Permaculture Master Diploma System by The New School Permaculture and Helder Valente

Master in Permaculture Diploma System

by The New School Permaculture 

and Helder Valente 

My main goals are to develop a user friendly system that would be cheap and with a low energy footprint and that at the same time would keep a very high standard of quality.

For the develop of such a system we based ourselves on the british permaculture experience and also on other 13 institutions around Europe and the world.

The New School Permaculture Diploma system was developed based on the need to support its students go deeper on their permaculture career.

For the develop of such a system we based ourselves on the british permaculture experience and also on other 13 institutions around Europe and the world.

We are very gratefull for the support of Andy Goldring president of the british association that supported this idea from the beginning .

For the develop of such a system we based ourselves on the british permaculture experience and also on other 13 institutions around Europe and the world.

This project is an upgrade on a diploma system that i helped  develop for Portugal in 2012 and since then i have developed my own system and it is opened for anyone interested.

 I hope that this system will provide a good opportunity for the portuguese permaculturists to move forward in their education as teachers or consultants and that they can also in the future share the discoveries they have made along this process.

One of the main objectives for the implementation of this project is to create a stronger educational and social network of permaculturists and an example that can be used by other countries. 

The implementation of this project its an old dream for many permaculturists in Portugal. Following the principle of starting small we have came to the point when we have gathered all the resources required and can confidently move to the next steps of implementation.

The main purpose of this project is that more experienced permaculturists can share their achievements with the community and with the ones that are closer to the beginning of their permaculture river of life.

This project is dedicated to all the New School Permaculture students around the world and to the permaculturists in Portugal and specialy the portuguese natives, that until this moment were most of them inspiring pioneers species.

Holistic objectives

Vision

The Vision for the Portuguese diploma system is to create a system that operates with low input and produces diploma holders with a high standard.

Mission

The mission for this project is to create a process that can provide a deeper education for the students and the portuguese permaculture community

Values

This project has as main values, education, integration, patience, sustainability, hope, growth, diversity, creativity and healing.

Quality of life

By developing this project i am looking to provide and healthy and harmonious educational system for the students to develop their diploma and share it with others.

Future resource base

For the future of this project I hope that, the next diploma holders will be able to become tutors and provide the same experience to others.

Design

The NSP Diploma Process

The NSP Master Diploma system was developed to be of low input with a small footprint, it must also be and self maintaining as much as possible so that the process can produce as much as possible with minimum management.

To make it as cheap and efficient as possible we looked into having all the information online to reduce the need for questions and answers from the diploma students.

Design projects requirements

For the students to receive their diploma they must complete 

10 designs of projects representing their experience of at least 2 years period.

At least 7 of the projects must have been implemented and 

at least 2 must be about networking and social aspects.

For the 10 designs they will receive points per project and 

they need 80 points to pass, and the maximum they can get 

is 100 points.

Specializations

 For the NSP Master Diploma students with receive a diploma based on their specialization and the type of projects they developed.

In the masters diploma certificate there will be described what is the specialization of the diploma holder according to his experience with projects development.

Because permacultursits are very multifunctional people, each permaculturist can have several specializations based on the work they have done .

This are the specialists we expect to find

Teaching

Horticulture

Agroforestry

Bio constuction

Project management

Marketing / Networking

Community / Transition

Urban design

Forest management

Animal systems 

Qualification requirements

Develop a website or a platform online where all projects designs

 can be published so that any person can see them.

Document at least 10 projects designs developed over a period of

 2 years after completing the PDC

 The first project of the 10 must be the River of Life that will tell the

 story of the diploma aplicant in the world of nature connection and

 permaculture.

 At least 8 of the 10 projects designs must be real and have been

 implemented 

 s2 of the projects tory of the diploma aplicant in the world of nature connection and

 permaculture.

Practical/working experience

With the 10 projects the students must show their 

practical experience and they will receive points for that.

There are 5 and 10 points accoarding with each project and working experience.

and demonstrated work .

 They need minimum 75 points and the maximum they can get is 100.

Training experience

The trainning experience is represented by the workshops, 

courses, meetings or events that they have been part of, or 

developments they have made in permaculture projects.

The NSP and the permaculture community will try to provide 

specific courses to support the quality of the training for 

diploma students.

For 5 days specialization courses the students get 10 points per course.

There are also 5 and 10 points for courses done according to level of 

the learning.

For the learning experience the students can get maximum 

100 points and minimum 75 to pass.

In total the diploma student need to get at least 150 points to be

 recognized as a diploma holder by the portuguese system.

The process

The process starts with a meeting with other people interested and

 with the coordination of a tutor that will explain the process, this

 meeting is free of charge  and has the function of clarifying and

 presenting the process to diploma aplicants permaculturists.

For the students interested in moving forward the next step of the

 process is for the student to sent by internet one project or more to the

 tutor and have a online assessment.

Its important at this stage that the student starts looking for courses or activities were he can get the working experience points and start that process at the same time as the design projects.

This also the moment for the student to start developing and publishing the diploma online so that other permaculturists can learn from the experience and also the tutor can see at any moment the stages of development.

(This is not obligatory, but there is an extreme importance on sharing the achivements with the permaculture community)

Then there is the first personal meeting were the tutor will have a look at 5 or more projects designed by the students and feedback on what can be improved.

The next step is the second virtual assessment to present 7 or more projects for the tutor to help on adjustment of parts that need deeper development.

We get then to the final assessment with two tutors to adjust the final details of the projects and experience and to prepare the final presentation.

Moment for the final presentation in a opened event for the permaculture community and for the celebration of the achievements.

The total price for this experience is 275 euros that will go to the maintenance of the academy hosting the process and for the tutor input.