The next JUMP! Happily Changed New Year 2019
From 8 to 12 October 2018, one year after its launch, the project JUMP! held its 3rd transnational meeting, this time in Austria.
So far, our work has focused on the key preliminary inventories. We have competed three:
Firstly, a document which summarises the principles and values of sustainable construction (existing charters, etc.)
Secondly, an inventory of descriptions and references of competence relating to the activities of trainers
Finally, an analysis of networks involving the activities of trainers in eco-construction.
A fourth inventory is in progress concerning criteria and assessment tools for sustainable construction projects, while a fifth is being researched on the existing methods of training for change.
We began the second year of JUMP! with a pivotal meeting in Austria where we applied knowledge from our previous experiences to some practical tasks. The first was the creation of a charter, or maybe a memorandum, or a declaration, or is it a manifesto? This choice illustrates the intensity of discussions on the nature of this founding document that will have a legacy well beyond the duration of our project. It is an involved and complex piece of writing, one of the central tasks of the coming months.
The basic structure of the Train the Trainers program and the contents of the first modules are now defined. It is interesting for all participants to observe how change experienced and inspired by the project on a human scale is beginning to manifest on an institutional level. Perhaps this illustrates how personal transformation, apparently laborious and time consuming, can be an effective route to the project’s “most important aim” – true sustainability.
Some highlights of the Austrian meeting:
• Presentation of the Film from the kickoff meeting in Sweden produced by Tillitsverket. This short film of about twenty minutes was positively received, with reactions such as ‘motivating’, ‘inspiring’ and ‘excellent’. Link to the trailer.
• The Land Art workshop with Maja Pogačnik connected us to nature, around and within ourselves, and awakened the creative and playful sides of everyone. Personal enrichment alongside a strengthening of our group experience. Pics of the workshop.
• Karaoke-evening: seen from the outside, a youthful moment of release, seen from the inside an opportunity to unveil and surpass oneself, to allow the expression of emotions, to show courage – all qualities very useful to a trainer as we understand it.
• Public event (dissemination event): During a conference day under the title “Building the Ecology of Change” we presented our first results by linking them to the presentation of green and participatory building projects, including the award-winning LISI-House project, the StrohNatur approach and the innovative Vivihouse project. The event was recorded, klick here for the videos.
In 2019 it will be the turn of EBUKI, our partner fostering the earth construction network in the United Kingdom and Ireland, to host our next transnational meeting. The M4 Meeting will take place in conjunction with the Clayfest organised by CAT – the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales. On June 20th we will organize another public outreach event and then from June 24th to 27th we will have our meeting – perhaps in a UK already outside the EU, even if it sounds completely wrong and unreal. And what really lies ahead of us remains to be seen.
In any case: We, the JUMP!ers, wish for you and ourselves a sustainably successful year of 2019!
