GROWING COMMUNITIES: Empowerment through social permaculture
Project n. 2020-1-ES01-KA204-083036
The “GROWING COMMUNITIES: Empowerment through social permaculture” project responds to two important challenges in Europe: social inclusion and environmental & climate goals, by using an innovative approach to social permaculture, community gardening and sustainable lifestyles.
Increasing food autonomy and changing consumption patterns towards sustainable habits could be a way for adult educators to motivate and empower final beneficiaries to improve their socio-economic situation, health and educational opportunities.
The target groups and final beneficiaries were adults, especially from disadvantaged rural areas or problematic suburban neighborhoods, seniors 55+ exposed to loneliness, adults who face economic instability and risk of social exclusion.
Helping them acquire a wide set of skills, knowledge and competences needed for participating actively in modern society in a lifelong perspective:
critical thinking, civic and environmental awareness, food autonomy, healthy lifestyles, etc.
The project consolidated the efforts of 3 organizations from Spain (EDUPLUS), Germany (Kulturlabor – Try & Error) and Romania (DOMINOU Association). The partnership worked jointly on the development of 3 intellectual outputs:
- A European Educational model to empower adult educators to teach learners, including adults from disadvantaged backgrounds, to become true actors of change in their local communities.
- Bite-size learning tools – a set of training and self-paced learning materials (OER) that support disadvantaged groups and adult educators in implementing transformative community processes.
- An Engagement program / Guide for Facilitators of Micro-Trainings designed for 60 adults to increase their motivation for participation in the society, with a focus on those with fewer possibilities – they will exchange experience during microtrainings and social activities with peers.
Guide for Facilitators of Micro-Trainings
(It includes: Training Kit for Facilitators, Activities and Guide of Best Practices)
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All the materials are available as Open Educational Resources (OER) and we encourage your free use of them.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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You must give appropriate credit to the Growing Communities project and Easmus+, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.
You must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
Partners:
- EDUPLUS Association (Spain)
- Kulturlabor – Try & Error (Germany)
- DOMINOU Association (Romania)
Learn more at: growingcommunities.es
The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
News from our projects
20/04/2023 from the seniors and staff/volunteers involved in the ERASVUS project:
Participar en este proyecto ha sido realmente interesante y enriquecedor, las personas mayores han disfrutado muchísimo conociendo otras culturas y conviviendo con personas de otros países, ellos nunca habían tenido esa oportunidad antes, pues Erasmus es un programa que nació cuando ellos ya eran adultos, ha supuesto un convivir, una segunda oportunidad y también aprender del voluntariado que hacen compañeros de otros países, de cómo trabajan, se han integrado a la perfección y tienen ganas de más. Raquel, ES
Very useful project to better understand how to promote and implement Senior Volunteering initiatives in another country, by taking into proper consideration the needs and expectations of the adult participants Evangelista, IT
It was interesting to learn and experiment with new ways to motivate seniors to do volunteering and how to introduce this new concept to them. It was fantastic to see how they got empowered and their motivation and self-confidence were boosted when they experienced they could communicate with peers from other countries, despite the language barriers. Anca, ES
The project addresses a very important topic indeed, namely how to help seniors to remain active as the years passing, while helping the community. Doing this on an international level adds a lot of value. Sharing experience across borders is an obvious benefit. On top of that, this project energized all participants beyond my expectation. The travel, the whole program was very well organized, with a lot of programs (the right amount, not too many). Arrangements were flexible, allowing participants to be active and refresh whenever needed.Janos, HU
