Learning Pathway - the initial ideal... Ok, maybe a bit of... 4 September 2004 My involvement in BPT - reviewing it, recording it, accrediting course, etc. Mentoring a BPT group of diplomats Zone 00 and me - life, body, health, lifestyle, France? Revisioning and reviewing BPT - how to make it more sustainable Developing the BPT website, linking Dippees into it Find 10 projects within all of this… present it as a website-based resource for others

7. Ok so almost immediately I realised that this was not going to be like that! More like this in fact...

8. and don’t forget action learning groups! There’s your own garden design too What about your kitchen? local builders, real wood, reclaimed stove, second hand sink.. France.. huh, that’s Bioregionalism! How can you justify going by plane - think of the carbon! All those photos - you could use them as a resource Wow, Monty Don’s a Closet permaculturist! You’ve never walked a straight line in your life... Etc, etc, etc... Forget the diet, honey - no time...

9. Jan’s Action Learning Pathway - the redesigned intention

11. Jan’s Action Learning Pathway - the reality 1st Dec 03 Gather stuff together August 2003 we get PcA OK to fastrack DST with Andy L & register Gather stuff together Oct & Nov monthly meetings to plan = Dip ALG 5/1/04 Just back from hol - too tired = BSC course 20/1/04 rescheduled = New Dips Gather stuff together 23/2/04 29/3/04 10/5/04 postponed Gather stuff together Gather stuff together Gather stuff together 23/5/04 Day at Tim’s Plan presentation! One off Dreamweaver course = French certificate at UoB weekly x 30 + 2 exams 16/6/04 5/7/04 postponed 15/8/04 22/8/04 presentation prep Practice eve + DSTwith Andy L IT Jan goes awol actually, always gathering stuff together help !

12. Draw out your ALP… then change it immediately.. & stay flexible Layering/stacking happens as if by magic! There’s no such thing as a straight line in nature It’s supposed to look messy... Use your ALG as a loving mirror… they really help you see yourself.. then reciprocate! Keep one of the projects as an analysis of you as a sustainable learner Apply principles = Zone 00 Keep going round the design cycle and note down the changes - that’s a project in itself etc, etc, etc... Jan’s Action Learning Pathway - the gaps… and the learning that arose from them Problems contain their own solutions, for example...

13. No time? See it as a permaculture issue & analyse it! Don & Jan 23 February 2004 used concepts of “ local economics” time poverty? So then we thought…. Own belief about time “ must keep busy” my time isn’t as important as someone else’s eg.work, BPT? guilt from wasting time - school, work? time wealthy or time poor? Risk factors? I can’t offload time onto someone else’s load It’s set within my cultural system - no commitment to myself, don’t be selfish, Use of time I have choice - good holidays Just-in-time thinking: P = efficient, saves brainpower, leaves time for other things M = not always comfortable feeling, can miscalculate I = it sounds like an excuse… what am I hiding? Time’s my own - no dependants Perceptions Is it a sign of my value & worth?

14. Overtime? Time bank? How do we get Time back? Block out diary… use time better.. LETS? What would richness of time look like? So then we thought…. Practised analysis Exchanged views/feelings Applied theory to a problem Diversity of solutions Practical applications

15. I’m good at reflecting Not as good at implementing Still not sure if this is gardening or permaculture Too big a task? Web-idea should be about exploring the connections, not just a presentation tool I’ll be able to do the work in the summer! I’m not panicking! I’ve got to keep my pension but would love a new green job! I’m a confident learner Today was a powerful use of ‘group’ My relationship is going well I’m completely ignoring my ALP! I’m not getting the writing done Gardeners world ! Primetime Permaculture Vision =BPT website eventually It’s not going to be finished on time Let’s take a week off to get it finished ! I’ll be letting Don & Pip down if I don’t get it done... I have lots of small projects that I can use

16. Jan’s Projects 2000-2004 Supporting the Vision - being a BPT Trustee Accrediting the design course with SEOCN Developing action learning resources Permaculture in Cuba - a slideshow Sustained Images - a CD Rom of photos Area Reference: Diploma mentors Reflections on action learning pathways and guilds Small-scale garden design, following inoculation by permaculture! Bioregionalism - or how come I’m moving to France Primetime Permaculture - CD Rom and worksheets Becoming a sustainable learner - lesson plan We danced upon the Earth - circle dances for Pc recreation!

17. The ALG’s yield - the reality! and, adding the theory...

18. Action Learning Guild How Action Learning Guilds reach those parts and support Zone 00, personal development and permaculture practice love security autonomy learn connection fair share change +ve

19. Essential criteria: theory in action : given that, for a Diplomate, the action learning cycle is the fundamental mode of learning, the theory is already grounded and in action. Sometimes I wonder if I am an AL bore! The experience of taking design course students through the theory was, at first, a disappointment, as I had led workbased groups through the process, and felt they should take to it like ducks to water. A gradual ‘lightening up’ has led to the last group enjoying it… maybe Shaun’s idea of Vision Support groups (Design Course 1999-2000) touches its heart, and is more useful. design practice : more to do with random assembly often, the practice of creating a strong ALG is in the ‘glue’ applied through making the group tangible examples of the principles - being explicit, identifying when things are happening, helping the incremental development through a synergistic assembly process. Complimentary criteria: Dissemination: as discussed above, in theory in action Symmetry : I would anticipate that some of the learning and insights gained by myself, Don and Pippa will reflect a common experience - eg. knowing the gaps! The success of our use of supported ALGs on the design course has a direct consequence of a large group of self-managing learners in Sussex, and should stand the Diploma process in good stead, with 3 new Diplomats, and a new Area Reference Group to support the work of the Association and Academy. It directly relates to the aims of the Diploma WorkNet, and should set seed beyond this Pioneer group, to the benefit of the Association and Academy. earth fairshare people

20. Complimentary criteria: Community building : the already-blooming development of the Diploma Group bears witness to the fact that our first aim of the Building Sustainable Communities course was to create a local learning community. Evaluation and Costings Yield As witnessed by the results here, the yield is of 3 new Diplomats, and a new Area Reference Group to support the work of the Association and Academy. It directly relates to the aims of the Diploma WorkNet, and should set seed beyond this Pioneer group, to the benefit of the Association and Academy. The primary yield is the strength of the Brighton Permaculture Network in the body of the Trust, now being managed mostly by its own graduates, mainstreamed and respected. Input costs A great deal in the development of the Trust and Network, far above measure in ‘real’ time, given that the features of stacking and layering in time and activity probably do represent a major percentage of the initial workload being carried out by these three people. earth fairshare people