presented by the Findhorn Foundation in partnership with
Global Ecovillage Network and Gaia Education


Based on the Gaia Education Ecovillage Design Curriculum - an official contribution to the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014

Facilitated by:
Pracha Hutanuwatr - Director, Wongsanit Ashram, Thailand
May East - Director, Gaia Education
Jonathan Dawson - President, Global Ecovillage Network
Michael Shaw - Director, The Ecovillage Institute
and Findhorn Ecovillage experts


You are invited to join this four-week comprehensive training of trainers on the fundamentals of sustainability design for urban and rural settlements, covering all elements of an ecovillage-based education.

While the course will be facilitated by a very experienced team of ecovillage educators, it will be highly collaborative in nature, with all participants drawn in as rich resources for the learning community.

Ecovillage Design - Training of Trainers is an advanced training course based at the Findhorn Ecovillage providing a practical forum for learning and developing skills needed to work effectively with design for sustainability at all levels.


The programme is based at the Findhorn Ecovillage and comprises four separate weeklong modules, which may be attended as a whole or separately.

Social Design - Week 1: Oct 11 - 17
Building Community & Embracing Diversity
Communication Skills
Conflict Facilitation and Decision-Making
Coaching, Personal Empowerment and Leadership
Celebrating Life: Creativity and Art

Ecological Design - Week 2: Oct 18 - 24
Whole Systems Approach to Ecological Design
Appropriate Technology: Water
Organic Agriculture and Local Food
Appropriate Technology: Energy
Green Building & Retrofitting

Economic Design - Week 3: Oct 25 - 31
Shifting the Global Economy to Sustainability
How Money Works: Community Banks and Currencies
Right Livelihood
Social Enterprise
Legal and Financial Issues

Worldview - Week 4: Nov 1 - 7
Holistic Worldview
Listening to and Reconnecting with Nature
Awakening & Transformation of Consciousness
Personal Health, Planetary Health
Socially Engaged Spirituality and Bioregionalism











The EDE is being introduced to the world at this time to complement, correspond with, and assist in setting a standard for the United Nations' Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014.

Please complete the Application Form and Enrolment Questionnaire to

or send an email

Training fees
For the whole programme
£1595 payable by participants with low income
£1835 payable by participants with medium income
£2125 payable by participants with high income
For one module
£455/£515/£605 according to income

Fees include tuition, accommodation, vegetarian meals and field trips.

Convert to your own currency using The Universal Currency Converter

*If you cannot afford the full fee, please check out our bursary guidelines.

* If you can afford to pay more than the full fee for this programme, your donation will be gratefully received and used to help those who cannot afford the whole fee.

The Ecovillage Design Training of Trainers 2006 hosted participants from 21 nations: China, South Africa, USA, Canada, Estonia, UK, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Thailand, Japan, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Mexico, Greece, Palestine and Iraq.

33 participants shared four weeks of intensive studies in social, ecological, and economic design. The gender balance was even, the age range stretched from 25 to 60, and the professional and educational backgrounds of the group were almost as diverse as the countries of origin. Amongst the participants were various architects, scientists, artists, academics, activists, NGO workers, civil servants, designers, engineers, educators, entrepreneurs, development workers, and project managers. The teachers were participants and facilitators in a process of knowledge and experience exchange that involved everybody as teachers and as learners.


The EDE course in Findhorn was the most comprehensive teaching on integral ecological design I have seen available worldwide. Richness and diversity of teachings, practical techniques, facilitators and resources, as well as a deep respect and honour to both inner and outer dimensions of sustainability. Excellent spirit of participation as well. I hope and wish more people would gain this invaluable experience. We desperately need it. Pymalion Karatzas, Greece

As a graduate of the MSc in Holistic Science at Schumacher College, I have searched widely for a curriculum that is truly holistic in its approach to applying the theoretical insights of the new holistic/ecological worldview to the practical dimensions of the sustainability transition. My own path took me from holistic science to a PhD in Design, because I saw design as the transdisciplinary integrator and facilitator that can bridge the gap between theory and practice. As far as I am aware, the EDE curriculum is currently the best and most comprehensive approach to turning holistic and joined-up thinking about sustainability into action. It really helps people to get a pretty complex whole picture view of the various dimensions of the sustainability transition and, what's more, it offers them effective tools and strategies how they can play an active part in this work of generational importance. I can only highly recommend this course. Dr Daniel C Wahl, Centre for the Study of Natural Design, University of Dundee, Scotland