EverLand in Depth
Youth Life, Culture, and Technology
Demonstration and Learning Site
. . . a Peace Production
Youth Learning Culture Center
An educational pilot project for new system exploration that includes: apprenticeship programs; internships; mentoring; Indigenous Cultural Center; learning program, work/trade, and volunteer opportunities for youth of all ages.
Ever Land
where dreams are discovered and lives are transformed through mentoring based
educational programs and demonstration site experiences.
Ever Land
where the child within each individual is nurtured, safe, and always present.
It all begins with a dream …
Mentoring is key…
Caring and compassionate Elders are core…
Facilities and services are necessary…
The rest will grow.
Peace Production is a 501(c)3 Service Organization
Collaborating and Co-creating with other organizations, agencies, businesses, and individuals to provide progams that inspire, educate, and support individuals and families for the good of all.
Mission
Peace Production is inspiring a new humanity of Heartists that educate humanity as to our true nature. We bring forth visions, ideas, art, inventions, imaginings, and business models for a world that works for all. We produce positive growth and sustainable projects (such as but not limited to) events, activities, programs, books, films, publications and business models. Peace Production leads the way in how to co-create as a team, supporting and promoting artists of all expressions and encouraging collaborative creation.
Vision
In a scattered and fragmented world ~ Peace Production helps individuals return to their own source of oneness within and sparks their imagination with the possibility of a world in harmony with nature and one another.
Core Values
Ever Land Purpose
Youth Life, Culture, and Technology
Demonstration and Learning Site
The Need
(this part was written specifically for a Southern Oregon site we were working on)
Southern Oregon hosts a perfect petrie dish of humanity. Josephine and Jackson Counties have the second lowest income in the United States. 4.5% of households in Oregon are millionaires, yet many of those live in the northern part of the state. The disparity in-between is where most dwell… always reaching and searching for a way to live… looking for simple things – food, shelter, and compassion. Many do not find these basic needs met in a natural way and seek to escape through drugs and addictive behaviors that create cultural disease - infecting society.
Youth from all over America are arriving on the west coast for summer festivals and fall trimming jobs. The word is out about the beauty and majesty of our lakes, rivers, forests and weather – not to mention GMO free zones. After festival season the jobs do not appear for many and they are lost, alone, and without skills to survive. The forests and trees are a place during summer where homeless individuals and travelers may camp and live a natural life for a few months, yet safety and support are still lacking … and winter comes. These youth are in desperate circumstances and have no resources.
Social services necessary to support these youth are rare and they are not prepared for the next steps. Youth have not been educated in how to live as humans in harmony with one another and nature. Role models in our culture have taught a very different story of control, violence, and debt. There is no reality for these youth in the high school/college/university path. Their friends who have taken that path of higher education complete their experience in deep debt and without prospects for employment beyond low wage jobs available without degrees. Graduation rates in Josephine and Jackson Counties are 63% to 68%.
In addition, many American refugees from economic, drug, social, family, and community violence find themselves in desperate situations and without resources for the bare necessities of survival. Every city in Southern Oregon has a challenge with homelessness and illicit drug abuse, and no current programs offer real solutions.
The Solution
Peace Production is a nonprofit service organization with a dream… and a plan to implement that dream. Our dream is for a world that honors our Elders who guide our Youth. Our dream is for a system based in compassion and health. Our dream is for a community, country, and a world that works for all.
We are gathering a team of Elders and WisdomKeepers (aka teachers) to offer comprehensive and integrative programs for youth and others in transition. While the Ever Land concept is new - our mentors, elders, wisdomkeepers, guides, and teachers each have a lifetime of experience to share. Although proven best practices from all over the world will be explored, it is new 21st century discoveries we are looking to experiment with at Ever Land.
Programs at Ever Land
Ever Land Lyceum
Ever Land will provide services for students completing their high school education, home-school students, and an ‘educational gymnasium’ following Aristotle’s wisdom – the Lyceum.
All programs at Ever Land begin with an educational foundation. Services are not dependent upon enrollment in programs. Those who are inspired by our integrative vision will stay on and have the opportunity to enroll in classes and a variety of educational programs available to the general public as well. Options for residential and non-residential programs will be offered.
Three Year Vocational Educational Program
The ultimate educational program offered to youth is a three-year vocational training program. The first year will be spent discovering what inspires and moves the student by exploring a variety of educational opportunities, classes, practices, and media. Students engage in personal development programs, learn business skills, event production, nutrition and cooking skills, new science technology, and multi-media production. Each student will work with mentors in each field and discover their own heart’s purpose.
The second year will enroll students in a mentoring program that is designed to expand their purpose and skills. They will be assigned to a specific mentor in their chosen field of service and also mentor first year students who are beginning the program. Second year students will learn to lead classes, teach and mentor others, and be given roles of responsibility at Ever Land while expanding their own gift & talent.
Year three will find the now trained student travelling to an offsite location for ecovillage and community development service, similar to the Peace Corps. Sites across the United States and world will become partners with us as we share and expand the vision of Ever Land.
HomeSchool Services
Programs at Ever Land will support and provide additional learning opportunities to students who learn at home such as science/technology, media arts, culinary arts, healing arts, and more. Students and their families will have opportunity to fulfill community service hours and engage with mentors. Symposiums and workshops will offer training for parents who are educating their children at home. Curriculum Fairs and other supportive Home-Schooling activities will be offered.
After-School Services
As Ever Land grows, programs for students enrolled in other schools will enhance their current educational plan. Programs for Middle and High School students will provide the personal development and community skills needed in the world now emerging. Ever Land is a place to play, learn, and explore.
Professional Education Services
Seminars, Workshops, Retreats, and Symposiums provide for continuing education for teachers, health care workers, and other professionals with appropriate CEUs offered. This one of a kind experience will take the programs and visions of Ever Land to other locations while providing a perspective of how each professional field can support youth in a new way. These trainings draw participants from all over the country and world, bringing professionals to discover and explore Southern Oregon.