Esperienza molto costruttiva sul piano culturale e umano. Confrontarsi e lavorare insieme, conoscere nuove realtà educative con partecipanti di altre nazionalità mi ha dato la possibilità di valorizzare e interiorizzare le differenze considerandole una risorsa in una prospettiva di formazione continua molto valida. I docenti hanno avuto una grande capacità di rimuovere le barriere interculturali e a progettare e gestire la pratica educativa con modalità di apprendimento differenti in base alle differenti condizioni di contesto. – Fiorello, IT
This kind of project helps our seniors to stay active and to feel they can still make new connections, not only locally, but also internationally. Even if they didn’t travel, they were happy to share time with each other. Traveling and getting to know other countries and cultures was a plus, but not the only motivation and gain. Melissa, ES
A nemzetközi kapcsolatoknak mély érzelmi tartalmat ad az a tudat, hogy nem fizetett alkalmazottakkal találkozunk, hanem élettapasztalattal rendelkező, érző emberekkel. Felejthetetlen, ahogy a tenerifei önkéntesek által nyaraltatott fiú angolul tolmácsolt kisebb társának, aki elmagyarázta, hogy az általa épített LEGO alkotásban mi magyarok is szerepelünk. Bela, HU
Esperienza molto interessante, l’incontro con persone diverse per cultura e sopratutto linguaggio, mi ha portato ad esprimermi anche con il linguaggio del corpo,mediante i vari esercizi di conoscenza. Molto apprezzato lo scambio del pranzo, prodotti e pietanze, che ogni nazione fa fatto per gli altri. L’attività con i bambini della scuola, piantumazione degli alberi, è stata un esperienza molto bella, con la quale s’insegna ai più piccoli, la strada da seguire per aver cura della natura. Interessante i lavori di gruppo , nei quali abbiamo sintetizzato tutte le attività svolte. I tutor e i vari responsabili hanno ben condotto tutte le attivià. Fabio, IT
I have learned to enjoy gastronomy and to respect the culture of other countries thanks to the Erasvus project. –Soledad, ES
Cuenca egy csodálatos középkori város a hegytetőn, ahonnan körbe lehet látni a vidéket és az új városrészeket is. Közlekedni nem volt egyszerű, de gyalog vagy busszal lehetett megközelíteni az egyetemet. Szerencsénk volt, mert több program is közel kezdődött a lakhelyünkhöz. Nekem a programból néhány nagyon tetszett. Pl. az Euritmia, amivel már régebben találkoztam, de a felkért előadó itt, nagyon magas szinten tudta átadni az alapformákat nekünk. Bár jobban örültem volna művészeti múzeumok meglátogatásának, mégis nagy élményt jelentett a Paleontológiai múzeum meglátogatása. Nem csak a lelkesült vezetés miatt, hanem a soha nem látott mértékű őskori leletek gazdagsága miatt is.Nagyon jól sikerült az IKT bemutatkozása egy rövid műhely keretében . Kicsit zavaró volt a vendéglátónk kaotikus jelenléte, de sikerült ezt is áthidalni. Felejthetetlen élmény volt néhány kirándulás is, igy az utolsó napon tett látogatás a kőtengerben. Nem utolsó sorban meg kell említenem még a fantasztikus spanyol konyhát, amit egész héten élvezhettünk. Nekem külön öröm volt a spanyol nyelv gyakorlási lehetősége. Maria, HU
Erasvus è stata una nuova esperienza tramite cui è stato possibile sperimentare sul campo nuove metodologie di contaminazione digitale e culturale tra vecchie e nuove generazioni. Le associazioni che hanno collaborato nel progetto si sono dimostrate accoglienti, propositive e soprattutto entusiaste! Grazie! Emanuele, IT
First of all, I would like to thank the Erasvus project and all the coordinators. I had the opportunity to travel to Cuenca, where I shared very nice moments from which I have beautiful memories. It is a beautiful place for its landscapes and culture. The experience was enriching, and I learned a lot from all the people who participated in it. Susana, ES
During the project, I have seen senior volunteers blossom after their trip to another country. They shared their excitement about meeting and getting to know fellow seniors and their local activities. Locally I could witness how involving senior volunteers in youth work is beneficial for both. Youth expressed their gratitude to have a grandparent feeling (taken care of, guidance, fun time together, learning from their stories). Seniors shared that they feel useful, and nostalgic and enjoy social activities and time with youth. More senior volunteering activities should be there both locally and internationally. Kriszta, HU
L’esperienza da tutor in questo progetto é stata una delle più significative perché ha permesso di confrontarmi con una realtà diversa dalla mia generazione. Oggi le generazioni si trasformano velocemente e questo tipo di progetti permette ai più giovani di realizzare un confronto immediato e proficuo con generazioni più lontane in entrambe le Direzioni: Quella dell’età e quella della differenza culturale essendo coinvolte diverse persone da più partner europei. Marco, IT
