Starting new Ecovillages, Cohousing Neighborhoods, and other Sustainable Communities
August 20-21-22, Friday through Sunday, 9 AM - 5:30 PM

East Bay Cohousing (EBCOHO) is proud to host the first California three-day workshop led by Diana Leafe Christian, Ecovillage documentarian and communities movement author/editor/organizer from North Carolina.

We've hosted her 2-day version of this in past years, to a full house and rave reviews, so reserve your seat today. We've negotiated some spectacular early-bird pricing good through August 9th, and we've got $50 discounts for EBCOHO Supporting Members (upgrade your membership today and save over half the price of membership at once!) and for multiple people registering together.

With dynamic presentations, lively small-group exercises, frequent photo-rich slide shows, and many stories and anecdotes about how real-life communities solved their problems, the workshop covers the major steps needed to start and maintain a healthy, thriving Ecovillage, cohousing neighborhood, or other kind of intentional community.

"I don't think I ever learned so much in such a short time." — Susana Michaelis, Pacific Gardens Cohousing, Nanaimo, B.C.

Topics for the 3-day workshop include:

• Antidotes for common kinds of "structural conflict" and interpersonal conflict
  
• The "Board Game" — demonstrating the relationship between mission, membership process, and decision-making method
  
• Methods for building trust and connection, increasing social capital, and dealing with "the challenging group member"
  
• Case histories of how real ecovillages purchased, financed & developed their sites
  
• Permaculture-based site plan design principles and examples from real ecovillages
  
• Community economics and internal community finances.

The workshop is "information-dense" — with 60-90 minute sections and many breaks. A handout booklet is included.

Diana is author of Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages & Intentional Communities, and Finding Community: How to Join an Ecovillage or Intentional Community. Communities magazine Editor for 14 years, she now publishes Ecovillages.

Diana leads workshops, offers consultations, and speaks at conferences internationally. Her articles have appeared in Mother Earth News, Permaculture Activist, and the Encyclopedia of Community. Diana lives in an off-grid homesite at Earthaven Ecovillage in North Carolina.

"Many Windsong members said it was the best workshop they'd ever attended". —Valerie McIntyre, Windsong Cohousing, Langley, B.C.

Location: The Long Haul, 3124 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley

2 blocks from Ashby BART; onstreet parking available

Price for all three days: $260 early-bird discount for registrations paid by August 9; $285 afterwards
EBCOHO Supporting Members: SAVE $50 on a full-workshop registration: $210 early-bird discount, $235 after the 9th.

Bring a friend or housemate or co-op member or future neighbor and SAVE BIG: Just $220 each (an $80 savings overall) when two people register together, or $210 each (a $150 savings) when three register together ($235 each after August 9th).

“Worth six months of individual research on how to form a new community.” —David Boddy, San Mateo, California

Got questions about this rare opportunity? Contact the organizers or call (510) 842-6224.

Produced by Cohousing California

The event will run about 9 AM 'til 5:30 PM all three days, with an optional no-host lunch midway; order at Cafe Valparaiso across the street, stroll to several choices within a few blocks (including the Berkeley Bowl) or bring your own. The door will be locked once we get started each day; please arrive promptly so we don't have to interrupt to let you in.

The Long Haul is wheelchair accessible, including the restroom, but it does have a lot of old books on the walls in case you're sensitive to such things. BYO coffee or pick up a cup at the Nomad cafe 2 blocks South if you're

Ashby BART is just 2 blocks away; AC transit has bus stops right out front from Oakland and Berkeley. There should be parking available on-street (although a neighbor warns: don't leave anything out in the car if you don't want it broken into).

EBCOHO co-organizers/Cohousing Coaches Betsy and Raines will alternate hosting.

• Field trip to see a Tumbleweed Tiny Home (Sebastopol, Sat 8/14)
  
• 611 EcoVillage: rent-to-own open house (Oakland, Sun 8/15) NEW!
  
• NVC & Permaculture Leader Kit Miller on Transition Movement Heart & Soul call 8/18
  
• Free Ecovillages Slide Show with Diana Leafe Christian in Emeryville 8/19 Thursday evening
  
• Growing a Successful Ecovillage or Intentional Community, a 3-day workshop with Diana
  
• Cohousing Bus Tour 8/21 (discounted for EBCOHO Members & Supporting Members)
  
• Cohousing & Sustainable Communities reception and virtual tour via slideshow/video (Berkeley, 8/21 Sat eve) NEW!
  
• Senior Cohousing Study Group with Alameda Elder Village formation team: 10-week series (8/25)
  
• Two-year Facilitation Intensive Series starting in September

• Affordable "Instant Cohousing" homes in a 7-unit Victorian mansion in North Oakland's Golden Gate district, near Emeryville
  
• A one-year rental of a 3-bedroom home at Pleasant Hill Cohousing
  
• Several apartments in 611 Ecovillage, an Oakland shared house with rent-to-own options
  
• A room for rent at the Church of Soul community near West Oakland BART
  
• An end-of-the-year 1.5-month sublet and a near-term roommate opportunity at Temescal Creek cohousing
  
• Openings in Nevada City, Fresno, Cotati (Sonoma County), San Luis Obispo area communities (Cohousing California)
  
• New communities in Mountain View, Grass Valley, and Auburn with sites