Building the Ecology of

Choosing to build ecological change

We, the natural builders in Europe, have strived for decades to live and operate in harmony and balance with Earth’s carrying capacity. We are applying ecological construction, alternative technology and collective approaches. In local and in cross-border cooperation, we have developed high quality training standards, programs and resources about how to build with healthy natural materials. They are to be shared with an even broader audience. They can be integrated into any vocational
and higher education and training, initial or continuous, for any level and target. We are here to help you to access these resources and skills. This is the first reason why we decided to set up a train-the-trainer course.

Is this enough to shift our thinking away from the one that has created the problems we’re facing in the first place? We believe that a more fundamental change is not only necessary but underway. We want to contribute to new, life affirming cultures, with new behaviour patterns, lifestyles, decision making processes and governance, as well as educational, economic, operational and social structures. This transition requires the alignment of all our work, motivation and innovative power. And first and foremost, it requires a change at the level of consciousness. One person at a time. That is the second reason why we want to address trainers. We believe that transforming our teaching practice itself will further help us pioneer societal change.

You, as trainers, educators and teachers in times of deep planetary social and environmental crisis, are part of the solution. Assisting young and adult learners in their discovery and growth in these times may be challenging. And it is uplifting too, when the magic operates and faces light up with understanding, mastery or success, small or big, for individuals or for
teams. Imagine that moreover, you could promote empathy, awareness, openness and creativity. Create space for recovery, muse and play and convey the basics of a participatory, solidarity-based and fair society.

You, craftspeople passionate about combining modern and old construction methods, innovating from tradition, are the holders of the knowledge. You have the skills to build, renovate, decorate, design with natural materials. Imagine you are part of a community of practice that shares tools and methods about teaching earth building, straw bale building,
eco-friendly, healthy, sustainable architecture. Imagine that you gain confidence and experience in facilitation and communication.

You, ready to explore the bigger picture, ask the deeper questions, are part of the many who are willing to start by applying the change to their own life. Imagine you are offered a place where everyone’s input is valued and gifts are freely shared, combining hard and soft skills, learning from each other?

Our course materials are aimed at but not limited to trainers in eco-building: we’re inviting in learners, builders, teachers, managers, organisations from any horizon.
Come join us on our journey to building ecological change, learning together to hand- and heart-craft conditions conducive to life!

What is JUMP! Training for change? It is a training and workshop offer that has grown from the European earth building and straw bale building networks. At its root, JUMP! has been developed as a set of 4 modules, focussing on the core principles and practices underlying the work of trainers in ecological building: sustainability, cooperating, assessing, building and teaching.

As such, JUMP! is not a technical training in eco-construction, it is a common core curriculum for experienced and for new trainers. The acronyms for the 4 modules are SUSTAIN, TEACH, ASSESS, COOP.
JUMP! questions the values and attitudes that underlie current teaching practices and offers scientific, cultural and educational evidence and tools to install new practices.

What does it mean for our daily life and work practice, when we say, for example:
‘We are part of nature and the natural elements are part of us.’
‘We are all interdependent, nothing exists independently, everything is connected.’
‘We are responsible for our cultures, individually and collectively.’
‘We act for the interest of all life on the planet.’
‘Every person matters.’
‘We believe that globalisation gives us the opportunity for more humanity.’
JUMP! is a collective experiencing and searching of how to convey and embody these guiding principles and ideals.

Let’s JUMP!

What for? While we have been growing our networks, technical and conceptual solutions, companies and competence, the global, life-threatening crisis is reaching unprecedented and shocking levels. To our understanding, the construction sector bears a great share of responsibility for the damage and destruction of the biosphere, therefor we see ourselves as active players for the reversal.
We already know how to create a building or group of buildings which restore healthy, inspiring living and working environments, using site sourced and natural materials, that affect us positively, and that enhance the local or global biodiversity.

What else can we do? Ecological building is about more than materials, techniques and footprints. What if we could impact the conditions on site and bring social change to the site workers? What if we could engage and support youth to transition site conditions, seeking their active involvement in the process of skills transfer, offering them tools gained from our efforts?

Humanity needs a fertile ground from which technology and skills as well as perceptions, beliefs, values and attitudes can emerge, thrive and spread.
Our contribution to this is the JUMP! training framework, following new and, at the same time, indigenous, sensitive paths. We have agreed to consciously and consistently work with both material and intangible and human aspects in our trainings.

JUMP! can work with other movements, grass-root and institutional initiatives pointing in the same direction and rooted in the same vision. With YOU – put your first name, your company or organisation’s name here! – we want to channel these into our practice:

  • A living bond between people and the environment
  • Regeneration and natural rhythms
  • Resource conservation and circular economy
  • Recognition of intangible aspects and complexity
  • Comprehensive, environmental accounting for the commons
  • Social justice, inclusion and creative participation
  • Diversity, networking and learning from each other

Let’s Jump! – together

Download here the complete Jump! Training for Change Manifesto.