On most days, it seems to me that we are all very hard at work, contentiously destroying all other forms of life sharing this planet with us.
But there is a movement. Some talk about rewilding, about functioning landscapes and nature restauration and recovery. Others invite biodiversity back on their piece of land and call it extensive agriculture or punk-gardening.
There is a movement of humans making space for nature.
It’s here, it’s growing and it’s deliciously irresistible.
Going wild, seriously is a cog in that movement.
It helps people nurture their will and capacity to act for nature restauration.
In practice, it is a walk. Along the way, we make time for joyous and serious brakes: simple interactive moments of learning, reflection and creation.
The design is heavily inspired by the principles of transformative or experiential learning.
Participants are not taught. They are not expected to simply absorb new facts and act on them, like rational machines. Instead, they update their assumptions and attitudes through a process of self-discovery and exploration.
This happens through different steps:
- Experiencing an unusual situation: the workshop doesn’t stick to the participant’s usual idea of a workshop.
- Critically assessing assumptions: we invite participants to critically reflect on their existing knowledge, through personal questions and interactions.
- Acquiring new knowledge: by interacting with their peers and through authentic stories, participants gain access to new information that helps them update their prior knowledge.
- Exploring options for new roles: the playful and cooperative experience helps participants show vulnerability and opens the possibility for change.