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About Us...
Building Community
We are a non-profit, non-sectarian organization located in San Luis Obispo,
California. We are dedicated to building a strong community of children, families and adults through nature-based and alternative educational programs. We believe that “it takes a village to raise a child”. We also believe that a healthy rich connection to the natural world can create a deeper understanding of self, community and life in general. By developing a personal relationship with nature, one’s level of general awareness increases and makes learning on every other level efficient and life-long.
Our Philosophy
The Central Coast Village Center applies mentoring techniques and concepts, taken from native cultures, to it’s programs and governance. We live by Peacemaker principles and base our programs on seasonal and natural rhythms.
The Art of Mentoring
By the time they were 12 years old, children in Native cultures around the world could—and still can—track animals across hard ground and tell you what the animal was, how fast it was moving, when it had passed, whether it was on its way home after feeding or going in search of food; they could identify dozens of plants, tell you their uses, and prepare them as food, medicine or tools; they could look at the sky and tell you what tomorrow’s weather will be; make fire without matches in seconds and PLAY, LAUGH, and ENJOY LIFE FULLY. But they never went to school.
How did they learn?
At the Village Center (in conjunction with Coyote ROAD School) we refer to this educational system as the ART OF MENTORING or the “invisible school”.Our techniques include story telling, reflective questioning, and both structured and spontaneous experience. These methods make learning effortless, enjoyable and inspiring. They draw out curiosity, encourage self-sufficiency, cultivate confidence and self-esteem. An expert mentor subtly motivates his or her students in such a way that most of their learning occurs when the mentor is not present. The ultimate goal of mentoring is to teach the student to ask her own questions and seek the answers in his or her experience.
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