EduCareDo is an international initiative offering self-awakening courses in the light of anthroposophy. Since 2002, EduCareDo’s distance-learning courses have met the needs of thousands of individuals to develop capacities towards freedom on the path of self knowledge.
These courses are based on the principal ideas of Rudolf Steiner. The Foundation Course introduces participants to this work, and is an accessible and experiential path that is suitable both for beginners, as well as for those already familiar with Steiner’s work. Subject Courses dive deeply into one area of this terrain. Some subject courses suggest having previous background study and experience, while others do not. A portion of course fees collected from the EduCareDo Foundation Course are reinvested into community initiatives we support around the world.
People
EduCareDo was established by Erwin Berney, one of the founders of Parsifal College / Sydney Rudolf Steiner College. Erwin's commitment to the path of inner development and new community brought him to author the Foundation Course in 2002 and laid a firm foundation for the volunteers who continue to carry and coordinate EduCareDo’s courses as well as the authors who continue to create new subject courses.
Read about the Foundation Course authors →
History
Upon arriving in Australia from Budapest in 1949, Erwin Berney set up Berney Studios, a commercial photographic studio on Liverpool Street in Sydney, which later became the site for the first “Orientation Course” in anthroposophy. From there a number of organizations separated out, finding their own paths and development:
The Orientation Course later became Parsifal College for Adult Education, and is now known as Sydney Rudolf Steiner College
Demeter Biodynamic Bakery which became Helios Enterprises
The Goethean Science Research Centre for Agricultural, Food and Medical Testing and Research was officially formed in 1982, and along with Helios was the first producer and distributor of Wala anthroposophical medicines in Australia. In 2002 the Goethean Science Research Centre became EduCareDo Ltd.
Hermes Trilance Ltd, a bank-like organization which helped to fund many more initiatives around the world.
It was during his many years lecturing at Parsifal College in Sydney, that Erwin was asked by prospective students if there was a distance education version of the first year (Foundation Year) of the Parsifal Certificate. When Erwin retired from full-time lecturing in the early 2000’s (Erwin being in his late 70’s), he devoted himself to answering the call from these many people, and the work of the Goethean Science Research Institute became the foundation of EduCareDo Ltd as it is known today.
EduCareDo as an organization and its Foundation Course are the work of a man who had the strength of will to carry forward anthroposophy into the world in truly practical ways. He came with decades of experience in teaching anthroposophy to new students, and knew what they needed at different stages of their learning. Erwin was supported by a team of colleagues who contributed to the Foundation Course lessons and today EduCareDo continues to be carried by dedicated volunteers.
Since the lessons first began over 3,500 students from 30 countries have enrolled in the EduCareDo Foundation Course. Over time, the interest from teacher and farmer training courses led to community partnerships with various schools and other organizations around the world.
Please contact us if you are interested in developing a community partnership with EduCareDo →
Present and Future
Until his passing, Erwin Berney had a vision for EduCareDo to offer subsequent courses to the Foundations in Anthroposophy. In 2020 a number of courses by various authors came to fruition and EduCareDo is now pleased to offer subject courses in a broad range of fields through the same form of accessible, experiential self-directed distance-learning offered through the Foundation Course. The subject courses currently available are:
Biodynamic Agriculture and Nutrition
Inner Development for World Development
Speech and Drama as Living Arts
Transforming Society: Seeds for a New Social Understanding
Visual Art: Exercises in Painting and Color
EduCareDo is an associate member of Steiner Education Australia.