Ethical Lifestyle Toolkit and Training

Taking a values-driven ‘de-consumption’ approach, it aims to develop an online toolkit and training programme that will provide an Introduction to Ethical Living. Ten topic modules will later be developed that look at specific sectors and 3 ethical ‘ScaleUp’ modules will explore how ethical choices can be rolled out across work and community life to create a holistic ethical lifestyle. The use of the toolkit will be supported through blended face-to-face and online training.

Project update

We successfully raised seed funding in January 2020 to scope, develop and trial an Introduction to Ethical Lifestyles Course and toolkit.

The team at Ethical Consumer and the Permaculture Association have now agreed a project plan and timeline for this work and have begun the first development phase - discovering the wealth of tools and resources that already exist. We are considering how accessible these are and how we can bring these together to fill any gaps.

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Who is developing the toolkit?

Ethical Consumer, Permaculture Association (Britain) and the International Permaculture Education Network are pooling our knowledge and experience to develop the toolkit and blended training programme. We also plan to build the partnership going forward by facilitating:

• Themed working group meetings

• Scheduling quarterly open collaborators' meetings

Alongside these regular online gatherings, focus groups, surveys and the online training piloting phase (expected December 2020) offer opportunities for different networks, organisations and individuals to feed in and direct the project.

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Why is this project needed?

Existing tools and educational resources are often largely focused on single issues, for example, animal rights, the environment or fair trading. This leads to an information overload in certain areas and a deficit in others. Many people also feel unable to take a holistic approach or apply knowledge to their own living.

In our survey of over 400 people, respondents stated that they had more knowledge on ethical living than they were able to implement.

The current climate breakdown and ecological crisis also show the need for a holistic, cross-issue approach, moving away from a consumerism-based angle to a reduced impact ‘quality-of-life approach’ and the need to provide the resources which can produce clear personal action plans for change.

ELT will fill this gap in educational resources by focusing on values-driven ‘de-consumption’ of:

a) high-impact consumer goods and services, and

b) unhealthy lifestyles;

shifting to quality-based, ‘mainstream’ ethical lifestyle choices and proactive ‘consumer’, community and work choices.

In order to transition to a sustainable society, it is also vital to establish best practice for education in making low-impact choices and adopting more sustainable / regenerative lifestyles. Taking an action-learning and ongoing evaluation approach, ELT will provide evidence for developing successful educational resources in the future.

For further information please contact Anna on 0161 226 2929 or email anna[@]ethicalconsumer.org.