Erika Karman

About me

Around 20 years ago, I realised that there is nothing else I wanted to work on, contribute or commit to other than environmental-related projects. I believe that if we do not prioritise these issues, soon there will be nothing to talk about – and working internationally on these issues is also important. Having hands-on experience of what I am talking in my projects is equally important. I live in a small village, building an eco-value-based community, hosting and sending international volunteers (ESC), growing our own food in our permaculture garden and running social businesses in the capital. I have worked mainly on sustainability-focused projects for more than 20 years now. However, I have a great network both nationally and internationally, including members of large green movements (Via Campesina, Urgency, Green Peace, etc.). I do not consider myself the activist who is on the front line shouting for change but am more of a doer – the one who creates new waves in communities to discover, learn, and achieve.

• I have experience on agroecology and food sovereignty and based on these values I started a local-seasonal-organic shopping community 10 years ago that grew into a social-eco business in Budapest (www.szatyorbolt.hu)
• I learned deep ecology from Joanna Macy and I organize workshops to rediscover our connectedness to nature
• I run an NGO that hosts ESC volunteers and realize Erasmus+ KA1 and KA2 projects
• I work in my own village community for real human connections, food and energy resilience

My skills

• small and big group facilitation (online as well)
• non-formal education approach in educational processes (mainly trainings)
• project planning skills
• project management skills
• good practices from own experiences (or failures, but still own experiences:)
• field experience on European Solidarity Corps Program (from QL to project implementation)
• field experience on KA1 and KA2 projects design and  implementation
• international networks
• organizational development with leadership focus

Why you should work with me

I believe that real impact comes from the duplication then multiplication of good practices. Whenever I am involved in a training course, study visit, etc., the most important thing is not what happens at the event, but what happens afterwards when the participants return to their daily lives. I feel my work is valuable if it inspires, empowers and makes people move towards their goals. I choose tools and methods in a way that ensures nature is present as much as possible, and I try to connect to system thinking so that relations, causes and impacts are obvious. I initiated a project where we supported educators to use tools and methods connected to sustainability (ecofacilitators.org). I use a range of different tools but my favourites – which I think are the most powerful – are in the ‘work that reconnects’ (from Joanna Macy). I use many of the methods she developed and adapt them to recent issues.

My work experiences

My main related work experiences in the last 5 years (only on non-formal and NGO field):

• Trainings (Live Sustainably, CSA (community supported agriculture) community development
• Carrying out and facilitating KA1 projects (Youth Exchanges - permaculture, sustainable food systems etc)
• Coordinating a KA2 project (Eco-facilitators - 2017-2019, Community living and facilitation - 2022)
• Delivering deep ecology workshops
• Member of Youth@Work trainers' pool since 2019 (Building Eco-literacy TC, study visit on Social Businesses on Sustainability and Social Inclusion
• member of trainers' pool of the Hungarian National Agency (trainings for international volunteers, mentors, practitioners, social businesses etc)

My education & training

I do not have any formal education on training, only on organisational development using a supervision approach (postgraduation, ISB International School, Budapest). I learned how to be a trainer at non-formal education events, short-term training for trainers, WTR workshops, an art of hosting workshop, group dynamic and process trainings. I studied human ecology (non-formal one-year course) which gave me a deeper understanding of recent environmental challenges and the impact of human beings on climate-change processes. I learned human ecology   (non formal  1 year course) and this study gave my a deeper understanding recent environmental challenges and the humans' impact on climate change processes

My references

Esther Vallado - she is the member of GreenR Ildikó Gulácsi - coordinator of international TCA-NET events at the Hungarian National Agency in Hungary ildiko.gulacsi@tpf.hu