Learning communities are environments where people come together to actively engage in shared learning experiences, promoting collaboration , support , and collective growth .
The year 2024 began for us with planning and full of expectations for spring in southern Spain. During the months of March, April and May, we materialized an old dream of bringing people together to learn together and develop regenerative projects .
The Almenara project, located in Vejer de la Frontera , from where we can see the mountains of Morocco, welcomed us and inspired people from different parts of the world to learn about community life, learning culture and developing collaborative projects .
Together with the community of residents of this space, we became a family and experienced a life connected with the principles of Permaculture , reforesting our minds and the territory around us .
This program was developed in a partnership between Almenara , Co.estar and Associação Novas Descobertas . It was designed to provide participants with a rich and meaningful experience, meeting the needs of the host project and ensuring learning for everyone.
The death of the individual dream and the building of the collective dream
The Learning Community was a project that reflects the essence of everyone who was touched by it. It contains a piece of each person’s dream who made it possible.
After all, living together for almost three months transforms our inner and outer selves.
No wall can stop affection from passing through!
Deep Ecology and collaboration
It was a time to discover our relationship with nature and realize that there is no inside or outside. We are all deeply connected.
It was 10 weeks of connecting people from different cultures with open hearts, discovering community life, developing projects, and experimenting in different areas.
Safe space of learning
Together, we feel it is safe to talk about our vulnerabilities and expand our boundaries. Sitting in circles, our favorite place for these conversations.
We sustained tensions, loved, and saw ourselves grow every day. We planned with care and created projects that further improved the spaces.
Inspiring methodologies
Our methodology was inspired by the Cycle of New Discoveries (PND), collaborative and learning methodologies, project management tools, and community engagement.
We dreamed and played together, sowing paradigm shifts.
Transformative experience
The Learning Community is that kind of experience that, even after some time, still makes us remember the days sharing delicious meals, hugs before sleeping, and watching the sun bid farewell over the sea.
Learning
Culture
We were guided by inspiring methodologies that promote collaboration, respect for diversity, and social transformation.
The main learning methodologies were the New Discoveries Cycle (PND), Sociocracy, Permaculture, Dragon Dreaming, Deep Ecology, and Nonviolent Communication.
Project
Management
During the program, we carried out 14 pioneering projects based on collaborative methodologies and project management, as well as 2 emerging projects.
We developed everything from the design to the implementation of a new compost area, a completely new chicken coop, a lake, and even a festival.
Community
Living
Together, we felt safe to talk about our vulnerabilities and push our limits. Sitting in circles, which was our favourite place for these conversations.
We sustained tensions, loved, and saw ourselves grow every day. We planned with care and created projects that further improved the spaces.
We built supportive and welcoming spaces that allowed everyone to be themselves, and for the community to receive our best contributions as gifts.