Mentors Mentoring Mentors
Mentors are key at Ever Land. Relationships between mentors open all doors for co-creating together. We see three levels of Mentoring: Youth mentoring Youth… Elders mentoring Youth… Youth mentoring Elders. With these three levels of mentoring, relationships of respect will build between new youth entering programs and the youth already enrolled, elders supporting youth with wisdom, and youth supporting elders with wisdom. Each participant at Ever Land has wisdom that others will grow with, no matter their age and experience. Just as youth can learn from elders who have lived on earth a while… so too, elders can learn from youth who have new ideas and ways. Then the youth mentoring youth brings another generation into harmony. Kids love having someone close to their own age teaching or guiding… and having those teachers be mentored will support inter-generational communication.
Ever Land Hostel
Housed in a dorm like exterior structure, the Ever Land Hostel provides opportunity for people to rest from their journeys and explore the educational opportunities at Ever Land. Housing is offered on a work/trade or fee basis and includes meals, bath house privileges, and free classes. Every morning Ever Land residents gather in silence and with breath to center each individual and bring inner peace. Emerging out of the silence and breath will be yoga and meditation opportunities before breakfast.
Those who choose work/trade will be assigned chores in the kitchen, bath house, hostel, yards, or Bed & Breakfast. The Hostel Manager assigns tasks and recommends specific classes, experiences, or trainings that fit with the individual’s exploration into their gifts and talents. Youth who enroll in programs will learn aspects of each sister school within Ever Land and be trained to build ecovillages and alternative systems for community while sharing their personal gifts and talents.
The Youth Hostel is separate from the family and transitional housing programs. Travelers may rent a bed for the night. We imagine Ever Land as the destination preferred for a quick healthy meal, good night’s sleep, and nurturing environment.
Indigenous People’s Center
In an effort to transform race relations between cultures, every month at Ever Land, an indigenous culture will be featured. The Indigenous People’s Center will invite indigenous peoples to offer education and demonstration about the history, nature, and practices of each culture. Classes during the week will include the culture’s food, music, dance, stories, history, spirituality, and customs. On the weekend the public will be invited to experience the culture first hand as they tour a temporary village, eat a meal, watch a show, participate in a ceremony, or purchase cultural handiwork.
Every cultural display will be featured in a separate documentary type film with a twist – a FutureMentory™ film that shows how this specific culture is bringing forth wisdom for a world that works for all. What can we learn from the peoples of the land in Argentina, Laos, Guatemala or Japan? What wisdom can be brought from the Norse, Pacific Islands, or North America? These films will then be catalogued and offered for sale onsite, documenting the wisdom of earth people for future generations.
Media Arts Center
Each individual enrolling in any program through Ever Land will create a personal FutureMentory™ film. FutureMentory™ films are similar to a documentary, but first one must imagine the best possible life personally (with intent for the greater good of all). For example, one might think that riches and wealth are the goal for life. Rather, the teachings will inspire that personal satisfaction and expression of passion through a trade, art, or experience is more vital to the individual and supports the greater good more than riches, wealth, and fame can.
When a FutureMentory™ film is complete, the student will have a film to mentor themselves into their own best future. These films will be catalogued so the students can be followed on their journey to see how well the program has supported their personal dream and life. They will also be used for training new students and inspiring others to discover their best talents and gifts – learning how to bring those gifts to the world in a self supporting way.
Nonprofit Development Center
The Nonprofit Development Center houses the Southern Oregon Law Office of David Atkin, with Atkin and Associates Center for Nonprofit Law. This Center will provide students enrolled in the program an opportunity to learn about the specifics of delivering service to humanity and the world. Grant writing, fund development, bookkeeping, program design, and social structures will be explored as students develop their own service project. Student activities will support Ever Land and spawn new projects and programs continually.
The Nonprofit Development Center collaborates closely with the Media Arts Center, providing grant writing and funding opportunities for the sister schools in Ever Land, while the Media Arts Center provides video content for the Nonprofit Development Center marketing needs. The Nonprofit Development Center also finds funding for and supports the Indigenous People’s Center programs and activities.
The Demonstration Site
Ever Land is a discovery and demonstration site for green technology, alternative building ideas, artistic technology, sustainable and thriving methods for food production and preparation, and innovative ideas and technologies that are offered to the public for private and public implementation.
Alternative housing models such as tiny homes, domes, yurts, 3d printed buildings, and more will be seen from the freeway and draw visitors through the artistic and interesting displays. Tours will be given for public education and on site sales will support the industry. “Temporary Housing” models can be ordered from the individual makers. The “Village” style demonstration site inspires duplication and advancement of compassionate culture.
Community Partners and Programs
City and County Administration: Local municipalities will refer the homeless and travelers to Ever Land for warmth, shelter, and food. By providing a location with simple freeway access while being located in the county, each town and city will have the opportunity to provide funding for homeless activities outside of their city limits to provide a safer, cleaner environment for businesses and residents within the municipality. The Hostel and alternate housing displays will provide emergency housing for many in crisis. Families will find ways to stay together in ‘family rooms’ or tiny homes - supporting single parents and families who have fallen on hard times. Educational programs and services will then direct and guide these families into life supporting action they can take to be accountable for their own sustenance.
Courts and Justice Systems: Judges refer offenders and clients to our educational programs for alternative sentencing and retraining. The holistic approach at Ever Land will help individuals learn to make healthy choices and support their growth into being more responsible and effective in their lives. When individuals discover their personal passion and purpose, Ever Land will provide mentoring and educational opportunities that allow the person to become whom they envision themselves to be.
Transportation: Partnering with Rogue Valley Transportation District for a bus stop at the location will help travelers and program participants. Other partnerships will include ride share and carpooling networks. A bus or van at Ever Land will provide transportation for teams and groups to farms and off site facilities for additional training and service opportunities. The bus or van will also provide youth in communities throughout Southern Oregon an opportunity to experience Ever Land first hand and enroll in programs, even though they may be in a current stable living situation.
Social Service Organizations: Referrals to and from regional and local social service agencies and organizations will create lasting relationships that bring a sense of community throughout Southern Oregon. Addiction prevention and recovery programs onsite and in collaboration will provide lasting change for individuals. This integrative approach to human services and education will be the model for other states and regions.
Public and Private Schools: Tours and programs for K-12 students will be offered during Indigenous events, green technology and alternative building events, and the Demonstration Center. Programs for homeschoolers will be offered. Programs and Symposiums for teachers, administrators, and parents will also be offered.
