PC Diploma accreditation Criteria
To successfully complete your Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design you must be able to demonstrate that:
1. You can produce detailed permaculture designs;
2. You have put permaculture theory into action and made appropriate changes to your lifestyle and working practice; and
3. You have applied permaculture over a period of at least two years since your design course.
Notes are provided below to assist you in developing a portfolio that clearly meets the criteria.
Notes
The Permaculture Institute of Australia originally issued Diplomas against a list of areas of permaculture work. The list in criteria 3 – Applying Permaculture - has been modified and extended based on experience, with 'general/other' added, and reference made to how complementary criteria fit.
The four complementary criteria show how the Apprentice's work relates to the permaculture network and wider community. The complementary criteria might be more evident in your review of activities than in the actual design descriptions, and you can highlight these criteria by pointing them out specifically, or making them visible in pieces of permaculture design work.
One or more of the complementary criteria may be the major focus of an Apprentice's project, the reason for its development, in which case it would become one of the chosen categories in essential criteria three - 'Applying Permaculture'.
Essential Criteria
1. Demonstrating Design Skills
“The process of using permaculture design tools and processes to create working designs for a client or project”
You have gone through an intentional design process, using the theory and methods of permaculture design a number of times. Ten designs is recommended as a good guide to the level of sufficient work, however this is a recommendation rather than a strict rule, as the level of work for a design can vary greatly. Your portfolio will demonstrate that you:
It is recommended that one of the designs in the portfolio is your Diploma Learning Pathway, and its evaluation.
2. Applying permaculture in your own life
“The process of using permaculture ethics, principles and design strategies to enhance the sustainability of your own life and household”
You can show changes you have made that bring you closer to a sustainable lifestyle, in line with permaculture's ethical framework. The design and implementation of these changes may appear in your portfolio as an example of Demonstrating Design Skills (see above).
You will demonstrate this by:
3. Applying permaculture to your work and projects
“The process of applying permaculture within a given situation to create new systems and resources.”
You will be able to demonstrate how you have used permaculture theory and practice over a period of at least two years since your Permaculture Design Course, in at least one of the following areas:
Evidence within the portfolio can include your permaculture designs and summary of relevant activities. Each major project will show how you have applied permaculture theory and practice.
Complementary Criteria
Complementary criteria add value to the network and your learning. Demonstrating that you meet these criteria is not compulsory. Each of the complementary criteria can be seen to fit within essential criteria three – Applying Permaculture..
4. Dissemination
“The process of sharing your work and insights with others.”
You exhibit a clear sense that you are willing and active in letting other people know about your work through outlets such as:
5. Community Building
“The active process of developing supportive social networks.”
Your work shows an appreciation of how developing design skills can help build capacity for self-reliance and self-determination into any community that you are a part of or allied to. This may be evidenced by:
6. Symmetry
“The process of reciprocating support received from other permaculture individuals and networks.”
Symmetry means giving and receiving developmental support in equal measure. You can show a progression from needing one-way support from the permaculture network for your development as a practitioner, towards being active in offering your support to others within the network. This may be evidenced by:
7. Evaluation and Costings
“The process of increasing the knowledge and understanding of permaculture systems, such as their effectiveness and overall cost.”
Your work shows that you have measured the effectiveness of your work when input costs, resources and efforts are compared to output yields, resources and efficiencies. Some completed evaluations will be included. Typically permaculture costs can include unnecessary work, pollution, and human impact, alongside
the more usual aspects of time, materials, and finances. This may be evidenced with completed observations and system evaluations such as:
1. You can produce detailed permaculture designs;
2. You have put permaculture theory into action and made appropriate changes to your lifestyle and working practice; and
3. You have applied permaculture over a period of at least two years since your design course.
Notes are provided below to assist you in developing a portfolio that clearly meets the criteria.
Notes
- If your diploma has concentrated on the skills and activities of a design consultant ("Design Consultancy" in criteria 3) you must have ten designs.
- Designs do not all have to be land-based.
- They do not all have to have been implemented, but it is recommended that the majority of them are, so that observations and reflections on the designs have been made and learnt from.
- Some of your designs can be concept designs, but some must be detailed.
- Where other people’s ideas and inspirations have been used, they should be acknowledged.
- Design methods and processes can be drawn from a wide range of sources. Where these are not drawn from permaculture literature, references should be given.
- The portfolio should make it easy to see where and how permaculture has been used. A commentary can be given for each project to assist assessors and the accreditation peer group. This can include information about the design process used, where stages of your chosen framework appear, and how ethics and principles have been applied.
The Permaculture Institute of Australia originally issued Diplomas against a list of areas of permaculture work. The list in criteria 3 – Applying Permaculture - has been modified and extended based on experience, with 'general/other' added, and reference made to how complementary criteria fit.
The four complementary criteria show how the Apprentice's work relates to the permaculture network and wider community. The complementary criteria might be more evident in your review of activities than in the actual design descriptions, and you can highlight these criteria by pointing them out specifically, or making them visible in pieces of permaculture design work.
One or more of the complementary criteria may be the major focus of an Apprentice's project, the reason for its development, in which case it would become one of the chosen categories in essential criteria three - 'Applying Permaculture'.
