People’s College of Transition Skills

The People’s College of Transition Skills is a grass-roots, informal network of neighbor teaching neighbor. We meet in homes, backyards, parks, schools, or empty storefronts to share our skills with each other.

Creating healthy, resilient and sustainable communities in a post-fossil fuel world will require us to re-learn basic skills of self-sufficiency. The People’s College of Transition Skills is a grass-roots, informal network of neighbor teaching neighbor. We meet in homes, backyards, parks, schools, or empty storefronts to share our skills with each other. For an hour or a day, our courses focus on fundamental topics on providing basic life needs for ourselves and our neighbors. The tuition is minimal, consisting of a nominal fee to cover materials. As students become teachers, skills pass through the community

We all have skills to share. Post a comment or idea for a course you can offer or one that you would like to see. Watch our events listing for courses a they are scheduled!

Transition Skill Topics

Transition skills fall into many areas and categories. The following topics were identified in an initial brainstorming session held by members of the People’s College working group and are intended to stimulate the development of ideas and commitments as we plan and schedule skill-share sessions. These topics can be expanded upon and new ones can be added as we proceed.

FOOD
Nutrition on a budget
Low energy cooking methods
Basic cooking skills
Brewing
Fermentation
Sprouts & micro-greens
Food literacy – types and varieties
Growing
Composting
Foraging
Buying in bulk
Canning
Drying
Pickling

WATER
Collection
Storage
Filtration
Purification
Treatment (disease)
Irrigation
Greywater

SHELTER
Low tech heating
Low tech cooling
Low tech lighting
Insulation
Ventilation
Plumbing
Electrical
Assessing fix-it abilities and limitations
Basic construction
Essential Tools
Waste disposal — solid waste, greywater, sanitary

PERSONAL
Clothing–sewing, knitting, textiles
Hygiene
Medicine
Biking
Story-telling
Writing
Music
Arts
Spirituality