Entrepreneurs: Sales of alternative systems and structures, art and crafts, ideas and technology will support both Ever Land and the individual entrepreneur. A percentage of all sales will support Ever Land.
Business: Local Southern Oregon businesses will benefit through a reciprocal relationship with Ever Land. Their financial support of programs and activities will provide name recognition, advertising, and service referrals - while graduates of Ever Land programs become potential employees and new business owners. Services in website management, media, marketing and networking opportunities through Ever Land will help each business grow.
Colleges & Universities: Internships for university and college students provides hands on educational experience. The Media Arts Center provides content for public access television stations and feeds students into university programs. Throughout all Ever Land educational programs, once a student is complete, they may find additional training at university and colleges a benefit. The vocational training offered at Ever Land may stand alone or provide a solid foundation for further education.
Veteran’s Administration & Service Agencies: Programs at Ever Land are also compatible with services to homeless veterans and those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress. Educational programs will specifically touch on this issue – not only for veterans – but specifically for those who have suffered trauma and need to find ways to overcome the challenges associated with such experiences.
Rivers and Streams of Income
The Economic River flows as several streams of income provide a healthy financial support system. Programs at Ever Land operate collaboratively and are fully integrated with each other.
Community Development Plan
Peace Production has identified 12 spheres of society that come together and provide stable and wise leaders for the project and that – when working and collaborating in harmony – provide for a thriving culture.
Those 12 spheres are: Nature, Health, Communication, Infrastructure, Arts & Culture, Science, Wisdom, Economics, Justice, Community, Environment, and Education.
Each individual, business, governing agency, and organization works within and integrates with several spheres of society and ideally, in time, we will all learn how we each personally integrate with all 12. Proven as a solid community building plan, Barbara Marx Hubbard has inspired this work. Our current systems are built in isolation, with each ‘silo’ (as the government calls them) operates independently from the other silos.
Peace Production teaches HOW to work with the spherical pattern to collaborate and co-create a world that works for all – for future generations.
Tenders and Teachers
Positions at Ever Land will provide stable income for individuals who share their wisdom and oversee programs. While much of the service at Ever Land will be volunteer based, we realize the necessity of a few key staff members who oversee those volunteers and the program operations.
Project Oversight – Andras Maros and Mayana Kingery as founders of Peace Production bring a wealth of experience and skills to Ever Land. Andras will oversee the Media Arts Center educational programs, marketing and site development. Mayana will oversee the Nonprofit Development Center, retail sales, and other educational programs.
Nutritionist – The commercial kitchen is a vital part of Ever Land and will require a skilled professional to manage, teach, and oversee programs and services.
Volunteer Coordinator – This key position will be necessary from the beginning. Volunteers are more readily available and responsible when managed well. This individual will reach out to Senior Centers, colleges and universities, and rural residents to meet the volunteer needs at Ever Land.
Mentor Coordinator – Mentor / Student matching requires experience and training in human relations. This position is vital to a successful mentoring program.
Project Phases
Phase 1 - Development
Ever Land begins in the development phase. Each program must be detailed and policies and procedures written. Phase 1 is expected to be complete within six months.
Phase 2 – Food and Housing
Opening the Hostel & Kitchen Services will launch Ever Land into the public eye. During this phase, youth will be invited to attend festivals through the Ever Land Outreach programs and spread the news through word of mouth to potential students. Phase 2 is expected to be completed at the end of the first year.
A series of First Events will include
Phase 3 – Delivering Services & Educational Events
After the first year, Ever Land will be fully functional and operating in collaboration with cities, counties, and other service agencies and organizations. The word will have spread about our facility and programs and travelers will become accustomed to stopping for a cup of coffee, a bowl of soup, or to spend the night.
Full documentation and data gathering activities will be launched and Interns will begin supporting the programs as students learn ‘on the job’. Ever Land is now the GO TO place for students to complete their High School Service Projects and for HomeSchool families to find support and relief. Individuals and families are finding a centralized place to discover what services are available to meet their immediate survival needs in a nurturing environment.
Councils and Teams
Ever Land has a wealth of advisors and wise elders to guide individual aspects of the project. These listed specialists and advisors are just the beginning. The Advisory Council will grow and those who feel a deeper calling for Ever Land will form the Board or Council of Trustees. Others who begin in the Advisory capacity may become mentors and teachers. The Advisory Council consists of those with wisdom in their respective field, connections in community, and experience that will guide Ever Land into a thriving program. As information is spread and calls for service go out, a list of mentors and teachers will be developed that serve the variety of programs and activities at Ever Land.
Founders:
Andras Maros: A filmmaker whose launch into Hollywood was participation on Susan Seidelman’s Oscar nominated student film, Andras is a Method Actor/Director, former Madison Avenue advertising executive, artist, musician, and yogi – the original Heartist and founder of Peace Production. He founded a film school and founded two previous nonprofit organizations, both bringing arts and service together for the benefit of humanity.
Andras brings his lifetime experience and ‘big picture’ vision to Ever Land. Playing the role of Papa Pan – always the curious and exploring child and ever wise, Andras brings his wealth of personal development, theatrical, and film experience to the Media Arts Center and Educational Programs at Ever Land. http://www.peaceproduction.org/peace-council.html
Mayana Kingery: An Education and Nonprofit Consultant who has restructured private schools, served the US Dept. of Education, trained Boards, and built the Idaho Highway Safety Coalition. A former restaurant manager, and award-winning PSA director and producer, Mayana has a wealth of experience ranging from construction to youth programs. In the role of Mamma Tink for the Ever Land Production, Mayana brings her compassion and wisdom to program design and implementation.
Mayana was co-founder of Literacy Outreach, a nonprofit in Washington state, that developed and operated a new model of after-school programs for primary students in K-5th grade. That innovative program in three of Tacoma’s most challenged schools offered educational play afterschool to 120 children free of cost to families. Parents of students in the program were hired as program assistants, supporting entire families. Students in the program dramatically increased test scores after the first quarter and continued to rise as they participated in the program. http://www.peaceproduction.org/peace-council.html
Advisory Council:
Trish is a Director and Peace Councilor with Peace Production.
