Inspirational Talks and Workshops
Ecoburbia is about creating more sustainable, connected and resilient communities. The work we do includes running hands-on workshops for local councils and other organisations, presenting the award-winning Living Smart course, and giving talks and presentations to different groups. Workshops range from compost-making to solar passive house design; from preserving to green cleaning. A list of our workshop offerings is below.
The workshops are also available as displays where people can interact and ask questions of a more informal nature. These displays are perfect for fairs and fetes, or for use outside a library or community centre.
All our workshops are carefully evaluated. As well as information about general satisfaction with the workshop, data about participants’ confidence to be able to put what they’ve learnt to use is taken before and after the workshop. The graph below is an average of our workshops in 2022.
Our most popular workshops include:
- Creating compost
- Checking out chickens
- Growing your own food – what can you do in your backyard?
- Create your own veggie bed
- Seed saving and plant propagation
- Solar passive house design
- Water collection and reuse for the suburbs
- Building geographic community in your neighbourhood
- Green cleaning
- Urban beekeeping
- Cooking with the sun
- Keeping a goat – could it be for you?
- Preserving the harvest
- Retrosuburbia – a book review
- Frugal Hedonism – a book review
- Goal setting and life planning
- Redefining retirement
- Tours of Ecoburbia have proved popular with individuals and families, as well as with universities and school groups – a tour makes a very different staff development opportunity!
From an hour ‘lunch and learn’ session to a whole day conference or series of workshops, we are happy to tailor a program to meet your needs. Get in touch with us to discuss what might suit your group.
Facilitation Services
Throughout Shani’s career in education she has facilitated groups – from school staff to major principals’ conferences. Shani’s favourite facilitation tool is Open Space. She has used this technology to facilitate discussions for groups of 13 to 250 participants.
Shani is also a practised master of ceremonies. She is often asked to host panels, and manages questions from the floor with flair and humour. She loves being the MC at conferences, and does a wonderful poetry ‘round up’ of the conference events.
Shani is also a marriage celebrant, and is skilled at not only the ceremony presentation itself, but in guiding couples to create a meaningful ceremony and ritual that reflects their love and commitment. You can find out more here –www..shanigrahammarriagecelebrant.com/
Tim as an Artist
Tim Darby started his career as a sculptor, and his first degree was in Fine Arts. He is a talented illustrator and watercolour artist, and is available for illustration commissions. His style especially suits children’s books.
Sand Sculpture
Most recently Tim has enjoyed dabbling in sculpture again, this time working with sand, and has quickly become one of the best sand sculptors in Australia. Have a look at his sand sculpture website – www.sandsculpturewa.com
Tim as a musician
Having sung with the world-renowned Lost Quays for many years, Tim has now started two bands. His duo with Donald Wilson is called The Alfalfa Males It is hard to pin down their styles but ‘folkesque tinged with political satire’ seems to be the current description.
Tim’s other band String and Bone combines an electric cello (Jerome Argue) and trombone (Karri Harper -Meredith). They have a bigger sound with a bit more funk.
Tim’s website has more information about all of his creative endeavours- www.timdarbycreative.com
