In late March we will be launching our first ever crowdfunder. We’ve been doing some excellent work and building the Ecodharma Centre since 2008. We know that this work has touched many of you and brought real benefits. This is the first time we have asked our networks for this kind of support. We hope you will help. With your support we are going to raise €40,000 for the final renovation of the new Ulex Project education centre!
We are developing a new residential training centre where activists, campaigners and socially engaged people from across Europe can develop the skills and relationships necessary to make their work really effective. The programme will draw on our previous work which integrates inner and social transformation in unique and empowering ways. It will provide a much-needed space for resourcing, deep reflection and skills development. We think it is the most exciting initiative that the Ecodharma team have undertaken. And we’re asking you to join us to contest our future together.
There are four ways you can help us make next month’s crowdfunder a success.
- Be a Founding Donor: We’re looking for 20 amazing people to commit to donating between €500 – €2000 during the first few days of the Crowdfunding campaign. This will give the campaign a massive confidence boost that will really get the ball rolling for the following 40 days. (We’ve done our research and this really makes a difference!) Could you be one of these? Or know anyone who could?
- Be a Fundraising Superhero : We’re looking for 20 people who will commit to use their networks and creativity to raise between €500 – €2000 during the 40 day crowdfund. This will involve getting other people excited about the project, and approaching friends, family, organisations and broader networks to ask for donations. This would be such an enormous help.
- Be a Comms Superstar: We’re looking for people to help us spread the word of the Crowdfunder through their networks, projects, communities and organisations! This will mean helping us get the word out there across your social media platforms, email lists and work/friend/family relationship networks. We will provide regular updates and social media posts that can help you.
- Just give what you can and spread the word in whatever way you are able!
The crowdfund launches in late March. In the meantime, please let us know if you can pledge to support us in any of the ways described by firing off an email to lindsay@ulexproject.org . We’ll be sending out informationagain as it gets closer!
What is the Ulex Project
The Ulex Project is possibly the most exciting initiative that the Ecodharma team have ever undertaken. Building on years of successfully innovating and developing trainings which integrate inner and social transformation, we are launching a new education centre and training programme. The new Ulex Project training centre will extend Ecodharma’s reach and enable us to support activists and organisers all across Europe.
Europe’s facing some deep social and ecological challenges. There’s a fragmenting political climate and the far right is gaining ground in many places. At the same time, there’s an inspiring renewal of participation in progressive social movements. Growing numbers of people are stepping up to shape our future.
For our progressive movements to be resilient and to have real impact, capacity building and training are essential. To really make a difference, we need spaces to renew, reskill and reimagine. We need places to train and strategise for action. That is what the Ulex Project offers. The website unpacks our approach in detail, as well as listing the launch programme of trainings between Autumn 2017 and Summer 2018.
Ecodharma has always been underpinned by the practices and principles of Buddhism. But our work reaches out to a wide range of people working for progressive social change and ecological integrity. To give our important work greater reach, the Ulex Project will provide an entirely secular framing for some aspects of our work. We will be building on the strand of our work that focuses on social change and using these trainings as a core of signature trainings for the new and innovative programme. We are also reaching out to the networks of trainers and activists we have built up to showcase best practices and innovative work.
Ulex will provide high-quality trainings building social movement capacity for social justice and ecological integrity. It will establish a residential training centre serving the needs of social movements for the long haul. It will be a place for collaboration and innovation, enabling the responsive development of social movement training in Europe. It will offer a hub that strengthens connections for pan-European solidarity and social movement resilience. To make it happen we need your help!
ecodharma 