The Soil Project
The Soil Project (TSP) is an international alternative higher education and gap year program serving as an initiative toward a new paradigm of education in 21st century by completely changing the way that education has been happened including philosophy, educational goals, content and learning methods and even credentials.
Vision
The program aims to support young people’s development by providing a nourishing foundation. They describe their educational philosophy as ‘soil education’. This means creating a foundation of ‘holistic learning and basic knowledge’ and supporting learners with the ‘community, and necessary resources’ they need to grow in their own ways and own directions.
Core values
Development is inner and outer, in service of paradigmatic transformation of education and society more broadly: the program is for young people a ‘journey of understanding themselves within and exploring and serving the outside world’. They talk about ‘education’ rather than ‘development’. They use the word ‘seeds’ to refer to the learners/participants in their program. This fits with the metaphor of their ‘soil education’ philosophy.
Program
There are 4 6-month modules: Body and Mind Cultivation; Sustainable Living & Development; New Story and Future of the World; Entrepreneurship & Meaningful Livelihood. Each 6-month module goes through a cycle of 3 parts: Structured Curriculum; Self Learning Journey; and Reflection and Sharing. Learning experiences take place across Vietnam, Thailand, and India.
Practices
Learners take part in Head, Hands, Heart, and Healing the World education, i.e. cultivating: knowledge and intellectual skills; physical, practical skills, e.g. cooking, gardening, construction; compassion, empathy, and emotional skills; and capacity to contribute positively to the transformation of society. Frameworks and practices include: Mindfulness; Nonviolent Communication; Process Work; Internal Family Systems; Natural Farming; concept of ‘Alivelihood’.