We have been successful in our bid for funding to support Llanfyllin School and community in a 3 year project to place Powys on the map as the frontline for innovation and change, and this Blog will be a diary of our news and activities.
“As governments around the world commit to the historic Paris Climate Agreement, we are all challenged to find creative ways to achieve the vision of the low carbon economy that is required of us all.”
The responsibility to find rapid pathways for repairing environmental damage lies with us all as individuals and we are never more effective than when we work together at a community level.
The transition to a low carbon economy will require a significant change in outlook and behaviour, and this project seeks to work with Llanfyllin school and community as well as our wider network of thoughtful and conscious partners to achieve a community-led transition.
Together we must explore new and innovative climate resilient economic and productive models that enable us respond to this colossal challenge.
The Project
Sector39 has been working closely with ARWAIN over the last 9 months to develop a project proposal to offer a permaculture design process for the community of Llanfyllin. The work will be focussed on the school, working with the immediate community as well as with Sector39’s wider network of partners; that means you!
This exciting three year project commences in September 2016 and aims to find and work with the leaders of the future. Our aim is to build an inclusive vision for our community, one that recognises and understands our responsibilities as global citizens and one that creates exciting new opportunities for work, play and learning.
While working with the school, we will also be holding public meetings, workshops and thinktanks, as well as recording interviews, sharing information and videos. We will also present a series of workshops and presentations at the school through general assemblies, Welsh Baccalaureate classes and other opportunities to collect ideas, hopes and aspirations from across the community.
As well as exploring cutting edge climate science we will be looking at the best responses to this unfolding challenge that can be initiated from a community level.
Using permaculture design we will be building a transition timeline to a carbon negative Llanfyllin by 2046, a vision and plan shaped by the whole community and for the wider benefit of all. The world is changing and as a community we must shape an informed vision of what we want for our collective future!
We will undertake a full survey of the school, its stakeholders and surrounding community. We will achieve this by working closely with a cross age range student group who, supported by us, will work on the survey, analysis and design aspects of the project.
Arwain Leader Funding
Funded through the Rural Development Plan for Wales (RDP) as part of the Welsh Government and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, Arwain is working with Powys County Council to deliver the LEADER 2014 – 2020 programme in Powys. LEADER uses local knowledge to promote a joined-up “Grass Roots” community-led delivery for rural development.
The principle activities that ARWAIN will be funding are as follows:
● To facilitate a full permaculture design process for Llanfyllin high school, working with a group of students from across the age spectrum.
● Undertake a community audit of resources and opportunities as well as priorities and
objectives.
● Facilitate a community narrative and process for sustainability transition; work, housing, food, transport, investment, community currency, social support, waste reduction and energy efficiency.
● Develop a social media platform to engage with the community and disseminate the
outputs.
● Produce a practitioner’s manual drawing from the course experience as a template for change. By creating a set of teaching resources, training and guidelines for use by other groups interested in following the same process.
● Recording the project methodology throughout the project. The resulting permaculture design plan will present a template which can both evolve and exist as a model that other communities might learn from.
