Working Groups

We plan to enrol and confirm the initial members of the Advisory Group and IPEN Working Groups during 2019.

IPEN Working Groups on particular themes (WGs) will deliver Work Packages with identified tasks, including input where appropriate from partners.

IPEN Working Groups will operate fairly independently within agreed Terms of Reference to deliver WP Tasks. Some WGs will have a broader remit, others will be tightly defined to deliver a set of specific outputs. In either case, involvement in WG’s is on the basis that WG members are happy to contribute on an agreed broader or tighter basis.

Guidelines for WG’s to work to are as follows:

1. WG process is guided by SADIM process
2. WG seeks to use a set of relevant permaculture principles and design tools in its work
   • e.g. WWN, Obtain a yield, Integrate rather than segregate, Small changes for big effects, Start at our backdoor and work out on a controlled front, etc.
3. WG’s have agreed SMART (Specific; Measurable; Achievable; Realistic; Time-bound) objectives, tasks and outputs.

Some Working Groups will have common members, so there will be interaction and mutually beneficial relationships between some WGs, while some WGs will have collaborative relationships with other networks or organisations e.g. Education Research WG relationship with PIRN (Permaculture International Research Network).

Planned themes for initial WGs (Year 1-2) include:

1. iLAND WG (Demonstration Centres) – formed and meeting from January 2019 onwards, including Chris Evans (UK; Nepal), Morag Gamble (Australia; international), Ardhendu Sekhar Chatterjee (India; central Asia) and Cat Dolleris (Denmark; EuPN)
2. Website WG (incl Information Systems) – this WG is operating within CoLab’s Digital Circle
3. Permaculture and International Development WG – this is being progressed within an informal working group of people who are active in this area, rather than as an IPEN WG, also connecting with other groups working in this area – we are currently drafting a project concept relating to how to expand good practice in this area, with this also linked to an emerging network focused on permaculture and sustainable nutrition.
4. Education Research
5. Core Teaching Resources, including Curriculum Guides
6. Education Systems and New Course Development – being partly progressed as part of EuPN and the UK Education Working Group
7. Translation – being progressed within CoLab’s Translation Circle
8. IPEN Status and Structure (Year 2)
9. Health, Nutrition and Permaculture Education