Nurture Earth and spirit
Association of Nurturing the Earth and the spirit
About
The Association Nurturing of the Earth and the Spirit (Društvo nega zemlje in duha) was established through the youth initiative "Permaculture in the Countryside and in the City" in 2014.
The first years of our activity have sparked many eco and social farms – thanks to which young people from our projects are now experts in their field, following their dreams of creation.
Like the name explains, the main object of the association is fostering the care for Earth (practical and theoretical), as well as cultivating the human spirit.
It is intended to promote the holistic personal and social development of children, young people and adults as well as sustainable development. At this point, the association mostly operates on a permacultural family farm Domačija Mokovec, but also in other nature-based places.
The vision of the association is:
- to spread ecological, permaculture and regenerative farming approaches and natural building
- to support young people to follow their dreams in the rural areas (revival of rural areas)
- to create more nature-based pedagogical/social environments and farms, where people can express themselves authentically
- to develop and share educational content that brings benefits to society, the individual and nature.
OUR ACTIVITIES:
Activities in the field of sustainable development:
- development of green skills through ESE and other volunteer activities for young people, adults and the elderly (individual and group), whose focus is primarily on education (practical and holistic theoretical) and intergenerational exchange of knowledge and experience
- support individuals to develope their sustainable initiatives (online consulting, ESE mentoring, mentoring of youth projects, coaching activities),
- education of young people and adults in the field of natural building, permaculture and other sustainable knowledge and practices - currently mainly through work-based learning campaigns at the Mokovec Farm, including workshops and online
- presentations of the sustainable learning polygon to individuals and groups
- co-organization of meetings of sustainable initiatives in Slovenia and promotion of networking. Regular support of the Slovenian network of sustainable initiatives, part of the representatives in GEN.
Activities in the field of holistic pedagogy:
- enabling individuals to retreat in nature to promote mindfulness, inner peace, personal reflection, contact with what inspires and nourishes individuals
- up to 2-month long social therapeutic camps in nature with groups of vulnerable youth through ESE (up to two camps per year)
- individual volunteer activities with vulnerable youth
- promoting intergenerational volunteering within our association, exchange of traditional and handicraft knowledge
- enabling individuals to participate in international education and youth exchanges on the topic of sustainable development, retreating from life in nature, somatics, creativity, development of soft skills, the field of holistic empowerment and mental health of young people, and the like.
- reinforced mentors for volunteers (other organizations)
- one-day workshops for Slovenian youth workers, young people and beyond (mainly on the use of artistic media, the body and the medium of nature for the holistic empowerment of young people, creative workshops and workshops of holistic empowerment - development of personal, social, emotional skills, values and self-improvement)
- workshops in youth centers using the collage method (Vision Board - development of values, self-image, calling, professional development of young people)
In addition to general young people, adults and children, our main target group is also young people with fewer opportunities and often in mental distress. We support these young people in their change and development.
Sustainability
The dream and focus of our actions is to create a supportive environment for learning and spreading sustainable living, sustainable lifestyle and development (personal, social and in relation to nature), learning permaculture as an integrated planning of different ecosystems, and spreading knowledge about natural building.
We are also creating a polygon of regenerative farming and teach young people such approaches. We also share our knowledge about self-sufficiency and gardening over the whole year, from collecting owns own seeds, making seedlings to storing food.
Holistic Pedagogy
As well as establishing integrated and holistic pedagogy, and experiential learning of children, young people and adults. We operate on the principle of empowerment and inclusion of each individual and the promotion of inter-generational learning and non-formal learning among young people and the elderly in the local community. In the area of holistic pedagogy, we carry out shorter or longer adventure pedagogical activities according to the principles of experiential learning for children and young people, which main tools are nature and different art approaches for developing personal, emotional and social skills.
Community
Our main mission is also to empower communities and networks of sustainable and social initiatives. So we work closely with many related organizations. And support the slovenian newtork of sustainable initiatives (eco-village network), as well are connected to the European network.
Our education and trainings for young people and adults are in the areas of:
Teaching practical and theoretical approaches that are focus on sustainability
personal and social (like planning sustainable natural and social ecosystems, permaculture (also PDC - permaculture design course), regenerative farming, no-dig gardening, natural building, circular economy, etc.)
Different Coaching and counselling methods with youth
with the aim of helping young people to research their personal “call” and purpose in life, and take the concrete steps to its realization (such as: Life Coaching, Start-Up Coaching, Body Coaching, Coaching through art, Hero’s journey method, discovering our Needs and emotions - NVC)
New approaches and methods of eco communities
The hero's journey, Dragon dreaming, Joanna Macy methods, community and group process, community incubators, sociocracy, conflict resolution and other.
Mental health and holistic well-being of youth
with the focus of raising sharing knowledge and creative tools and approaches that help young people to develop protective factors (inside them and in their enviroment), build essential capacities for a positive mental health and holistic living with a sense of personal purpose. We use the backround of positive psychology, social pedagogy, empowerment, somatics and other.
Use of different art and creative media
Such as experiental exercises using the body, dance and somatic, theatre (improvisation, image and phisical theatre, and other), visual arts, creative art therapy and circus pedagogy. We use this meadia for developing personal and social skills, inclusion, working with young people with fewer opportunities and holistic development.
Use of nature based approaches as a pedagogical tool
Adventure pedagogy, experience learning in nature, how to develop nature intelligence within youth, use of the medicine wheel as a pedagogical tool, Bill Plotkins frame of work,ect.