A PDC is a 72 hour course that introduces a wide range of permaculture principles and practices. Many, although not all, PDCs are residential over the course of two weeks. Cydonia Permaculture runs PDCs in both two-week and weekend formats. The curriculum of a PDC is based on Bill Mollison's Permaculture: A Designers' Manual, and gives participants the knowledge and skills required to become competent permaculture practitioners. All aspects of sustainable living are covered, including personal, household, community and economic strategies, as well as the knowledge required for creating a design for any specific piece of land or living situation.
WHY DO A PDC?
As with anything else, there are numerous ways to learn about permaculture. There is a wonderful array of good permaculture books on the market and there are many experienced permaculture practitioners to talk to, as well as other resources such as the internet, DVDs and other course formats. However, a PDC is a tried and tested format for a solid grounding in permaculture. It provides the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge and experience of practicing permaculturalists, both in the formal learning sessions and informally over meals. You will be part of a group of like-minded people, all of whom will be focused on permaculture and sustainability, making it an unsurpassed learning environment. It is very common for participants to regard their PDC experience as 'life-changing'.
WHY DO OUR CENTRAL VICTORIA RESIDENTIAL PDC?
Diversity is a very important part of both permaculture and learning, and one of the things makes this PDCs especially fulfilling is the wide range of tutors and fieldtrips we offer. All our tutors are experienced, enthusiastic and very keen to share their knowledge, and are regarded very highly by participants. A wide range of tutoring styles and techniques are offered allowing all participants to engage with the material covered. Classroom sessions and fieldtrips, as well as informal discussions, with David Holmgren, one of the original founders of the permaculture concept, are regarded by participants as one of the highlights of the course. Likewise, our fieldtrips cover a very diverse range of settings - large and small pieces of land, public and private spaces. All are interesting in their own right but, as each participant is different, this wide range allows each participant to gain the most from their experience. Some other PDCs are taught almost entirely in the classroom!
WHAT SORT OF ACCREDITATION DOES THIS COURSE HAVE?
Permaculture Design Courses are not Nationally Accredited in themselves but provide a pathway to Accredited Permaculture TrainingTM (APT) courses such as the nationally (and internationally!) recognized Certificates III, IV and Diplomas in Permaculture. A PDC will enable you to continue on to APT courses. For more on APT see the Permaculture International website www.permacultureinternational.org
Some PDCs have accreditation from Bill Mollison's Permaculture Institute. This requires teacher registration and a strict curriculum. Although we cover all aspects of the Bill Mollison's Permaculture Institutes's curriculum, we have chosen not to become accredited with the Permaculture Institute. The only thing that sets Bill Mollison's Permaculture Institute PDCs apart from other PDCs is that you can gain a Diploma of Permaculture through Permaculture Institute only with a Permaculture Institute accredited PDC. Permaculture Institute accreditation is certainly not a requirement for gaining a Diploma of Permaculture through National Accreditation.
I LIVE IN A DIFFERENT CLIMATE TO CENTRAL VICTORIA. SHOULD I DO THIS PDC?
Permaculture is applicable across all climates, with the principles being able to be applied anywhere, and a PDC reflects this. That said, because we have many fieldtrips on our PDC, much of what you will be experiencing is by its nature quite specific to local climates. We do have fieldtrips over a range of climates within central Victoria however, from cooler, moister Hepburn to inland Mediterranean Bendigo. Generally, we would recommend that if you have a PDC with fieldtrips running in your area (see our links page for suggestions) then this would be the one to attend, but if you don't have a local one, or your local one is very theory based, our PDC would be a very good option.
ON THE RESIDENTIAL PDC, DO YOU GIVE DISCOUNTS FOR LOCALS IF WE DO NOT USE THE ACCOMMODATION?
We encourage all participants on the PDC to stay at the accommodation with the rest of the group, as this enriches the participants' experience as well as allowing them to better focus on the course without distractions from 'normal' life. There are some evening activities; formal, informal and spontaneous, and most participants find that they learn just as much from informal discussions with other participants as they do in classes. Living together for two weeks facilitates this interaction. But we do understand that for some people it is just not possible to stay full time. Unfortunately, there is a minimum number required for our venue - if we don't get this many staying we still have to pay the full fee. If we do get enough enrollments, we may then be able to provide a small discount to those not staying, but we will not know until much close to the starting date. Please let us know if you want to be kept posted on this one.
CAN I BRING MY CHILD(REN)?
We are generally unable to provide childcare as part of the course, however if you want to bring a carer for your child (e.g. friend or partner) we will charge both them and the child a discounted price for meals and accommodation. Older children who do not need a carer may attend at the reduced meals and accommodation price, however they remain your responsibility throughout the course and you must insure that they will not disrupt classes. If we have a number of requests for childcare on a particular course we may be able to arrange something for a shared additional fee.