Asha Deliverance: Asha Deliverance is committed to a life outside the box. As the founder of Pacific Domes, she is dedicated to the creation of a more sustainable future. She began her college education at 14 years old in Arizona, and became one of UCSC Farm Projects founders before the age of 20. It was at UCSC, now considered the Harvard of organic farming, that Asha constructed her first Dome on an old singer sewing machine. Over the next 15 years Asha constructed countless domes, while working as a Midwife. In 1980 the demand for Domes led Asha to start her own business, Pacific Domes. Asha continues to educate and surround herself with cutting edge ideas and thinkers, promising to create alternatives in technology, shelter, and design.
Her connections with the Buckminster Fuller Institute, Nassim Haramein, and youth with new technology are core to Ever Land’s Demonstration Site. Pacific Domes on display as the Nonprofit Development Center and other event space draw the eye of every traveler passing by on I-5 and her wealth of wisdom draws the eye of global scientists. www.pacificdomes.com
Nancy Yonally: Addiction Prevention Specialist in Southern Oregon, Nancy has spent her lifetime supporting programs that encourage and inspire healthy action. She is founder and director of Grace Roots ~ Pathways to Wellness and on the boards of several organizations, including having been elected Chair for the Grants Pass Museum of Art. Nancy inspired the creation of The Healthy Food Festival in Grants Pass which just completed a second year’s event, bringing education and information to the general public about how food affects our health. http://www.gpmuseum.com/index.php/home/directors http://securingoursafety.org/about/sos-board-officers/
Staci Eisner: Staci serves as the Vice President of Quality and Regulatory Affairs for Cortex Scientific Botanicals, Inc., and is responsible for all aspects of quality assurance and regulatory compliance. Previously, Staci has served in management positions in phyto- pharmaceutical, solid oral dosage, and fishery product manufacturing and distribution operations. Staci is an outspoken advocate of improving the quality standards in the herbal / dietary supplement industry. She serves as the Vice Chairman of the NSF/ANSI Dietary Supplement Joint Task Force for development of dietary supplement certification standards. Her scientific expertise brings a collaboration with local organic herbal supplement companies and farms. http://www.herbal-ahp.org/board.htm
Antonio Melendez: Founder of Heartisan Films, Antonio brings his experience as a commercial filmmaker and educator to Ever Land. His local (Grants Pass) perspective and youthful passion brings a wealth of inspiration to the Media Arts Center. Antonio is a Director and Peace Councilor with Peace Production. http://www.heartisanfilms.com/
Honoring Our Elders
Indigenous Elders: All programs will provide outlets and support for native tribal leaders and wisdom keepers from around the globe.
Frequently Asked Questions
* Can you explain the programs Ever Land will offer - and how these can address needs for teens that more traditional programs currently are not?
Trish McCarty founded StarShine Academy, a system of K-12 Charter and Private Schools recognized as transformational innovators in education. StarShine's curriculum combines the best in learning discoveries and Systems Thinking. StarShine's Sprial Curriculum interweaves Montessori practices for body, mind, spirit, health, wealth and happiness. Students at Ever Land will be inspired to complete their education with a choice between a diploma process and GED path. Students then may enroll in apprentice programs for further education where their own gifts are discovered and honed.
* It sounds like a lot going on at the proposed Ever Land. Let's just focus on the housing a bit. There look to be yurts, tepees and tiny houses. Would these be available for rent?
The Alternative Housing Demonstration Site at Ever Land offers a variety of dwelling models for emergency housing needs and as event or festival housing space. Rent and work/trade options will be available. The Youth Hostel will provide a peaceful stop for travelers as an alternative to a motel.
* This is an ambitious proposal. Does Peace Production plan to roll it out in one big swoop? Or phases?
We have three phases planned to become fully functional. The first phase will secure the property, make necessary renovations, and begin teaching and public events. The second phase will bring students, interns, and mentors together to build the infrastructure needed for the Youth Hostel, Alternative Housing Displays, Media Arts Center, and Nonprofit Development Center. The third phase will be our grand opening offering lodging and meals for the public with educational programs fully functional.
Demonstration and Learning Site
. . . a Peace Production
Youth Learning Culture Center
An educational pilot project for new system exploration that includes: apprenticeship programs; internships; mentoring; Indigenous Cultural Center; learning program, work/trade, and volunteer opportunities for youth of all ages.
Ever Land
where dreams are discovered and lives are transformed through mentoring based
educational programs and demonstration site experiences.
Ever Land
where the child within each individual is nurtured, safe, and always present.
It all begins with a dream …
Mentoring is key…
Caring and compassionate Elders are core…
Facilities and services are necessary…
The rest will grow.
Peace Production is a 501(c)3 Service Organization
Collaborating and Co-creating with other organizations, agencies, businesses, and individuals to provide progams that inspire, educate, and support individuals and families for the good of all.
Mission
Peace Production is inspiring a new humanity of Heartists that educate humanity as to our true nature. We bring forth visions, ideas, art, inventions, imaginings, and business models for a world that works for all. We produce positive growth and sustainable projects (such as but not limited to) events, activities, programs, books, films, publications and business models. Peace Production leads the way in how to co-create as a team, supporting and promoting artists of all expressions and encouraging collaborative creation.
Vision
In a scattered and fragmented world ~ Peace Production helps individuals return to their own source of oneness within and sparks their imagination with the possibility of a world in harmony with nature and one another.
Core Values
- Integral harmonious business practices include unwavering integrity, conscious awareness, intuitive decision making, and mutually beneficial creations.
- Each human has the potential to know their own source power directly when they see themselves as they truly are.
- Imagination is the quickest path to manifestation. A peaceful world will BE when enough of humanity has imagined it.
Ever Land Purpose
- Educating humanity as to how combined conscious action, with life affirming intention, helps create a better world.
- Providing learning opportunities for youth and those experiencing life change transition for any reason with the intent of producing a world and culture that is peaceful, supportive, and nurturing for all.
- Providing services and information to the public about alternative ways of living, thinking, being, and working in such a way that helps individuals thrive and recognize how their personal gifts contribute to the greater good of all.
