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Summer 2014 Newsletter

Community has always been an essential part of the Emerson experience. Learning, living and working together in caring for the land, or in inquiring into shared questions, gives people who come to Emerson an experience - often for the first time - of what it can mean to form and maintain a true community.

The ability to build and live in community is increasingly being recognised as an essential part of a sustainable future. Yet our lifestyles don't often offer in-depth opportunities to hone the skills we need to maintain healthy and nourishing community life.

Building a strong community for learning is at the core of Emerson's task. Featured in this newsletter are some of the courses, voluntary learning opportunities, as well as the emerging living and learning community which is developing here.

This summer, Emerson College offers a number of courses exploring how to build strong communities, for finding our own paths for contributing to them, and simply for enjoying them. We also introduce our newly designed programme in Sustainable Agriculture, with a strong focus on community building, along with other inspiring programmes spanning performing arts, psychotherapy, health care and child care. We hope you will join us in a mutual sharing of questions, insights and inquiry.

Courses Update

Five new full and part time vocational trainings are opening their doors at Emerson in the autumn.

Emerson offers a new Level 5 Diploma in Sustainable Agricultural Management from September 2014, focusing on biodynamic and organic practice

The future will be challenging for land entrepreneurs, needing new skills and insights to be developed in the environmental, social and economic sphere. This newly designed, full time course is aimed to go beyond conventional farm or land management to help students deepen the theoretical, practical and social skills essential for effective work in this field.

Emerson College has developed this training in collaboration with organisations dedicated to the development of sustainable agriculture. It brings together faculty drawn from Crossfields Institute, the Biodynamic Association and Demeter Certification UK as well as Emerson College.

Led by Kai Lange, the programme integrates seminars delivered by subject specialists, guided land-based research projects and self-directed study. Collaborative work and inquiry is at the heart of the course. Students will engage practically with the gardens and grounds of Emerson as well as with neighbouring farms and agricultural initiatives.

We warmly invite anyone interested in learning more about the course to an introductory open day on Saturday 5th July at Emerson College. For more details, contact Deborah Watts, tel: +44 (0)1342 822238 email: registrar@emerson.org.uk.

PerformInternational: new full time performing arts training

PerformInternational is a collaborative initiative offering a new, holistic approach to the training and development of professional performing artists which has its roots in the indications for the performing arts put forward by Rudolf Steiner that were further developed into practical techniques by – among others - Marie Steiner for speech and by Michael Chekhov for acting and theatre. The trainings and short courses will focus on integrating spirit-inspired approaches to acting, to speech, and to music. PerformInternational will be starting a three- or four-year full-time training in September 2014 at Emerson College, and running workshops and short courses from the summer of 2014 at Emerson College and elsewhere.

Part-time courses starting soon

Anthroposophic Psychotherapy

This training course led by Ad and Henriette Dekkers in Anthroposophic Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Disorders in Children and Adults, and Psychosomatics is a post-qualifying professional development course for psychotherapists, medical doctors, psychiatrists, counsellors and other qualified mental health professionals starting in November 2014.

New Diploma in Anthroposophic Health Care

A new part time course by ‘Anthroposophic Health Care Education and Training’ (AHCET) is starting at Emerson College. This modular course offers an holistic approach to health care for nurses and carers who wish to deepen their understanding and extend their skills in their roles as caregivers. An Introductory Module (13 - 17 October 2014) may be taken as a stand-alone CPD event or as the Introductory Unit to a full Edexcel accredited Foundation Course (level 4).

Holistic Baby and Child Care

New level 3 (EYE) qualification* on Steiner Waldorf with the Pikler approach to child development, play and care with a birth to three emphasis. This is a new in-depth, part-time training in caring for young children and supporting parents that encompasses comparative development and care approaches/models, contemporary educational issues, practical skills, and preparation for working with statutory regulations and inspections.

Summer courses and workshops

This summer Emerson offers courses for people wanting to experience and learn how to navigate healthy community and social development. For a full listing of summer courses spanning storytelling, performance arts and more, see our website.

"We were made for this times"

Social Ecology Summerschool

20 - 25th July

Is this our time? How can I develop the vision and skills to make the right choices for my life? Can I shape my life so that I, with others, can meet the needs of our world? What can I really influence? where do I begin?

We are all ‘social developers’. During this 5-day Social Ecology Summerschool we will begin by looking at who we are and at our own questions. We will then explore the themes of relationships, the dynamics of groups and teams, and how to build a healthy organisation. The week will end with a global view, focusing on the signatures of the times in which we live and of the emerging future.

Lifeways: Living with Boundaries

27 - 31 July

Lifeways celebrates community, family and social life in all its forms.

Spend some days with us at Lifeways to think about the balance between boundaries and freedom, while helping to build an interesting and rewarding week where young and old can free themselves from workday routes and enjoy the open space for individual experiences.

