Buen Vivir - Neue Töne aus Lateinamerika mit Grupo Sal und Alberto Acosta

Wo:
Degrowth presents a strong criticism on the current political structures and democratical order. In this sense, the effective implementation of a degrowth course implies taking into consideration several aspects, allowing both participants and course organisers to "envision", "learn" and "experience" the type of political structures and processes that we want to exist in a degrowth society.
 
Additionally, each course constitutes an opportunity for promoting at the local level degrowth politics and proposals. The course and the activities organized around it can be used to articulate local concerns (e.g. the pollution caused by an incinerator, the construction of a new road, the debt of the city and closure of public amenities, etc.) with the broad ideas of degrowth.
 
Degrowth pratictioners aim at providing alternatives to respond to challenges posed to society, namely regarding the avalability of resources and how they are being used. This increases conflicts of interests between the established growth-based social, economic and political models and those that are affected by the pressure these models put on the fair access and sustainable use of resources. The alternatives proposed by Degrowth approaches have therefore to be politically positioned in order to address these conflicts, namely to promote the mediation of these interests, so that those that are suffering the negative impacts of the hegemonic growth approaches, can increasingly have their voice heard and their interests respected.
 
In this sense, within the GROWL network it is important that degrowth courses respond to such political aspects, address concrete needs, promote critical thinking, and empower already existing social, ecological and political movements. Here we introduce some key points to take in consideration when designing a degrowth course within your local community or group.
 
1. Selection of topics
In order to find a topic that connects to local context and population, it is important to list existing local projects that could be understood within the Degrowth premises. The criteria in order to select a good topic much include the analysis of: how long the project exists (how resilient it is)? How close it is with degrowth theory (low resources? How local population identifies with the project (accepts or rejects)? The fact that it is a topic that has already been worked on the region, means that it will be easier also to find personal to provide technical training during the TTT. 
 
2. Target groups
The selection of participant for the TTT shall give preference to those already practice or developing alternatives, be them local development projects, research or any sort of activism. Focusing on key target groups in the local communities, helps to succeed in having a multiplication effect with the courses. At the same time, it helps to bring into the course multiple visions and perspectives of the diversity of actors effectively practicing degrowth in different contexts, therefore contributing to evolution and innovation in the degrowth theory and praxis.
 
3. Self-representation
Start the session by asking them to present themselves, why they are there, in which projects that have been involved, or why they got the motivation of joining a TTT module and become politically active. Use self-representation approach as a means to raise the idea of self-determination of wills and needs, and not accepting that other entities than themselves can represent or produce their own ideas. Degrowth is not a dogma, and should not me teached as such. Giving relevance to self-representation, the importance to be critical, will help us minimizing the impacts of "saving the world" and other escatological/apotalyptical discourses, that tend to try to distract from a serious discussion about how to solve concrete problems, that affect concrete people (that have their particular wishes, ideas, etc.)
 
4. Local political institutions
Degrowth proposes a radical alternative and counters the hegemonic idea of development and the need for economic growth, which can, when not communicated properly, result in the appearance of obstacles within local actors and institutions that could otherwise be important allies in the promotion and implementation of degrowth.
An important step when organising a course on degrowth might be to identify key local institutions, contact them to explain the project and possible engage some of them in the preparation of being present at some point in the course. In many contexts - for example in peripheral towns or places affected by the debt crisis and consequent austerity policies - degrowth can prove to be an extremely interesting alternative  for the achiement of policy goals for the region. Take time to understand the local windows of opportunity in the region, talk to important actors and learn how to communicate degrowth and anchor it to the objectives that other local groups already pursue.
Finally,
 
5. Network
Use the opportunity and momentum generated by the course to form a local network of activists, researchers, and practitioners, which may not know each other from before, and that may be spread in the neighboring localities. Bring local institutions in contact with regional and international networks and promote the establishment of strategic political alliances capable of confronting the growth hegemony and opening space for the degrowth proposals. Whenever possible, bring the networks you form and the local and regional level in contact with the larger GROWL virtual community, promoting the exchange of experiences, discussions and consequently the increase of knowledge within GROWL and the degrowth movement as a whole.
 