Youth Life, Culture, and Technology
Demonstration and Learning Site
The Need
(this part was written specifically for a Southern Oregon site we were working on)
Southern Oregon hosts a perfect petrie dish of humanity. Josephine and Jackson Counties have the second lowest income in the United States. 4.5% of households in Oregon are millionaires, yet many of those live in the northern part of the state. The disparity in-between is where most dwell… always reaching and searching for a way to live… looking for simple things – food, shelter, and compassion. Many do not find these basic needs met in a natural way and seek to escape through drugs and addictive behaviors that create cultural disease - infecting society.
Youth from all over America are arriving on the west coast for summer festivals and fall trimming jobs. The word is out about the beauty and majesty of our lakes, rivers, forests and weather – not to mention GMO free zones. After festival season the jobs do not appear for many and they are lost, alone, and without skills to survive. The forests and trees are a place during summer where homeless individuals and travelers may camp and live a natural life for a few months, yet safety and support are still lacking … and winter comes. These youth are in desperate circumstances and have no resources.
Social services necessary to support these youth are rare and they are not prepared for the next steps. Youth have not been educated in how to live as humans in harmony with one another and nature. Role models in our culture have taught a very different story of control, violence, and debt. There is no reality for these youth in the high school/college/university path. Their friends who have taken that path of higher education complete their experience in deep debt and without prospects for employment beyond low wage jobs available without degrees. Graduation rates in Josephine and Jackson Counties are 63% to 68%.
In addition, many American refugees from economic, drug, social, family, and community violence find themselves in desperate situations and without resources for the bare necessities of survival. Every city in Southern Oregon has a challenge with homelessness and illicit drug abuse, and no current programs offer real solutions.
The Solution
Peace Production is a nonprofit service organization with a dream… and a plan to implement that dream. Our dream is for a world that honors our Elders who guide our Youth. Our dream is for a system based in compassion and health. Our dream is for a community, country, and a world that works for all.
We are gathering a team of Elders and WisdomKeepers (aka teachers) to offer comprehensive and integrative programs for youth and others in transition. While the Ever Land concept is new - our mentors, elders, wisdomkeepers, guides, and teachers each have a lifetime of experience to share. Although proven best practices from all over the world will be explored, it is new 21st century discoveries we are looking to experiment with at Ever Land.
Programs at Ever Land
Ever Land Lyceum
Ever Land will provide services for students completing their high school education, home-school students, and an ‘educational gymnasium’ following Aristotle’s wisdom – the Lyceum.
All programs at Ever Land begin with an educational foundation. Services are not dependent upon enrollment in programs. Those who are inspired by our integrative vision will stay on and have the opportunity to enroll in classes and a variety of educational programs available to the general public as well. Options for residential and non-residential programs will be offered.
Three Year Vocational Educational Program
The ultimate educational program offered to youth is a three-year vocational training program. The first year will be spent discovering what inspires and moves the student by exploring a variety of educational opportunities, classes, practices, and media. Students engage in personal development programs, learn business skills, event production, nutrition and cooking skills, new science technology, and multi-media production. Each student will work with mentors in each field and discover their own heart’s purpose.
The second year will enroll students in a mentoring program that is designed to expand their purpose and skills. They will be assigned to a specific mentor in their chosen field of service and also mentor first year students who are beginning the program. Second year students will learn to lead classes, teach and mentor others, and be given roles of responsibility at Ever Land while expanding their own gift & talent.
Year three will find the now trained student travelling to an offsite location for ecovillage and community development service, similar to the Peace Corps. Sites across the United States and world will become partners with us as we share and expand the vision of Ever Land.
HomeSchool Services
Programs at Ever Land will support and provide additional learning opportunities to students who learn at home such as science/technology, media arts, culinary arts, healing arts, and more. Students and their families will have opportunity to fulfill community service hours and engage with mentors. Symposiums and workshops will offer training for parents who are educating their children at home. Curriculum Fairs and other supportive Home-Schooling activities will be offered.
After-School Services
As Ever Land grows, programs for students enrolled in other schools will enhance their current educational plan. Programs for Middle and High School students will provide the personal development and community skills needed in the world now emerging. Ever Land is a place to play, learn, and explore.
Professional Education Services
Seminars, Workshops, Retreats, and Symposiums provide for continuing education for teachers, health care workers, and other professionals with appropriate CEUs offered. This one of a kind experience will take the programs and visions of Ever Land to other locations while providing a perspective of how each professional field can support youth in a new way. These trainings draw participants from all over the country and world, bringing professionals to discover and explore Southern Oregon.
Mentors Mentoring Mentors
Mentors are key at Ever Land. Relationships between mentors open all doors for co-creating together. We see three levels of Mentoring: Youth mentoring Youth… Elders mentoring Youth… Youth mentoring Elders. With these three levels of mentoring, relationships of respect will build between new youth entering programs and the youth already enrolled, elders supporting youth with wisdom, and youth supporting elders with wisdom. Each participant at Ever Land has wisdom that others will grow with, no matter their age and experience. Just as youth can learn from elders who have lived on earth a while… so too, elders can learn from youth who have new ideas and ways. Then the youth mentoring youth brings another generation into harmony. Kids love having someone close to their own age teaching or guiding… and having those teachers be mentored will support inter-generational communication.
Ever Land Hostel
Housed in a dorm like exterior structure, the Ever Land Hostel provides opportunity for people to rest from their journeys and explore the educational opportunities at Ever Land. Housing is offered on a work/trade or fee basis and includes meals, bath house privileges, and free classes. Every morning Ever Land residents gather in silence and with breath to center each individual and bring inner peace. Emerging out of the silence and breath will be yoga and meditation opportunities before breakfast.
Those who choose work/trade will be assigned chores in the kitchen, bath house, hostel, yards, or Bed & Breakfast. The Hostel Manager assigns tasks and recommends specific classes, experiences, or trainings that fit with the individual’s exploration into their gifts and talents. Youth who enroll in programs will learn aspects of each sister school within Ever Land and be trained to build ecovillages and alternative systems for community while sharing their personal gifts and talents.
The Youth Hostel is separate from the family and transitional housing programs. Travelers may rent a bed for the night. We imagine Ever Land as the destination preferred for a quick healthy meal, good night’s sleep, and nurturing environment.