I am very happy to have participated in some activities. It opens a new horizon in people’s minds and hearts. To know other realities, to live together, to go beyond languages and to understand each other and laugh about the same things, to sing the same songs…. this participation was very nice. I thank all the organisers who have made these meetings possible and I hope that there will be more. Maria del Rosario, ES
Viaggio a Cuenca del giugno 2022. Da un viaggio si ritorna sempre arricchiti, portandosi via sapori profumi colori e immagini che ti restano nel ricordo e nel cuore. Cuenca è significato di più. È stato un viaggio dell’anima, in cui la cultura degli organizzatori, la loro esperienza nel donare agli altri e la condivisione dei momenti di dolore e di quelli di gioco ed allegria ti miglioravano ogni giorno, arricchendoti,appunto, di umanità. L’organizzazione del viaggio e del soggiorno sono stati perfetti, nessun contrattempo, soluzione abitativa confortevole, grande gentilezza e competenza espressa dagli accompagnatori e dagli ospiti spagnoli . Un viaggio che mi ha donato energia e voglia di vivere.Betty, IT
I think that what I have experienced by participating in different intergenerational exchange projects is the best way to learn and get to know the culture of other countries. It is a culture that we want, not wars. Graziella, ES
Visiting Tenerife is already a wonderful experience, with its coast, the scenarios offered by the countries overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and tourism all year round. Then the Teide Volcano deserves a separate mention, a fascinating place of rare beauty and I believe unique in the world. In all of this, the best thing was the hospitality of the locals and sharing a very interesting socializing experience with many people of various nationalities. –Roberto, IT
It’s a very good experience to share these days…sharing so many things is comforting for the wellbeing of my memory… now it is full of unrepeatable moments that I had not lived before… I will remember everything and don’t mind repeating it… For me there is no age for all this, with a good attitude I fill a lot of baskets….Ana Sanchez, ES
Quella di Budapest è stata un esperienza straordinaria, gratificante sotto alcuni aspetti perché abbiamo trascorso il soggiorno a contatto con realtà che non sono poi tanto differenti dalle nostre, realtà che hanno avuto il merito di farci sentire particolarmente a nostro agio e partecipi al progetto. Un ringraziamento va ovviamente a Fattoria Pugliese Diffusa per averci coinvolte ma anche ai tutor per la loro professionalità e capacità comunicativa. Enza, IT
I would like to thank the promoters for having made these exchanges very useful for all of us, we learn a lot from them. Thank you.Maria Conception, ES
L’esperienza vissuta a Budapest, per quanto mi riguarda, è stata emotivamente intensa in ogni singola attività. Seppur breve, il periodo trascorso a contatto con persone di nazionalità e culture diverse ma accomunate da un’alta sensibilità ed empatia, ha fatto sí che si venisse a creare una sinergia unica tra noi. Il mio sentimento è di profonda gratitudine per aver avuto l’opportunità di vivere questa bellissima esperienza. Ringrazio nuovamente Fattoria Pugliese e tutto il suo staff per avermelo permesso. Vanessa, IT
Per me è stata un’esperienza fantastica ,avere avuto l’occasione di poter conoscere tanta gente, di altre nazionalità ,persone speciali con tanto cuore,..disponibili generose,..ed emozionante,per tutto quello che abbiamo imparato,praticamente un bagaglio di vita vissuta che difficilmente, verrà dimenticata,..grazie di ❤️ a voi organizzatori di Fattoria Pugliese per averci regalato questa bellissima esperienza Rosalba, IT
For me, it was very nice and unforgettable. The experience for me is very good. I wouldn’t mind if it was repeated and if they came even if there wasn’t a trip because trips are the least important thing for me. It was a very nice experience, it seemed to me that everyone participated and everything went well, I think it would be good to repeat it … Maria del Carmen Rodriguez, ES
The experience and the human relations with the participating groups was very positive. Thank you very much!-Cesar Barreto, ES
For me it has been a pleasure to share activities with our visitors, although I did not travel to their countries, I felt very comfortable receiving their visit and showing them our hospitality. I thank them and all our group, they are experiences that teach a lot. Carmen Ibarria, ES [...]