6. Promote conviviality
Conviviality is a core aspect of the degrowth culture and politics. We want people to be convivial both on work and on their free time. Trainers should take this aspect seriously in this courses and try to make them a pleasant experience both for participants and the local communities where they take place.
Organizing practical activities with the local population, and especially using the course to give something to the place, or giving importance to local knowledges and cultures of the place.
Some examples of convivial activities you can include in a course schedule:
  • planting a public or community food forest, where the local population is also invited to take part in.
  • folk music and dance in the public space
  • a debate on degrowth and a hot local political topic, followed by some form of celebration or exchange, like a popular dinner, wine drinking, or sharing local and international drinks.
Wo:

degrow the program!

To build a degrowth society we also need to degrow our life! Many activists overburden themselves with a lot of engagement. Although we want to work together we don't want to become overworked. We want and need time for awareness, for permanent feedback and evaluation, for fun and conviviality...

Think about time for relaxation, for dancing, singing and music, for outside activities and games. Common evening activities can be great fun.

We need pertubation! Find a person to who is aware of the atmosphere, a person to interrupt and make a short intersection.

 

before the course...

It is good to know who is coming. Ask for the role of participants in the registration form, about their interests in degrowth (agriculture, transportation, partcipative processes etc.) and the specific subject as well as their experiences and educational work.

Make clear to the participants that they are part of a functioning whole and that they have to be present from beginning to the end of a course. Late arrivals and early leavings disturb the workflow and atmosphere at the courses.

Have all necessary information available beforehand. Send a document with the final program and all practical information (adress, map, contact details) at least one week in advance.

The GROWL project is dedicated to networking and sharing information, knowledge and practical skills. Find local or related initiatives, support them and get inspired by them!

Don't overburden yourself! Try to find people who will help with the logistics (food, childcare, translation).

 

welcoming people

It is always difficult to arrive in a new place, feel comfortable and reorientate. Help people to do so!

Be there for people when they arrive, have a place for them to feel comfortable.

We want to get to know the place where we stay and where you live or work! welcome people in the place, explain where we are and what this place is (the building, the area...).

Share practical information: rules of the place (is it vegan?), (not) to-do's, tasks and how to share them among everybody. Make it easy to find where things are, such as a guide-system, maps of the place and around.

 

during the course

We want to get to know each other! Think about time slots for name- or other „who-is-who“- and group-building-games. Let participants present themselves or each other. May be even have a foto of everybody. There will be international as well as local learners. Be aware that there are the partners, who know each other, and new people, who don't. Try to lower the split between them.

Share information! Participants should know each others roles and also their responsibilities. Clarify the different roles and tasks (course organizer, cook-in-charge, stable project partner, project partner just for one meeting, local participant, person who wants to become a trainer) to make clear who you can ask when you have questions.

Arrange an information point where people can find important information: what is where (kitchen, shower, garbage)? Who is organizing what? When do we meet where? Have a program visible for everybody. May be even print it for everyone to have and keep it. Maybe have big papers to write on to enable an exchange of information. Let people make themselves a name batch, they can wear during the first course days.

It is helpful to have time and room for daily reflection, coordination and decision-making. We recommend to have a short assembly every morning: present the program, ask for questions and concerns etc. Here is also the place to keep everyone updated so that noone will feel lost: what will happen today? has the program changed? does anyone have a discussion or party proposal for the evening?

Maybe have as well time for evaluation in the evening: how do I feel in the group? was my learning style met?

 

communication

Degrowth presupposes a new form of social organization. We want to listen to everybody and give every person time, room and the opportunity to raise concerns. Think about that some people need more time for that and might not feel comfortable speaking in front of many people!