Essential Criteria
1. Demonstrating Design Skills
“The process of using permaculture design tools and processes to create working designs for a client or project”
You have gone through an intentional design process, using the theory and methods of permaculture design a number of times. Ten designs is recommended as a good guide to the level of sufficient work, however this is a recommendation rather than a strict rule, as the level of work for a design can vary greatly. Your portfolio will demonstrate that you:
- can make an accurate and appropriate use of commonly accepted design frameworks;
- are able to make use of a variety of tools, techniques and processes;
- can use methods that suit the clients and situation;
- can create designs that are intelligible, coherent and effective;
- can choose and produce appropriate presentation and documentation for clients and third parties;
- can show a progression in your competence and learning;
- have achieved fluency with a number of design tools and methods.
It is recommended that one of the designs in the portfolio is your Diploma Learning Pathway, and its evaluation.
2. Applying permaculture in your own life
“The process of using permaculture ethics, principles and design strategies to enhance the sustainability of your own life and household”
You can show changes you have made that bring you closer to a sustainable lifestyle, in line with permaculture's ethical framework. The design and implementation of these changes may appear in your portfolio as an example of Demonstrating Design Skills (see above).
You will demonstrate this by:
- using the client interview, base map or other methods to describe the starting points alongside other information relevant to the problem / issue / challenge;
- making reference to design theory, and explaining how permaculture was used to develop a solution;
- illustrating how you implemented the designed solution;
- including some evaluation of its success.
3. Applying permaculture to your work and projects
“The process of applying permaculture within a given situation to create new systems and resources.”
You will be able to demonstrate how you have used permaculture theory and practice over a period of at least two years since your Permaculture Design Course, in at least one of the following areas:
- Site Development: Designing and working on your own or another site and creating a working demonstration of permaculture in action.
- Design Consultancy: Completing permaculture designs for others. Designers wishing to accredit in this area should have no less than ten designs.
- Administration: Directing, conducting or assisting groups, associations and institutes and developing organizational strategies for permaculture work.
- Education: Working on curricula, teaching materials or course work in permaculture education and training.
- Finance: Setting up or operating financial systems for ethical investment, community revolving loan funds or other financial systems.
- Trusteeship: Setting up or operating land or property trusts for ethical ends, or a land office for allied organizations.
- System Establishment and Implementation: Setting up or operating nurseries, earth moving systems, soil conservation strategies or the supply of goods or services to the permaculture community. Working on the implementation of designed systems.
- Art, Media, Culture and Communications: Creating or operating publications or audio-visual and mixed media aids to communication and education in the permaculture community. Written, creative, artistic or cultural work that develops the public's understanding of permaculture. (See Dissemination under complementary criteria.)
- Manufacturing: Establishing or operating strategies or workshops producing hardware or goods for permaculture design use or other essential technologies. Researching and marketing such technologies.
- Community Development: Planning, assisting with, or implementing community development projects, urban systems, villages or work with disadvantaged groups. (See Community Building under complementary criteria.) Community Development can include the development and support of the permaculture network itself. (See Symmetry under complementary criteria.)
- Architecture: Designing or building low cost and low energy use dwellings and structures.
- Research: Making a significant contribution to research in the area or field of academic research into permaculture systems and needs. (See Evaluation and Costing’s under complementary criteria.)
- General / Other: If your work does not fit neatly into the other categories, this category can be used, as long as it is clearly shown how permaculture has been used.
Evidence within the portfolio can include your permaculture designs and summary of relevant activities. Each major project will show how you have applied permaculture theory and practice.
Complementary Criteria
Complementary criteria add value to the network and your learning. Demonstrating that you meet these criteria is not compulsory. Each of the complementary criteria can be seen to fit within essential criteria three – Applying Permaculture..
4. Dissemination
“The process of sharing your work and insights with others.”
You exhibit a clear sense that you are willing and active in letting other people know about your work through outlets such as:
- writing magazine articles
- adding case studies and articles to the Association website;
- showing visitors around projects;
- writing up research for peer review;
- leading workshops, giving talks and presentations;
- seeking teaching spots on courses.
5. Community Building
“The active process of developing supportive social networks.”
Your work shows an appreciation of how developing design skills can help build capacity for self-reliance and self-determination into any community that you are a part of or allied to. This may be evidenced by:
- setting up and contributing to Peer Support Guilds
- convening courses or events
- being active in developing a local permaculture group
- supporting or developing a local bio-regional network or transition town initiative
- local community projects, e.g. LETS, eco-schools, community composting, car sharing, etc.
6. Symmetry
“The process of reciprocating support received from other permaculture individuals and networks.”
Symmetry means giving and receiving developmental support in equal measure. You can show a progression from needing one-way support from the permaculture network for your development as a practitioner, towards being active in offering your support to others within the network. This may be evidenced by:
- supporting local permaculture courses;
- working as an apprentice to an established designer;
- making a short film about your local group for publicity use;
- helping to redevelop a local permaculture group’s finance systems from own skills;
- supporting another practitioner to document and record their work;
- volunteering to support or develop a project within the Association.
7. Evaluation and Costings
“The process of increasing the knowledge and understanding of permaculture systems, such as their effectiveness and overall cost.”
Your work shows that you have measured the effectiveness of your work when input costs, resources and efforts are compared to output yields, resources and efficiencies. Some completed evaluations will be included. Typically permaculture costs can include unnecessary work, pollution, and human impact, alongside
the more usual aspects of time, materials, and finances. This may be evidenced with completed observations and system evaluations such as:
- extended input-output analysis of the design / system;
- ecological footprint analysis of a permaculture system;
- a cost benefit analysis of a design;
- comparative research between different approaches;
- other research activities that contribute to permaculture understanding and knowledge of the effectiveness of permaculture systems.