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13/01/2023We start the new year on January 5th with our last FIBIC meeting. After more than two years, our Erasmus+ project “Let’s talk about Money” is now entering the last round and therefore we are happy to meet again in person on Tenerife to discuss final details.
Together with our partners from Germany, Romania, Austria, Belgium and Bulgaria we reflected on the ongoing dissemination of the intellectual outputs of our project and discussed steps to push them even further.
The evaluation of the project showed that all partners were very satisfied with the results and that the curriculum and the “Financial Challenges” were very well received, especially by multipliers in the education sector.
Project Meeting in Tenerife, 2023
Learn more at: lets-talk-about-money.eu [...]
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12/01/2023In the course of the Erasmus+ project “Seniors in action” we were very happy to welcome our international friends from Poland, Slovenia, Hungary and Romania. From the 4th of Decembre till the 8th of December 2022 the seniors had time to exchange thoughts about volunteering activities, visit our intergenerational permaculture garden, explore the socio-educational projects of this island and discover the beauty of Tenerife’s nature. The first evening was already a great success! Together we ate paella, danced and sang.
Opening night of our international “Seniors in Action” week
Dance, music and corazón
On Monday the 5th of Decembre we started the Learning Activity for seniors in Action with a visit to Teide National Park. Our volunteer seniors guided their international friends through the Canary Island pine forest, shared with them about life between volcanoes and showed them the best viewpoints. Together we admired the unique diversity and colors of the National Park. The seniors were particularly impressed by the plants and their adaptability to the island’s altitudes and weather conditions. A short hike was also not to be missed! After all, we seniors are in action!
Seniors at Teide National Park
During the third day of the international exchange of the Erasmus+ Project “Seniors in Action” we organized an international Christmas workshop in the community center of Punta del Hidalgo, Tenerife. Christmas is a celebration that unites people… All the more wonderful to celebrate it with seniors from other countries, to share traditions and exchange customs. Together with our friends from Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Hungary, we created Christmas decorations, danced, enjoyed biscuits and punch and sang traditional Christmas carols in different languages.
Advent workshop
Also we exchanged “volunteering- best practises”. It was a pleasure to present our intergenerational permaculture garden. Proudly the seniors showed their international colleagues the piece of land they are cultivating in a very sustainable way.
Intergenerational permaculture garden
For Wednesday, 7th of December, the Erasmus+ project “seniors in action” joined a guided tour of the historic city of La Laguna. The old capital of Tenerife is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and shined in December in special splendor. The Tenerife people take the Christmas lights very seriously!
La Laguna
Afterwards we visited the SOS Children’s Village in EL Tablero. What makes it special is that this eco-farm uses sustainability as a tool for social intervention with learners from low socioeconomic backgrounds. This socio-educational activity aimed to be a source of inspiration and we hope that this tangible passion could be an impulse for more voluntary social projects! We were happy to see that the seniors got very motivated to use their potential, increase participation in order to prevent social exclusion of people.
SOS Children Village, Tenerife
At the last day of the Erasmus+ project Seniors in action (8th of December) we did an excursion to the jungle of Tenerife. The forest of Anaga is a UNESCO biosphere reserve with fascinating flora and breathtaking viewpoints. We ended this inspiring week with the ceremonial presentation of the certificates. The seniors shared and learned a lot and motivated each other to keep in action! [...]
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09/12/2022On 6th December 2022 Eduplus organized the Multiplier event for our Erasmus+ “Let’s talk about money” project. We invited international stakeholders (members of seniors organizations, teachers, adult educators etc.) from 4 different countries to join us in Punta del Hidalgo, Tenerife to talk about financial literacy. Our workshop aimed at promoting value-oriented and responsible behaviour of each individual in financial and money matters. By means of interactive exercises, impulse questions and self-designed teaching materials (such as our calendar), we approached socially sensitive topics. We took a look into the past, talked about the changing perception of money and analysed poverty risk and how to protect oneself from it. Especially the latter is a big issue for senior citizens, some of whom have to manage with very little money. We are all the more pleased that our event met with such a great response and that we received repeated feedback that the workshop had stimulated reflection processes in dealing with money.
