Re: step by step community formation

I believe the most important resource book is from:
Diana Leafe Christian:  "Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to 
Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities" available from <ic.org> or 
<ena.ecovillage.org>.

Of particular importance in starting up a community is to avoid building 
in structural conflict.  Get it right at the front end, so the group 
does not have to spend it's adolescence doing social retrofitting.  She 
recommends six steps.  Does someone else out there have them handy to 
share with BT?

Also, available on the <ic.org> site is a subscription to "Communities 
Magazine," the trade publication for the intentional communities and 
ecovillage movement.  There are dozens of back issues available that are 
as timely as when first published.  Also, check out the bookstore at the 
<ic.org> site.

"The Permaculture Activist" is a handy resource publication as well, a 
quarterly that you can order on line at 
<http://www.permacultureactivist.net/>.

Much good luck.

Lois
L.A. Eco-Village/CRSP Institute for Urban Ecovillages

BT Benjaminson wrote:

> Shalom from Israel
> I'm new to the list and new to the process of building a community. I do 
> have a permaculture design certificate and several years experience in 
> hands-on sustainable living in a rural setting.
> Some friends and I intend to establish an ecovillage here in the 
> semi-arid south of our country.
> With the help of an experienced permaculturist active in the area, we 
> have idenfied a likely location in one corner of an existing 
> agricultural co-op community ("moshav") and have collected a list of 
> around 20 people who are interested enough to receive e-mails about the 
> project. One potential leader has emerged.
> Some of us feel the urgent imperative of establishing a community that 
> can function in a wobbly energy decline situation, others are just keen 
> on connecting with the land or with a loving group of people.
> I have very little leadership experience and I sense the difficulty of 
> bringing people into a commitment if they have not already been educated 
> and motivated in community building. Needless to say, in this country we 
> have a great emotional struggle in the face of various political, 
> religious, and security issues. It is difficult to create a "safe 
> container" for people and to get them to commit time to a venture that 
> still seems very doubtful.
> Now, to the question -- where on the Internet can I find guidance for 
> successfully building a strong community from scratch, or what one book 
> would be suitable in order to study this topic?
> So far no one has appeared that has the kind of money needed to attend 
> Findhorn or other ecovillage training programs, so this is the best we 
> can do in the meantime.
> Any suggestions?
> Thank you in advance.
> Bat-Tzion Benjaminson
> 
> 
> 
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