Community
Education

(Before: "Health, Happiness and Green Living")
Learn to create happy, healthy and sustainable communities

A life-changing course for those who want to co-create and live in a thriving community
with authentic relationships, permaculture, shared values and green businesses

Certification Course | 12 WEEKS

NEXT COURSES

AUTUMN 2024 | Sep 5 to Nov 27
SPRING 2025 | Mar 7 to May 29
AUTUMN 2025 | Sep 12 to Dec 4
*including arrivals and departures

 

 

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What is Community Education?

It is your pathway into a more joyful and regenerative life in any intentional community — be it a co-housing, an ecovillage, a workplace, organization or a family.

The Education is based on the worldwide-known Ecovillage Design Education syllabus (EDE), created in 2005 by two leaders of sustainable development popularization: Global Ecovillage Network and Gaia Education and is offered in collaboration with Gaia Education and DEN (Danish Ecovillage Network)

You will explore how to improve your life and contribute to a positive change in the world through the Sustainability Wheel, including the Social, Worldview, Ecological, and Economic dimensions.

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What will Community Education give you?

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Why is this Community Education so powerful?

Certified Facilitators

Enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and inspiring teachers

Participatory Learning

You learn through discussions, group work, and practical activities

You live in a community

Through common morning circles, shared meals, etc., you learn from the challenges and victories that are a natural part of community-life.

Student ideas

Many opportunities for students to share their different knowledge & experiences by offering activities or presentations

Creative Projects

Several mini-designs and a week-long complete community design at the end

Excursions

Guided visits to Danish ecovillages and green projects

Health and Wellness

Avnø Oasis is a community with focus on health. Join morning exercises, use our fitness room, learn healthy cooking or play sports in the gym

It is 12 weeks long

12 weeks allows for more in-depth education and practice and it also allows for integration of the knowledge. 

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What is the program?

There are 5 modules (they may have a different order).
Each of them includes design time — sessions dedicated to individual or group project work.

1. Building Community | 2,5 weeks

Aim: to become a creative & valuable co-player or co-creator of a community

Content:

  • Our Emotions & Needs — Compassionate Communication (NVC)
  • Sociocracy (how to organise a community and make group decisions)
  • Deep Listening & development of the ability to authentically say yes and no (Consent)
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Healthy & Authentic Relationships
  • Dragon Dreaming (how to make great projects)
  • Facilitation of Activities & Meetings
  • Leadership & Rank
  • Women’s & Men’s Circles
  • Arts, Crafts
  • and much more related to the points mentioned in the sustainability wheel
2. Environmental Sustainability | 2,5 weeks

Aim: to explore regenerative solutions for your daily life, your community and on a global scale

Content:

  • Earth Regeneration
  • Permaculture Design (“permanent agriculture“)
  • Practical Home Gardening & Food Security
  • Green Cities and Infrastructure
  • Green Building & Retrofitting
  • Reconsidering Waste: Compost, Recycling & Upcycling 
  • Sustainable Energy & Water Management and more
3. Holistic View of Life | 2,5 weeks

Aim: to get a deeper understanding of how life works and improve your level of happiness and vitality

Content:

  • Holistic worldview
  • Physical and Mental Health
  • Transformation of consciousness: Personal Development,  Self-Reflection. 
  • Healthy Cooking & Macrobiotic Principles
  • Reconnection with Nature
  • Massage Techniques & Body Treatment
  • Spiral Dynamics (a model of human consciousness evolution)
  • Socially Engaged Spirituality and more
4. Green Economy | 2 weeks

Aim: to understand the financial system and be able to create a more green livelihood with your personal resources

Content:

  • Economic Realms: Global, Local, Ecovillage, Circular, Regenerative
  • Our Money & Resources
  • Personal Relationships with Money
  • Community Banks & Local Currencies
  • Fundraising
  • Legal Aspects of Community Life and more
5. Design Time | 2,5 weeks

Aim: to use all the gained knowledge and skills to practice, get comfortable, and turn our wishes, ideas and interests into a systemic design

Content:

  • Design a Community Activity
  • Design a Social Culture
  • Design a Regenerative Project
  • Design a Green Enterprise
  • Design Your Life
  • Design a co-housing /Ecovillage project
  • Besides that several mini-designs
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What makes our Education realistic?

Various “Ecovillage Design Education”-based courses have been organized 350+ times in 55 countries around the world. We are connected with the network of the EDE organizers, so the wisdom of the past experiences continuously improves our program. 

Our Community Education course lasts 3 months so that you have time to integrate the knowledge and learn the practical skills. Students and teachers live together in a community under formation — it gives you a chance to firsthand study how to resolve challenges that naturally occur. Besides that you have the possibility to explore, connect, and transform your life on a much deeper level. 

The course is offered in cooperation with the Danish Ecovillage Network and Gaia Education

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What is the daily schedule?

We have a great combination of activities & free time for community and relaxation

2 days off weekly

Thursday and Friday. There may be optional activities, organized by students or residents

4-5 excursions

Field trips to nearby Danish communities and regenerative projects for 1-3 days

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Who teaches Community Education?

Olha Simon

Olha Simon

When Olha participated in the Ecovillage Design Education course in Ukraine in 2020 it totally changed her life! She is now one of the active members of Avnø Oasis community, a board member of GEN Ukraine, a certified Gaia Education trainer and an ecovillage researcher. Having a pedagogical background, Olha has coordinated and around 15 various educational programs and courses in Ukraine and Denmark. She is both the coordinator of this course and the main facilitator. Olha loves being honest, talking about deep stuff and making fun.

Kristiane Ravn Frost

Kristiane Ravn Frost

Kristiane is one of the co-founders of Avnø Oasis ecovillage and Avnø Højskole. Although she is an educated economist, Kristiane has taught health and well-being in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and USA since 1982. She developed the Aima tools for personal transformation in 2001 to support people in making a smooth transition to a healthy diet and lifestyle. She is a certified Gaia Education trainer and has created the first Community Education course on Avnø as well as the Health & coaching courses. Kristiane is a very loving, brave and empowering person.

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Where will you live?

 

Located in the nature reserve, neighbour to the sea and forest, Avnø Oasis offers a lovely setting with a relaxed atmosphere.

We serve healthy and delicious organic meals (vegan option available) and you are welcome to use our facilities: gym, fitness, art, woodworking, music rooms, our library, and co-working space.

You will participate in our international community, which  includes joint decision making, free time activities and some household chores. 

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What is the price?

We ask for a registration fee of 500 euros that will be returned when you leave  – providing your room is left neat and clean and all additional expenses are paid to Avnø Højskole (snacks, private car use, materials, excursions etc). Please expect around 3000 DKK/400€ of additional expenses for excursions and materials.

 

 

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