Multiplier Event, Tenerife, December 2023
If you are interested in learning more about financial literacy feel free to check out our homepage with free materials to download: https://lets-talk-about-money.eu/en/ [...]
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15/09/2022Erasmus+ Project “Growing Communities”
Several micro-trainings took place in our intergenerational garden in Tenerife. Through different activities (including a card game) the different functions of plants in a permaculture garden were learned.
Bit by bit we explored the diversity of our ecosystem!
Microtraining in Spain
Permaculture Zones
Permaculture zones help us organize our spaces according to how (and how often) we use them. As a design strategy, zones are a super powerful way to make choices about where to place elements of the ecosystem, in order to enhance their ecological performance. Try to imagine: how could these zones be envisioned? In our micro training in Spain, the participants got more practical experience about how this principle works and how human and natural interactions occur.
The Permaculture Zoning activity was very popular as it could be adapted easily to the reality of our own garden and therefore allowed the participants to contribute with their existing knowledge as well as to ask questions.
This activity is a mixture of a role play and a board game that helps participants to become familiar with the internal dynamics of a permaculture garden. It helps the participants to identify the elements of a permaculture garden and understanding how they are connected.
“An enjoyable activity in the company of like-minded new people.” (participant) [...]
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31/08/2022Tenerife, 26th of August 2022
At our international Multiplier event , we had participants from 7 countries: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal and Romania.
We are pleased that our partners Trial&Error and Dominou Association were also able to come. Together we addressed the question of how gardening together can be an opportunity for mutual empowerment.
It was a great opportunity to discuss and compare the different models of community gardens across Europe.
One of the most important conclusions was that PERMACULTURE WORKS, irrespective of the geographical location or the climate. We just need to observe the local conditions and adapt accordingly.
We are grateful to our local partner El Mato Permaculture farm for hosting us. Also, thanks to everyone who has supported our project.
Read more: https://growingcommunities.es
International Conference, Tenerife, 2022 [...]
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05/06/2022After two years of development and exchange between three institutions from Germany, Romania and Tenerife, we are proud to inform you about the two multiplier events we organized in order to present the educational activities we have developed for collectives that have created or want to start community gardens.
Local Event in Tenerife
On 2nd of June 2022, we organised a day in nature in El Mato Permaculture Farm, where we organized activities to spread our knowledge about the methods and the benefits that permaculture and community gardens have for the society.
We are very happy about the great interest in our event. Our expectations were exceeded: 43 participants attended and 120 persons enrolled. Volunteers in associations, teachers, educators and citizens who wanted to create a community garden or already have one came got to know about our Erasmus+ project and could participate in parallel interactive workshop and visit.
Together with all these wonderful, like-minded people, we spent a great day in nature, exchanging ideas about the future and making contacts. We received great feedback and hope to continue some collaborations after the end of the project. We felt connected… with each other and with nature.
Tour of El Mato Permaculture Farm [...]
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17/12/2021Yay! The 1st Learning_Teaching_Training_Activity of our ERASVUS+ project has happened, the 4 partners have met for good!
Many thanks to Fattoria Pugliese Diffusa Associazione Culturale for welcoming us in the beautiful town of Taurisano. These 5 days were filled with energy and inspiration, in an intergenerational and international environment . Good practice exchanges, handcrafts, intergenerational workshops, visits, cultural exchange, dances…
The participants were involved in many activities, aiming at promoting seniors volunteering and non-formal educational approach for life-long learning.
Follow the project at: https://www.facebook.com/erasvusplus
https://erasmuspluswebsite.wixsite.com/erasvus [...]
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03/11/2021Late October we had the first training mobility of our Erasmus+ project Seniors in action in Warsaw.
Four very intense and enriching days! Staff and volunteers from Poland, Slovenia, Romania and Tenerife got to exchange good practices about active ageing and supporting seniors.
Each partner organization presented their own initiatives. We also shared knowledge, games and activities about our own countries and cultures
Thanks again for the warm welcoming of our Polish partners from the Foundation WYJDŹ Z DOMU.
Learn more at: https://edu-plus.es/our-projects/seniors-in-action/
https://www.facebook.com/seniorsinaction.erasmus/ [...]
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