In August the “Allee der Kosmonauten” in Berlin will turn into the “Allee der Visionauten”, giving space for future visions, developed by high school students. During the weekend of 24^th to 26^th of August, the student’s visions for specific locations along this avenue will be shown in public. Guided tours will lead around a series of performances, arts, film and sound installations. Be surprised how the students will transform e.g. an abandoned cinema with broken windows, a tunnel, a brownfield, or a socialist monument into a visionary space.

The project “Allee der Visionauten” that works with arts classes of different grades, has been developed by the media artist company Reality Remixed in cooperation with the Akademie für Visionautik and the Wilhelm-von–Siemens Gymnasium, located in the Allee der Kosmonauten.

After a few sessions of research on the location, this week the Academy of Visionautics led the students into a vision development process. It was the first time the Academy of Visionautics, having its roots in adult education, worked with high school students, and we found out: Yes! Visionautics works also with schoolchildren and it is fun!

Visionautics spring methodology lab has just finished, and an exciting journey towards their vision has just started for a brand new batch of visionauts. Esther Vallado, head of the NGO Biodiversa in Spain, was one of them and shares her reflections about the lab:

In a beautiful and inspiring location, the Arts and Crafts Institute in Kloster Lehnin, and in close contact with nature, 13 participants from Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Morocco, Egypt, Poland, Spain and the Netherlands, ready to expect the unexpected, experienced the visionautic methodology and blossomed just as flowers in spring.

The lab was not just one lab, but 13 labs in one, as every participant felt the course was tailor-made for their personality, their project and their personal needs for improvement. The interaction between participants and facilitators was constant, and the space for improvisation huge.

The visionautic facilitators found out that I had the intention to become a trainer, but I had never had the chance to practice before, so they gave me the opportunity to test my facilitation skills right in the visionautic lab. This was such a valuable experience for me. I gained confidence and self-assurance, and I am now determined to continue my path as a trainer/facilitator, knowing that I am more than good enough for it.

Alongside with the conceptual and mainly practical programme, there were also some unconventional activities planned, such as arrow-breaking and fire-walking.

You might think: “what did you break an arrow with the soft part of your throat for? And what did you walk on fire for? Isn’t it just something crazy?”  But, apart from having fun with it, I had a very valuable experiencial learning through these activities. I overcame many fears and I was able to face challenges which seemed absolutely impossible. After this I am confident that I will achieve what I envision for my future. Whenever I encounter a difficulty, I will think, “Come on, I’ve walked on fire, this can’t be more difficult than that!” Also, these activities helped me train myself into keeping the focus towards my aim. The dancing and singing along the fire brought my spirit closer to the roots of humankind, and made me feel one with the planet… it was the magic in the fire and the atmosphere of unity within the group that supported me.

Another part of the programme that I specially enjoyed was the “visionautics quest”, some sort of  scavenger hunt in which every path you take is different and adapted to your needs or questions. In my very personal visionautic quest path I could tackle in a very playful way the issues I had to solve to get my life-project going with full energy.

I will need several weeks to process all the learnings and feelings I had during the lab, paraphrasing Claudia, one of the participants: “taking part in a visionautic lab is a life altering experience“.

(By Esther Vallado, Spain, participant in the Visionautics Spring Methodology Lab 2012)

Yesterday, Esther Vallado, head of the NGO Biodiversa in Spain and participant of the recent Visionautic methodology lab has been interviewed by RadioAsturias about the Visionautic lab. Listen to the interview here: Entrevista Visionauticas en Radioasturias

We are happy to announce, that we do not only have participants from Egypt, Danmark, Poland, Netherlands, France, Spain, Austria, Italy, Marocco and Germany, but also a journalist of the management magazine brand eins at our Spring lab at the beginning of April. We are closing application today, so if you are spontaneous you can still join us on this exiting ride.

In the summer 2010 we had a wonderful meeting on a hausboat in the Berlin – Tiergarten and founded our association “Network for social innovation e.V.”. The association will work as a legal body for many of the activities of the Academy of Visionautics. Today we finally got the official charity status! Yippee!  So: If you want to reduce your incometax – don’t hesitate – fund us! :-)

Last Oktober we set apple seeds to grow with our good intentions for the learning partnership “Hosting Transformation – best practices on facilitating sustainable innovation and active citizenship” with
SOL Hungary, Knowmads Netherlands,  Embercombe UK,  Youth Initiative Program Sweden, Art Monastery Italy and  Plenum Austria.

With the first early spring days the seeds thrive now. May they become strong and beautiful trees with delicious fruits to nourish many people and their dreams.

Who says that winter in Germany is tough and cold?
For sure, the one the Academy of Visionautics experienced was not, since it was warmed up by a lab full of colours, meaning, joy and inspiration!
From the 13th to the 24th of February, 13 new Visionauts have been engaging with a journey into their own creativity, and their personal and professional development. In these days, new visions for a positive impact on society have been developed, and all sorts of ideas formed concrete shape.

In the magical location of Kloster Lehnin, with an iced lake that provided the perfect landscape for risk-taking challenges, the Academy guided the participants to see their ideas emerge and plan their implementation. The holistic approach also included instilling high motivation and energy with body-experiences such as arrow breaking, bar bending and fire walking.

Amongst others the topics were:
-A non retirement community of elders that redefines ageing in the 21st century near Barcelona by Gil Agnew;
-The startup of a tourist company specialised in learning journeys for social entrepreneurship in Brasil by Richard Brownsdon;
-The startup of a company for the recycling of old electric appliances in Budapest with an integrative, local approach by Orsolya Fülöp.

Beside the co-initiators Jutta and Boris Goldammer, and the staff members Joos van den Dool and Valentina Catena, participants have been supported by a solid crew of 7 coaches (each of them offering  different approaches ranging from systemic approaches, NLP, graphic facilitation, bodyintegrated coaching and goal oriented coaching) and 4 professional consultants (on viral marketing, PR and communication, business strategy and finances).

If you want to be part of the journey, spring is coming with labs for trainers and facilitators (where you will dive deep into the Visionautics methodology), social innovators (to develop your project and your vision), and business leaders intensives  (visionary leadership or power & stamina in a very compact format of 2 days).

!!  Invitation  !!

Laboratory of Visionautics „From vision to reality“

A fully funded workshop within the EU-Grundtvig programme of lifelong learning, Ref. Nr.: 2011-1-DE2-GRU13-08093
February 13th -24th, 2012 in Lehnin, near Berlin
Application deadline: January 13th

You are willing to make a change towards a more humane, sustainable, enjoyable and healthier society in your neigbourhood, your region, your country?
You don’t know what to do and how to start, you got stuck, you lack of courage, bright ideas, money, power, knowledge or contacts?

In this Laboratory of Visionautics you will experience 10 days of creative space, support, expertise, help and feedback from others, encouragement and learning in order to be able to turn your unhappiness with a situation, your vague idea or your vision into a tangible project and a real change. You will have no costs, we organize board and lodging, your travel costs will be refunded up to 200€.

For further information and application until January 13th  see http://www.visionautic.org/events