Recommended duration: 2–6 months, depending on the scale of the project and the level of community engagement. The method is designed as a long-term process that develops gradually through regular meetings, collective maintenance, reflection, and iterative action. It can also be adapted into shorter intensive workshops or extended into ongoing community-based initiatives.
Where can it be used
outdoor / classroom / community space / public space
Group size
8 to 20 participants
Objective
This method supports young people in developing collective projects rooted in a specific local context through ecological practice, artistic thinking, and civic engagement. Using the garden as both a living system and a pedagogical framework, participants learn how to build shared responsibility, practice non-hierarchical decision-making, and sustain long-term engagement through collective care. The method connects reflection with action by encouraging participants to work collaboratively with their environment, community, and each other over time.
When to use it
This method is most useful during the early and middle stages of a Collective Action Project, particularly when forming the group, understanding the local context, and establishing shared goals and responsibilities. It supports collaborative planning, collective decision-making, and the development of sustainable working dynamics through long-term engagement with a specific site and community. The method is also valuable during reflection and continuation phases, helping participants evaluate their process, adapt their actions, and maintain collective ownership over time.
Step-by-step guide
1. Introduce the site as a living system
Begin with collective site visits, observation, and sensory mapping exercises to help participants understand the space through ecological, social, and cultural perspectives. Encourage careful observation before proposing actions.
2. Map the community and context
Identify stakeholders, local users, and institutions connected to the site through conversations, interviews, and community mapping. Discuss how the space is used, perceived, and shared.
3. Define shared priorities
Facilitate group discussions to identify collective needs, concerns, and interests. Support participants in agreeing on 2–3 shared priorities while maintaining transparent and inclusive decision-making.
4. Develop collaborative actions
Divide participants into working groups to design small-scale interventions or activities connected to the identified priorities. Encourage shared responsibility, rotating roles, and long-term care within the process.
5. Implement and adapt collectively
Carry out activities such as planting, building, organizing events, or creating community interventions. Hold regular check-ins to reflect on progress, challenges, and necessary adjustments.
6. Reflect throughout the process
Create ongoing moments for group reflection through discussions, journaling, or reflection circles. Encourage participants to consider what changed in the space, within the group, and in their understanding of collective responsibility.
7. Share the process publicly
Conclude with a public presentation, open day, exhibition, or storytelling activity that shares the process with the wider community and reflects on future continuation.
Materials needed
The participants should have the following:
1. Notebook or reflection journal
2. Pens, markers, paper, and post-it notes
3. Printed maps or large sheets for community mapping
4. Camera or phone for documentation
5. Basic gardening, building, or maintenance tools (depending on the project)
6. Materials specific to the chosen interventions or activities
7. A shared meeting space (indoor or outdoor)
Tips for facilitators
The facilitator should encourage careful observation without rushing toward solutions or immediate action. The facilitator should create conditions for transparent decision-making while allowing disagreement and multiple perspectives to remain part of the process. The facilitator’s role is to support continuity, mediate tensions, and help the group remain engaged without prematurely resolving conflicts. In the final stage, the facilitatour should allow the participants to situate their work socially, communicate the process to others, and collectively reflect on how the project may continue beyond the initial intervention.
Possible variations
This method can be adapted to different group sizes, timeframes, and community contexts. While originally developed through a permaculture garden, it can also be applied to public spaces, cultural initiatives, temporary artistic interventions, schools, neighbourhoods, or digital/community-based platforms. The process may function as a short-term workshop, a long-term collaborative project, or an interdisciplinary educational program depending on participants’ needs, available resources, and local conditions.
