SEEDS OF CHANGE
About
This two-day workshop, located on a permaculture farm just south of Berlin, is designed for budding regenerative economy practitioners who want to learn more and take action.
This workshop may be for you if:
You have been questioning our economic system and have started to engage with alternatives to growth-at-all-costs
You are keen to dive deeper, connect with others and explore ways you might be able to shift systems–whether in your organisation, your networks, in your community, in policy or in the public sphere
The participation fee of €300 per person (net of VAT) includes:
Two-days of expert-designed and led sessions in an intimate setting (max. 20 participants)
Plant-based breakfast and lunch each day, prepared directly on the farm
Pre-workshop: a pre-reading/watching guide (around 4-6 hours)
Post-workshop: additional learning materials, invitation to a community chat group, one-month reunion call, and a 1:1 mentoring session
Free or discounted access to future events
About the facilitators:
Katy Shields is a renegade economist, writer and facilitator with two decades of experience across business, policy, media and education. After co-creating the acclaimed Tipping Point podcast series about The Limits to Growth and why we ignored it, Katy founded the Regenerative Economy Lab to empower more people with the tools of new economic thinking—helping them to find ways to take action.
Joshua Stehr is a designer, researcher & facilitator—helping purpose-driven leaders turn strategy into impact. He has 10+ years of experience designing services with purpose-driven startups, corporates, non-profits, public services, and consultancies such as Oatly, Mended and Work On Climate. He is currently the Learning Experience Designer for Dark Matter Labs on the Net Zero Cities project, with the ambitious mission to help European cities make a just transition to climate neutrality by 2030.
About the location:
Our venue is a family-run permaculture farm south of Berlin, 40 minutes by train from the Ostkreuz station. The farm is located within walking or cycling distance of the station and we can arrange a pick-up if needed. It is possible to commute daily from Berlin, stay nearby or camp on-site for a small additional fee. Weather permitting, most sessions will take place outdoors (please bring sunscreen, rain jacket, etc). The site is designed to be fully accessible but do let us know if you have any specific needs so we can best accommodate them.
Programme
The workshop comprises eight sessions over two days, plus opening and closing reflections as well as some optional morning and evening activities. The workshop sessions will combine a variety of techniques to help us engage with the content with our heads, hearts and hands: from systems thinking to embodied learning, from co-creation to personal reflection. Short summaries for each day and session titles are listed below. For a more detailed programme, send us a non-binding registration enquiry.
DAY 1 - LEARN & ENVISION - Thursday, 10th July
On the first day we engage with why our current systems are failing before co-creating a vision of where we need to go. We start with a systems mapping activity on the ecological crises, then move down to the societal and the human level, considering the ways in which our current systems drive our crises, and envisioning a system able to meet human needs within planetary boundaries. In the afternoon we then explore the narratives that are upholding a system that is no longer serving us, and the foundations of what a regenerative economy, in service of life, could look like.
Agenda:
09:00-10:00 Welcome, introductions and light breakfast
10:00-11:30 A systems view of our planetary crises
11:45-13:00 The economy we have and the economy we need
13:00-14:00 Community lunch
14:00-15:15 Unpacking narratives that block change
15:30-17:15 Regenerative economy foundations
17:15-18:00 Closing reflections, optional evening activities*
DAY 2 - EXPLORE & REIMAGINE - Friday, 11th July
Our second day is about exploring what needs to change, and what our own roles could be—personally, and as a growing community. We’ll start by looking at the ways we are structurally struck in the existing system, before exploring shifts that may be possible. Here, we’ll dig into options within the current system, as well as more radical alternatives—from global and national governance, to businesses and organisations, down to the local and community level. Participants will then have time to engage with a particular shift in smaller groups. After sharing back, we’ll take time for personal reflection and intention-setting, then share our reflections and ideas for next steps in a final session around the campfire.
Agenda:
08:30-10:00 Optional farm workshop*, welcome and breakfast
10:00-11:15 Identifying and overcoming structural barriers
11:30-12:45 Exploring alternatives across public, private and community spheres
12:45-13:45 Lunch
13:45-15:30 Identifying shifts: co-creative group sessions
15:45-17:00 Sharing back–setting intentions
17:00-18:00 Closing reflections around the campfire
*Optional activities and associated price will be confirmed depending on interest