Make sure that people feel safe and heard throughout the course! In discussions and working groups a facilitator is needed. Another person should take care that everybody can speak. Watch out that everybody can finish a talk. Ask people who have not spoken if they want to say something.

Use hand signs in assemblies. Explain them beforhand! There might be persons who do not know them.

Have a person (or more) one can go to when you feel alone or uncomfortable in the process.

 

food

Food is very important! We want to have enough time to eat together and use this time to get to know each other better.

In a degrowth society food and its production and its producers will have another importance than in a growth society. Think about an organic, regional, vegetarian or vegan food supply. Make clear where the food comes from? Support local initiatives. Let us meet them.

Make clear who is responsible and communicate tasks and responsibilities. We want to help together but we also need the time for the course. Better have a person (or more) being responsible for food preparation.

Ask beforehand (in the application form) about allergies. Be aware that some people, including many children, are very sensitive to spices and try to prepare some basic food without any spices (potatoes, cooked vegetables...).

 

childcare

Invite and motivate people to bring their children to the courses!

In a degrowth society children have their place in the normal life with other generations, instead of being 'stored' somewhere else. At the same time we have to be aware that children have other needs than adults. They probably don't want to stay concentrated for a long time hearing a presentation, and would rather to play and move more (this does not only have to be true for children...). They cannot adapt to meal times, especially when dinner is very late.

Organize space, share but also specify space for adults and children. Participants come to work together so they also need to have the possibility to work quietly and concentrated. Activities such as cooking and handicrafts along the course are possibilities for children (and meeting-tired adults) to work together for the well being of the rest of the group and have a good time at the same.

Orgnanise a person who takes care of the children. Note that also language is an issue here! If one cannot talk with the children it might be very exhausting for both sides after a while.

Think about fundraising for organized childcare.

 

language

In your course there will be local and international participants. For local people the local language is most possibly the most comfortable one. English is understandable for most people nowadays but for many it is less comfortable and they might not speak up as much as they would like to. Think about the possibility of having more then one language.

Organize personal translation (chuchotage – whispered interpreting).

Consider using cheap, DIY translation devices, such as spiders. If you make a one time event, you can rent them or ask in the network - some of the organisations bought these equipments and will probably be available to lend you them for your course.

 

documentation

Not only for our sponsor we want to document what we are doing. A good documentation is important to share all information with those who are not able to take part in the course and to enrich our pool of common knowledge. Also for future course organizers to learn from mistakes, from what has run fine or not so well.

Speak with the communication&outreach team. Have an extra computer for taking minutes and a camera to take pictures and another one for filming. Make sure that the batteries are charged in the morning and there is a hard drive to download the SD Cards regularly.

Help afterwards with processing, structuring and systematising all written, sent, filmed and fotographed documentation on the online GROWL co-munity space.

Wo:

Modules

Modules are pieces of content that form the building blocks of courses. In its ideal form, the module aggregates information that can, for example, be directly printed as a booklet on the topic. As part of the module can be collections of contributed texts, images, resources such as presentations, references for additional reading, etc.
 
Although modules have a coordinating organisation and/or person, they are always open for feedback and improvement by any person in the network.
 
The following modules are being developed as part of the GROWL Grundtvig partnership (August 2013-July 2015):

Core modules:

  • Degrowth theory
  • TTT (trainers resources and methodologies)

Context/thematic modules:

Wo:
Courses are training opportunities in the GROWL network. They are typically formed as a combination of the core modules (degrowth theory and train-the-trainer) with a thematic module.
 
The choice of modules for a course can be guided by the philosophy and political aspects of the GROWL trainings, that you find on other sections of this booklet. You can decide to use one of the existing modules and methodologies, or develop something new for your course (in which case you are kindly invited to contribute back to the network!).

# scheme of course structure: thematic module as cargo, degrowth theory as box where cargo goes, donkey (or whatever) as TTT/methodologies which transport the package

While planning and preparing a course, you are advised to follow the "Think-about".
Wo:

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