Strategies to Widen Participation : Survey Results

For this small survey, responses were given by only eight EPT partner countries (ES, GE, FR, BG, SLO, CZ, NL), whose educational activities are conducted in more than 17 countries in Europe and other parts of the world. Spain is exceptional in this case with reaching people in 4 continents through on-line teaching.

Educational activities are mostly focused on urban and suburban environments with rural context represented rarely. The activities mostly take form as a short workshop (e.g. 0,5-1 day long), public talks and PDC courses. Not so often as longer (e.g. 2 days long) permaculture courses, diploma pathways and other forms as property development, full vocational. Academic permaculture education school establishment, spreading of printed info, environmental awareness activities, FETAC students in Ireland etc.

The questionnaire asked each responder to describe the strategy they use in the specific country and to answer the questions: ‘Which target groups is this strategy designed for?’ and ‘Which groups of society this strategy does not reach?’ The summary of results shows that the most popular target groups are:

  • people with low educational background
  • unemployed (economic restraints)

And following groups are the least popular:

  • homeless people
  • non-native speakers
  • “disabled” (bodily, mentally)
  • children (up to 12 years)

The least popular groups are also mentioned as the groups usually not reached. But the list of non-reachable groups can be supplemented with following groups:

  • multi ethnical people
  • old people (65+)