Erasmus CIRCLE of Water

permaculture and agroforestry. As a long life project, we decided with our partners to design a new training aiming to
deepen one by one all these topics to go deeper in our common reflection to find local solutions to fight global warming.
CIRCLE OF WATER is an 11-days training focused on water cycles and humans’ place in these cycles. It is organised by
La ZESTE in partnership with almost the same European partners as last year, plus a new one from Spain. We committed to
develop a strong European network of youth workers to develop skills and know-how around sustainable relevant practices.
What is the relevance of human intervention in the regeneration of biodiversity, depending on whether we take an
agronomist or a naturalist's point of view? In the very specific pedo-climatic context of our Mediterranean-alpine mountains,
it is important to keep in mind that a specific biodiversity inhabits these dry and cold places which could not develop
elsewhere. Thus, we'd like to continue the work begun last year with hydrological developments to regenerate soils and
store water directly in our soils
We carry out this project as a continuation of the local issues already identified last year of: water, climate, drought, soil
depletion due to global warming. We want to find local solutions by gathering youth workers and trainers to think together
about tools, skills and new lifestyles to fight against it. In line with the study on socio-educational activities in the EU and with
the feedback of participants from last year, we will put an emphasis on concrete tools that will help them to reinforce the
quality of their work with young people and will participate in the recognition of youth work practice. For example, a morning
will be dedicated to open-source cross platform software package QGIS (geographic information system) and also on how
to do a keyline design. Understanding water cycles on a global scale by focusing on the valley and the Rayes. Participants
will understand how rain is formed and the influence of trees in water cycles, both in terms of evapotranspiration and
infiltration of runoff into the soil. LICA (Laboratory of Collective and Artificial Intelligence) will provide tools and skills of
collective intelligence during practical workshops on finding common answers to this philosophical question: ‘what place
does the human being have in water cycles?’. These tools will be precious for youth workers. Indeed, it will upgrade the
“magical moment” that ends up having a decisive effect on the lives of young people through human dimension. Indeed
collective intelligence and Non-Violent Communication (NVC) will allow a self-confidence relation with the young people they
work with. Moreover, we will use YOCOMO and its 9 competencies. It has become increasingly important for youth workers
to work internationally. We are convinced that identifying and describing youth worker competences better will help improve
the image and recognition of youth workers in society, around the four pillars: Attitude, Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours.
We will put in place non-formal activities such as understanding water cycles, discovering keyline design,
discovering/relearning how the soil works and ecological successions, the need to recreate wetlands and how they work
(swales, fascines etc.), getting hands in the earth and stones through workshops and a naturalist half-day to introduce
participants to the sensitivity to living things that is part of our values.
In the continuity of these objectives, the training will be sublimated by informal activities like talking circles, theater,
energizers provided by our trainers but also by participants to enhance their creativity and group cohesion. These activities
will enhance their personal development, self-esteem and initiative.
All these different non-formal and informal activities will raise awareness on alternative lifestyle models, more sustainable
and resilient. It will also enhance inclusion, diversity and European values. Indeed, we will welcome people facing fewer
opportunities (PFOs). We’ll put an emphasis on the different youth workers policies in our different countries and we’ll
dedicate a night for each participant to explain their project and dream with the “Holistic Mandala” exercise. Each country
will be invited to bring something typical from their country (dish, music, dance) to enhance the pluricultural dimension of the
training.
The main facilitator will be Permalab’s team, a research and training company in regenerative agriculture, hydrology and in
permaculture. They assist individuals, groups, professionals, farmers and communities in the design and development of
their land, farm and territory in France and abroad. Moreover they already assisted numerous Erasmus+ all around Europe.