Speaking Body, Moving Voice

11th - 16th August

This six-day performing arts workshop will explore Russian actor Michael Chekhov’s techniques for acting and theatre and Rudolf & Marie Steiner’s approach to artistic speaking and drama, and how they can be integrated. Common to both is the central role of the imagination, which allows the performer to transform into any character, to both embody and give voice to what the imagination creates.

The Future of Community:

Holistic and Sustainable Community Development

18th - 23rd August

What should communities today look like? How can communities be sustained? How can we create and live in community in ways that allow for individual development whilst still standing strong as a community? A 5 day course, the Future of Community introduces practical tools for holistic and sustainable community development. Led by Michael Baumgarnter, M.A. in Social Work, Cousellor and Greenpeace Activist.

Sculpture and pedagogical sculpture courses in Japan,Taiwan, China and Korea by Rudolf Kaesbach

Rudolf Kaesbach, leader of the Emerson Visual Arts Course, will be giving sculpture and pedagogical sculpture courses in Japan,Taiwan, China and Korea During the summer 2014.
Places and dates include: Hokkaido, Japan: 23rd June to 3rd July | Taipei, Taiwan: 7th to 18th July | Chengdu, China: 21st to 30th July | Seoul, Korea: 4th to 9th August. To take part in one of the courses or meet Rudolf, please contact him at: emersonvisualarts@yahoo.com

Events

Polly Higgins talk at Emerson College on earth rights

On May 6, Emerson hosted earth rights visionary Polly Higgins . Described as one of the ‘top visionaries of the world,’ award winning author Polly Higgins is a leading pioneer in bridging the divide between law and love. She gave an inspiring talk on the international law of Ecocide, Earth Law and Earth Rights. Speaking in a packed Ruskin Hall, Polly urged us to exercise leadership as “protectors of the earth” to change the paradigms that we are governed by.

We would like to invite other leading speakers on environmental, social, and spiritual themes to Emerson. Can you help put us in touch with them? Please contact Charlene Collison with introductions and contact details on charlene.collison@emerson.org.uk.

Learning in Community

Emerson College is now open to individuals who would like to work on a project or research question while living in an educational community for a period of time. Increasingly, people come not only to attend formal courses, but also to experience how life at the College can support and stimulate their development in many different fields.

In recent months, we have hosted someone writing a book, a number of volunteers working in the house and on the land, and a number of residents exploring new directions in their professional lives. Our recent announcement of the plan to create an intentional "living and learning community" on the Pixton site met with an overwhelming and enthusiastic response. People of all ages are strongly drawn to the image of a community in which they can be involved in nurturing a collaborative, sustainable lifestyle which combines natural ecology with social ecology and a shared spiritual orientation based on spiritual science.

“I do what I most enjoy. The chances are this will also bring joy to others.” Jonathan Hill recently spent a few months at Emerson College designing and building a violin. Drawn to music from a tender age, Jonny went on to play the violin, the drum kit and orchestral percussion, eventually being led to woodwork and designing string instruments.

Attracted to Emerson College partly for the Anthroposophical philosophy, to explore an interest in a way of teaching where art is used as a tool for therapy, and partly to work in an environment that hosts artists in residence, Jonny was looking to meet other inspired thinkers and creators. “I think in doing this it’s possible to form a relationship that is mutually beneficial; I gain from meeting other people who are working in other disciplines and they can gain from seeing what I do. I feel this worked well at Emerson. It felt free. I was allowed to get on with what I wanted and allowed to use the facilities I needed. The community was very supportive, open-minded and nurturing: I felt I had the space to grow. It was a magical time for me and it’s no coincidence that the violin I made is probably the best sounding I have made so far.”

Jonny culminated his time at Emerson College by holding a concert where his violin was played by another resident and talented violin player. Many people came to see the concert from both on and off the campus. “It was a great success. I was immensely touched by the response” he added.

Jonny was asked to convey what other people could expect to find here. “Emerson offers you time and space to indulge your passions. You can find freedom, support, peace away from the bustle of cities; laughter and Winnie the Pooh. The only thing is that one needs to be self-motivated. No one is going to check up on you. It is up to you to ask for help if you want it.” 

Whatever your personal or professional development project, if you would like to explore the possibility of spending a period at Emerson, do get in touch with us on +44 (0)1342 822238.

Work opportunities

Emerson is growing and we are looking for skilled and inspired people to work with us.

We will shortly be advertising for a new Head of Communications. This is a senior management role leading the development and implementation of Emerson’s publicity and communications work. Details of this, and a Publicity Administrator role, will be posted on the Emerson website from July. To see other current roles we're advertising for, including kitchen manager, cook and receptionist, see "News".

Volunteering at Emerson

Do you enjoy practical work in house and catering in an international team? Come and join one of our volunteer programmes whilst you improve your English, meet new people and have a lot of fun. You can find out more at http://www.emerson.org.uk/volunteer-at-emerson

Emerson College is part of the Emerson College Trust, registered charity number 312101.
www.emerson.org.uk |telephone +44 (0)1342 822238

Please email enquiries to: registrar@emerson.org.uk

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