Indigenous People’s Center
In an effort to transform race relations between cultures, every month at Ever Land, an indigenous culture will be featured. The Indigenous People’s Center will invite indigenous peoples to offer education and demonstration about the history, nature, and practices of each culture. Classes during the week will include the culture’s food, music, dance, stories, history, spirituality, and customs. On the weekend the public will be invited to experience the culture first hand as they tour a temporary village, eat a meal, watch a show, participate in a ceremony, or purchase cultural handiwork.
Every cultural display will be featured in a separate documentary type film with a twist – a FutureMentory™ film that shows how this specific culture is bringing forth wisdom for a world that works for all. What can we learn from the peoples of the land in Argentina, Laos, Guatemala or Japan? What wisdom can be brought from the Norse, Pacific Islands, or North America? These films will then be catalogued and offered for sale onsite, documenting the wisdom of earth people for future generations.
Media Arts Center
Each individual enrolling in any program through Ever Land will create a personal FutureMentory™ film. FutureMentory™ films are similar to a documentary, but first one must imagine the best possible life personally (with intent for the greater good of all). For example, one might think that riches and wealth are the goal for life. Rather, the teachings will inspire that personal satisfaction and expression of passion through a trade, art, or experience is more vital to the individual and supports the greater good more than riches, wealth, and fame can.
When a FutureMentory™ film is complete, the student will have a film to mentor themselves into their own best future. These films will be catalogued so the students can be followed on their journey to see how well the program has supported their personal dream and life. They will also be used for training new students and inspiring others to discover their best talents and gifts – learning how to bring those gifts to the world in a self supporting way.
Nonprofit Development Center
The Nonprofit Development Center houses the Southern Oregon Law Office of David Atkin, with Atkin and Associates Center for Nonprofit Law. This Center will provide students enrolled in the program an opportunity to learn about the specifics of delivering service to humanity and the world. Grant writing, fund development, bookkeeping, program design, and social structures will be explored as students develop their own service project. Student activities will support Ever Land and spawn new projects and programs continually.
The Nonprofit Development Center collaborates closely with the Media Arts Center, providing grant writing and funding opportunities for the sister schools in Ever Land, while the Media Arts Center provides video content for the Nonprofit Development Center marketing needs. The Nonprofit Development Center also finds funding for and supports the Indigenous People’s Center programs and activities.
The Demonstration Site
Ever Land is a discovery and demonstration site for green technology, alternative building ideas, artistic technology, sustainable and thriving methods for food production and preparation, and innovative ideas and technologies that are offered to the public for private and public implementation.
Alternative housing models such as tiny homes, domes, yurts, 3d printed buildings, and more will be seen from the freeway and draw visitors through the artistic and interesting displays. Tours will be given for public education and on site sales will support the industry. “Temporary Housing” models can be ordered from the individual makers. The “Village” style demonstration site inspires duplication and advancement of compassionate culture.
Community Partners and Programs
City and County Administration: Local municipalities will refer the homeless and travelers to Ever Land for warmth, shelter, and food. By providing a location with simple freeway access while being located in the county, each town and city will have the opportunity to provide funding for homeless activities outside of their city limits to provide a safer, cleaner environment for businesses and residents within the municipality. The Hostel and alternate housing displays will provide emergency housing for many in crisis. Families will find ways to stay together in ‘family rooms’ or tiny homes - supporting single parents and families who have fallen on hard times. Educational programs and services will then direct and guide these families into life supporting action they can take to be accountable for their own sustenance.
Courts and Justice Systems: Judges refer offenders and clients to our educational programs for alternative sentencing and retraining. The holistic approach at Ever Land will help individuals learn to make healthy choices and support their growth into being more responsible and effective in their lives. When individuals discover their personal passion and purpose, Ever Land will provide mentoring and educational opportunities that allow the person to become whom they envision themselves to be.
Transportation: Partnering with Rogue Valley Transportation District for a bus stop at the location will help travelers and program participants. Other partnerships will include ride share and carpooling networks. A bus or van at Ever Land will provide transportation for teams and groups to farms and off site facilities for additional training and service opportunities. The bus or van will also provide youth in communities throughout Southern Oregon an opportunity to experience Ever Land first hand and enroll in programs, even though they may be in a current stable living situation.
Social Service Organizations: Referrals to and from regional and local social service agencies and organizations will create lasting relationships that bring a sense of community throughout Southern Oregon. Addiction prevention and recovery programs onsite and in collaboration will provide lasting change for individuals. This integrative approach to human services and education will be the model for other states and regions.
Public and Private Schools: Tours and programs for K-12 students will be offered during Indigenous events, green technology and alternative building events, and the Demonstration Center. Programs for homeschoolers will be offered. Programs and Symposiums for teachers, administrators, and parents will also be offered.
Entrepreneurs: Sales of alternative systems and structures, art and crafts, ideas and technology will support both Ever Land and the individual entrepreneur. A percentage of all sales will support Ever Land.
Business: Local Southern Oregon businesses will benefit through a reciprocal relationship with Ever Land. Their financial support of programs and activities will provide name recognition, advertising, and service referrals - while graduates of Ever Land programs become potential employees and new business owners. Services in website management, media, marketing and networking opportunities through Ever Land will help each business grow.
Colleges & Universities: Internships for university and college students provides hands on educational experience. The Media Arts Center provides content for public access television stations and feeds students into university programs. Throughout all Ever Land educational programs, once a student is complete, they may find additional training at university and colleges a benefit. The vocational training offered at Ever Land may stand alone or provide a solid foundation for further education.
Veteran’s Administration & Service Agencies: Programs at Ever Land are also compatible with services to homeless veterans and those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress. Educational programs will specifically touch on this issue – not only for veterans – but specifically for those who have suffered trauma and need to find ways to overcome the challenges associated with such experiences.
Rivers and Streams of Income
The Economic River flows as several streams of income provide a healthy financial support system. Programs at Ever Land operate collaboratively and are fully integrated with each other.
