Earth Moves Online Community Garden Course

We have written this course because we believe in community gardens and their potential to benefit both people and nature.

This course is a step-by-step guide that anyone can follow, showing how to start a community garden with little to no financial investment. Learn about obtaining funding, working with groups, writing policies and dealing with authorities.

We have established several community gardens and are currently working on a 4-acre site, where we are creating forest gardens and spaces for education and well-being. We are also responsible for preserving the natural environment on the site.

We have won awards for our work and engaged with a wide diversity of people.

All the beautiful pictures are from our gardens and events, and we hope they will inspire you to create your own, in the way your group prefers.

Learning to grow food together is a valuable skill that provides food for free and empowers people who may be crucial in a crisis.

This course is highly comprehensive and is suitable for all levels of experience and understanding.

We are sharing information, policy, funding strategies and ideas on how to organise your group and create a garden, small or large, for your community.

Community gardens can create immense joy and have a profoundly positive impact on well-being, improving the environment and fostering community connections.

This Community Gardening online course is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of community gardening and its benefits. Whether you're a beginner with no gardening experience or an experienced gardener looking to contribute to your local community, this course will equip you with the knowledge and skills to start and maintain a thriving community.

Steps to Creating a Garden

Starting a community garden may feel daunting. Follow these steps to get the project started!

Using fun techniques like Vision boards and planning strategies, you can plan and explain the steps to take when and how to find a space.

Topics You Will Learn

Researching the Space
Milestones for Your Community Garden: Helping you to organise how to plan what to do and when
Prepare and Develop the Site: We will outline the steps you need to take to prepare and locate suitable land for development.
Wildlife Garden
Features for Your Garden
Wellbeing and Volunteering in Community Gardens
How to Get Funding for Your Project
Ecopsychology and Ecotherapy
How to Work Together and Create Safe Spaces
Introduction to Permaculture
Climate Change
Sustainability and the Community Garden
Introduction to Make Your Community Garden Course

Trees and Plants
Wellbeing and Volunteering in Community Gardens
How to Get Funding for Your Project
Ecopsychology and Ecotherapy
How to Work Together and Create Safe Spaces
Sign up for the course here

Course Format

The course will be conducted entirely online, allowing participants to learn at their own pace and convenience. Course materials are accessible through the Thinkific Learning platform, which will include video lectures, reading materials, interactive quizzes, and discussion forums.

Course Duration: The "Introduction to Community Gardening" course is designed as a self-paced learning experience, with an estimated completion time of approximately 4 to 6 weeks. However, participants will have access to the course materials for a year, allowing them to review and revisit the content as needed.

Who can benefit from this course?

This course is suitable for individuals of all backgrounds, including beginners interested in community gardening and experienced gardeners looking to engage with their local community. This course teaches you how to communicate with the authorities and corporate groups.

Urban planners, educators, business owners, schools, housing associations, and community organisers will find this course very useful if they have the ambition to create a community garden.

Prerequisites: No prior gardening experience or knowledge is required to enrol in this course. A basic understanding of gardening concepts and a willingness to learn and contribute!

Course Certificate: Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive a certificate of achievement, recognising their commitment to learning and understanding of community gardening principles.

Participating in this course is potentially life-changing. Participating in a community garden is a way to give back and improve your own well-being, making deep connections with people and nature. You nurture the community in many ways, enhancing biodiversity, creating beauty, and cultivating healthy food. You can make a community garden that brings people together and contributes to the well-being of your community!