Learn with the Global Ecovillage Network
The Global Ecovillage Network reaches out to over 6000 regenerative communities around the world. Welcome to our learning community, where we share our insights, knowledge and passion for beautiful alternatives and innovative grassroots solutions
Featured courses
GEN Introduction course
For those curious about the Global Ecovillage Network, the organisation and network, this course gives an overview of the history, methodologies, resources, accomplishments, examples of well established ecovillages, and further opportunities for anyone to step (more) into GEN’s work. With almost 20 hours of content for you to explore, you will be able to jump between sections that interest you most to gain a deeper sense of what motivates GEN’s work and how we are catalyzing communities for a regenerative world.
Cultivating Community: From I to We
This package is essential viewing for anyone thinking of founding or joining a community: gathering recordings from the ‘Cultivating Community: From I to We’ event, it features talks and workshops on topics such as raising children in community, managing love relationships, decision-making, conflict resolution, and much more.
Ecovillage Research – Themes, Methodologies, & Results
Ecovillage Research is relevant and evokes more and more interest in the mainstream world!
GEN and other networks of like-minded movements are collaborating with universities and researchers from all around the globe and this course will give you an impression and access to the work of the GEN research group!
ReGENerative Schools Series
To expand from our Greening Schools Webinar Series, we continue to explore the interconnections between schools and communities, and how ecovillage principles can be applied in the most diverse contexts. Special case studies from Canada, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Iceland, Estonia, Portugal, Egypt, Zambia, Malwi, and India.
Ecovillage Solutions for Extraordinary Times: Community Incubation Package
This package gathers talks and workshops from the What If? Gathering’s Community Incubation strand, where we asked: How can we start new ecovillages and strengthen existing ones throughout Europe? From the intricacies of communication and power in communities, to how to resource our communities and an introduction to the Community Learning Incubator, this package is a must-see for any aspiring ecovillage founder – or anyone who works in groups of any kind and wants to learn to live and work better together.
The Art of Speaking and Presenting (GEN and your own story!)
This course will familiarise you with a wide range of techniques, materials, practices and inspirations for public speaking, presenting skills, storytelling, GEN, and becoming an effective leader and ambassador for the regenerative movement.
What is GEN Education?
What makes ecovillages thrive – and what doesn’t? What are grassroots initiatives around the world already doing to create cultural, ecological, economic and social regeneration? How can you live an ecovillage lifestyle, right now and regardless of where you are?
Around the world, ecovillages are experimenting with regenerative living. From compassionate communication and self-governance to natural building, appropriate technology, social entrepreneurship, traditional crafts and participatory design – ecovillages are full of innovators, teachers and facilitators dedicating their lives to the creation of regenerative cultures. Our aim is to be a link between them and you, making it easy for you to:
Explore Ecovillages and learn more about where they are, how they work, and what it’s like to live in one
Get Resourced to work with the 32 Ecovillage Principles for cultural, ecological, economic and social regeneration
Take Action and start a community project, found an ecovillage or use ecovillage solutions in your life
Online courses
Curious about the knowledge, inspiration and wisdom of ecovillages around the world? Our teachers are experienced community designers, weavers and innovators from ecovillages around the world. Our courses are designed to showcase the wisdom and diversity of our global network, and the beauty of ecovillage living from urban centres to off-grid sites, from deserts to jungles, from South to North, and East to West.
Face-to-face trainings
COVID-19 is severely impacting the possibilities for ecovillages to offer courses in person. We publish learning opportunities as they trickle back in, and know that our communities are more than eager to welcome you back soon again.
See what participants are saying
At a time when we urgently and globally need new role-models for a radically different way to live, I can’t think of any more timely approach than the “living labs” ecovillages are. GEN Education seems to capture this better than any other initiative I today know about.
Simon
Ecovillage Design IntroThis has been a remarkable experience. I have loved every element – the resources and core content, the wonderful facilitation, the sharing sessions, the inspiring poems, the beautiful collage of amazing people! Thank you!
Heather
Weaving Community in Times of CrisisI have found so much of what I and our community group need right now! I can’t thank you enough for the sense of caring and love and beautiful facilitation in teaching us all the amazingness from GEN.
Rachel
Regenerative Community DesignAbout GEN
The Global Ecovillage Network envisions a world of empowered citizens and communities, designing and implementing pathways to a regenerative future, while building bridges of hope and international solidarity.
GEN is composed of 5 regional networks, and the youth arm, NextGEN, spanning the globe. The network is made up of approximately 6000 communities and related projects where people are living together in greater ecological harmony.
Some network members are large networks in themselves, like Sarvodaya, with 2,000 active sustainable villages in Sri Lanka; the Federation of Damanhur in Italy and REDES in Senegal. Others are small rural ecovillages like Gaia Asociación in Argentina and Huehuecoyotl in Mexico.
It also includes urban rejuvenation projects like Los Angeles EcoVillage and Christiania in Copenhagen; permaculture design sites such as Crystal Waters, Australia, Cochabamba, Bolivia and Barus, Brazil; and educational centres such as Findhorn in Scotland, Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales, Earthlands in Massachusetts, and many more.
Start learning now!
Join us online for a series of interactive workshops on Ecovillage Design and the power of community in times of crisis. Hear from ecovillages on the ground, boost your inner resilience, and grow your capacity to design regenerative cultures and communities.