- Event Center: The external Domes and structures bring in rents from events, projects, and tenants. Income from weddings, concerts, conferences, festivals, and other activities provide for space and land maintenance. Film, Art, Dance, Yoga, Music and Theatrical Festivals will draw participants from all over the world. 30% of income
- Indigenous People’s Center: Apart from the Events Center, a Cultural exchange program educates and inspires new ways to implement community action while documenting the wisdom each culture brings through their art, music, story, food, wisdom, and spirituality. Events support Ever Land and also provide income streams for the Indigenous Culture presenting. Once established through Ever Land, each Indigenous Culture will then have the opportunity to open an Ever Land Center in their homeland, creating a greater cultural exchange and income stream for the original Ever Land Demonstration Site. 20% of income
- Educational Programs: Enrollment in apprentice programs, classes, retreats, and trainings provides Ever Land with steady income. Programs with the sister schools onsite at Ever Land will have a variety of options for certification and diplomas ranging from 30 day to 3 year. Media Arts Certification, Nonprofit Certification and Sponsorship, and Nutrition Certification are the first phase of educational programs. As we grow, other courses will be offered for a wide variety of skills development. 15% of income
- Nonprofit Development Center: A variety of streams flow through the Nonprofit Development Center and include:
- Grant writing
- Tax deductible donations
- Fiscal sponsorship program for graduating students
- Fee for marketing and educational services to other nonprofit
- Broad based fundraising events and activities
- Media Arts Center: Creates an income stream through marketing services for businesses and organization. Website development and maintenance services, video content, field video production, and studio production offers a strong stream of income for Ever Land. 10% of income
- Youth Hostel: Fee for service from travelers seeking overnight lodging is one stream through the Hostel. Southern Oregon municipalities and government support are another revenue stream as youth and homeless find lodging outside of city limits – clearing downtown streets for businesses, tourists, and residents. By supporting Ever Land, cities and government organizations meet the concerns of residents while alleviating the need to develop and pay for local facilities in town. 5% of income
- Sales: Meals, a variety of concessions, products, and services available for purchase each provide a stream of income to support Ever Land. Dome and tiny home sales and alternative energy platform sales will provide for entrepreneurial income as well as a percentage of each sale flowing to Ever Land. 5% of income
- Transitional Housing: Rental income for transitional housing units is another stream that supplies income to the river. Short term housing opportunities along with educational programs help individuals stabilize and find permanent housing in another location. 5% of income
- Spiritual service activities: Spiritual communities, ceremonies and services are offered through shared donations and provide a small stream with the potential of a river. Bonus income
Community Development Plan
Peace Production has identified 12 spheres of society that come together and provide stable and wise leaders for the project and that – when working and collaborating in harmony – provide for a thriving culture.
Those 12 spheres are: Nature, Health, Communication, Infrastructure, Arts & Culture, Science, Wisdom, Economics, Justice, Community, Environment, and Education.
Each individual, business, governing agency, and organization works within and integrates with several spheres of society and ideally, in time, we will all learn how we each personally integrate with all 12. Proven as a solid community building plan, Barbara Marx Hubbard has inspired this work. Our current systems are built in isolation, with each ‘silo’ (as the government calls them) operates independently from the other silos.
Peace Production teaches HOW to work with the spherical pattern to collaborate and co-create a world that works for all – for future generations.
Tenders and Teachers
Positions at Ever Land will provide stable income for individuals who share their wisdom and oversee programs. While much of the service at Ever Land will be volunteer based, we realize the necessity of a few key staff members who oversee those volunteers and the program operations.
Project Oversight – Andras Maros and Mayana Kingery as founders of Peace Production bring a wealth of experience and skills to Ever Land. Andras will oversee the Media Arts Center educational programs, marketing and site development. Mayana will oversee the Nonprofit Development Center, retail sales, and other educational programs.
Nutritionist – The commercial kitchen is a vital part of Ever Land and will require a skilled professional to manage, teach, and oversee programs and services.
Volunteer Coordinator – This key position will be necessary from the beginning. Volunteers are more readily available and responsible when managed well. This individual will reach out to Senior Centers, colleges and universities, and rural residents to meet the volunteer needs at Ever Land.
Mentor Coordinator – Mentor / Student matching requires experience and training in human relations. This position is vital to a successful mentoring program.
Project Phases
Phase 1 - Development
Ever Land begins in the development phase. Each program must be detailed and policies and procedures written. Phase 1 is expected to be complete within six months.
- A Council, with representation from each sphere of society, make recommendations to Ever Land and help to build relationships with government agencies, city municipalities, social service organizations, and local businesses.
- Agreements, forms, guidelines, handbooks, program curriculum, and databases will be created through the Nonprofit Development Center within the first three months. Annual Giving Campaign, Grant writing, and fundraising events will launch immediately.
- Create a plan for the land reclamation and restoration, with gardens and a variety of ‘centers’.
- Identify a Volunteer Coordinator.
Phase 2 – Food and Housing
Opening the Hostel & Kitchen Services will launch Ever Land into the public eye. During this phase, youth will be invited to attend festivals through the Ever Land Outreach programs and spread the news through word of mouth to potential students. Phase 2 is expected to be completed at the end of the first year.
A series of First Events will include
- Hire (or subcontract with) a Volunteer Coordinator part time.
- Hire (or subcontract with) a Nutritionist to oversee the kitchen programs and services.
- Host our first Indigenous Nation,
- Produce our first FutureMentory™ Film,
- Host our first Educational Symposium,
- Host our first Nonprofit Services Seminar,
- Host our first Green Technology and Alternative Housing Workshops,
- Install our first major art project to increase visibility for Ever Land on I-5,
- Our first students enroll in the three year program,
Phase 3 – Delivering Services & Educational Events
After the first year, Ever Land will be fully functional and operating in collaboration with cities, counties, and other service agencies and organizations. The word will have spread about our facility and programs and travelers will become accustomed to stopping for a cup of coffee, a bowl of soup, or to spend the night.
Full documentation and data gathering activities will be launched and Interns will begin supporting the programs as students learn ‘on the job’. Ever Land is now the GO TO place for students to complete their High School Service Projects and for HomeSchool families to find support and relief. Individuals and families are finding a centralized place to discover what services are available to meet their immediate survival needs in a nurturing environment.
Councils and Teams
Ever Land has a wealth of advisors and wise elders to guide individual aspects of the project. These listed specialists and advisors are just the beginning. The Advisory Council will grow and those who feel a deeper calling for Ever Land will form the Board or Council of Trustees. Others who begin in the Advisory capacity may become mentors and teachers. The Advisory Council consists of those with wisdom in their respective field, connections in community, and experience that will guide Ever Land into a thriving program. As information is spread and calls for service go out, a list of mentors and teachers will be developed that serve the variety of programs and activities at Ever Land.
Founders:
Andras Maros: A filmmaker whose launch into Hollywood was participation on Susan Seidelman’s Oscar nominated student film, Andras is a Method Actor/Director, former Madison Avenue advertising executive, artist, musician, and yogi – the original Heartist and founder of Peace Production. He founded a film school and founded two previous nonprofit organizations, both bringing arts and service together for the benefit of humanity.
Andras brings his lifetime experience and ‘big picture’ vision to Ever Land. Playing the role of Papa Pan – always the curious and exploring child and ever wise, Andras brings his wealth of personal development, theatrical, and film experience to the Media Arts Center and Educational Programs at Ever Land. http://www.peaceproduction.org/peace-council.html
Mayana Kingery: An Education and Nonprofit Consultant who has restructured private schools, served the US Dept. of Education, trained Boards, and built the Idaho Highway Safety Coalition. A former restaurant manager, and award-winning PSA director and producer, Mayana has a wealth of experience ranging from construction to youth programs. In the role of Mamma Tink for the Ever Land Production, Mayana brings her compassion and wisdom to program design and implementation.
Mayana was co-founder of Literacy Outreach, a nonprofit in Washington state, that developed and operated a new model of after-school programs for primary students in K-5th grade. That innovative program in three of Tacoma’s most challenged schools offered educational play afterschool to 120 children free of cost to families. Parents of students in the program were hired as program assistants, supporting entire families. Students in the program dramatically increased test scores after the first quarter and continued to rise as they participated in the program. http://www.peaceproduction.org/peace-council.html
Advisory Council:
Trish is a Director and Peace Councilor with Peace Production.
Asha Deliverance: Asha Deliverance is committed to a life outside the box. As the founder of Pacific Domes, she is dedicated to the creation of a more sustainable future. She began her college education at 14 years old in Arizona, and became one of UCSC Farm Projects founders before the age of 20. It was at UCSC, now considered the Harvard of organic farming, that Asha constructed her first Dome on an old singer sewing machine. Over the next 15 years Asha constructed countless domes, while working as a Midwife. In 1980 the demand for Domes led Asha to start her own business, Pacific Domes. Asha continues to educate and surround herself with cutting edge ideas and thinkers, promising to create alternatives in technology, shelter, and design.
Her connections with the Buckminster Fuller Institute, Nassim Haramein, and youth with new technology are core to Ever Land’s Demonstration Site. Pacific Domes on display as the Nonprofit Development Center and other event space draw the eye of every traveler passing by on I-5 and her wealth of wisdom draws the eye of global scientists. www.pacificdomes.com
Nancy Yonally: Addiction Prevention Specialist in Southern Oregon, Nancy has spent her lifetime supporting programs that encourage and inspire healthy action. She is founder and director of Grace Roots ~ Pathways to Wellness and on the boards of several organizations, including having been elected Chair for the Grants Pass Museum of Art. Nancy inspired the creation of The Healthy Food Festival in Grants Pass which just completed a second year’s event, bringing education and information to the general public about how food affects our health. http://www.gpmuseum.com/index.php/home/directors http://securingoursafety.org/about/sos-board-officers/
Staci Eisner: Staci serves as the Vice President of Quality and Regulatory Affairs for Cortex Scientific Botanicals, Inc., and is responsible for all aspects of quality assurance and regulatory compliance. Previously, Staci has served in management positions in phyto- pharmaceutical, solid oral dosage, and fishery product manufacturing and distribution operations. Staci is an outspoken advocate of improving the quality standards in the herbal / dietary supplement industry. She serves as the Vice Chairman of the NSF/ANSI Dietary Supplement Joint Task Force for development of dietary supplement certification standards. Her scientific expertise brings a collaboration with local organic herbal supplement companies and farms. http://www.herbal-ahp.org/board.htm
Antonio Melendez: Founder of Heartisan Films, Antonio brings his experience as a commercial filmmaker and educator to Ever Land. His local (Grants Pass) perspective and youthful passion brings a wealth of inspiration to the Media Arts Center. Antonio is a Director and Peace Councilor with Peace Production. http://www.heartisanfilms.com/
Honoring Our Elders
Indigenous Elders: All programs will provide outlets and support for native tribal leaders and wisdom keepers from around the globe.
Frequently Asked Questions
* Can you explain the programs Ever Land will offer - and how these can address needs for teens that more traditional programs currently are not?
Trish McCarty founded StarShine Academy, a system of K-12 Charter and Private Schools recognized as transformational innovators in education. StarShine's curriculum combines the best in learning discoveries and Systems Thinking. StarShine's Sprial Curriculum interweaves Montessori practices for body, mind, spirit, health, wealth and happiness. Students at Ever Land will be inspired to complete their education with a choice between a diploma process and GED path. Students then may enroll in apprentice programs for further education where their own gifts are discovered and honed.
* It sounds like a lot going on at the proposed Ever Land. Let's just focus on the housing a bit. There look to be yurts, tepees and tiny houses. Would these be available for rent?
The Alternative Housing Demonstration Site at Ever Land offers a variety of dwelling models for emergency housing needs and as event or festival housing space. Rent and work/trade options will be available. The Youth Hostel will provide a peaceful stop for travelers as an alternative to a motel.
* This is an ambitious proposal. Does Peace Production plan to roll it out in one big swoop? Or phases?
We have three phases planned to become fully functional. The first phase will secure the property, make necessary renovations, and begin teaching and public events. The second phase will bring students, interns, and mentors together to build the infrastructure needed for the Youth Hostel, Alternative Housing Displays, Media Arts Center, and Nonprofit Development Center. The third phase will be our grand opening offering lodging and meals for the public with educational programs fully functional.
