Our Work

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A Place for Us is an arts- and nature-based educational initiative that supports children and young people growing up in contexts of rural marginalisation and abject poverty.  Working at the intersection of creativity, well-being, and connection to the natural world, the project creates spaces where young people can feel safe, seen, and supported for inner and outer growth.

Launched in 2023, as part of Alef Trust's Conscious Community Initiative,  A Place for Us was developed in two very different rural contexts: Cahersiveen, Ireland, and Neemka village in Uttar Pradesh, India. While the social and economic realities in each place are distinct, both communities share challenges of isolation, limited access to services, and reduced opportunities for holistic education. The project responds to these realities through locally rooted, relationship-based programmes rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.

At the heart of A Place for Us is a belief that meaningful education nurtures the whole being. Programmes combine creative expression, movement, storytelling, nature connection, and simple reflective practices to support emotional regulation, confidence, and a sense of belonging. Activities are adapted responsively to meet immediate needs- whether that is food and warmth, emotional safety, or opportunities for play, imagination, and self-expression.

The project also places strong emphasis on facilitator development, recognising that the inner capacity of adults,their presence, care, and self-awareness, directly shapes the learning environment. Facilitators are supported to work in a heart-centred, relational way that values listening, trust, and cultural sensitivity.

Today, A Place for Us continues its work in Neemka, India, where children from families experiencing extreme poverty engage weekly in a programme that integrates nourishment, literacy, creativity, and care for the land. Through simple acts : planting trees, sharing meals, creating art,  practising yoga and being still together, children are supported to experience themselves as part of a wider, caring community.

A Place for Us is not a fixed curriculum, but a living, responsive process. It grows through relationships, local knowledge, and the shared understanding that every child deserves a place where they can belong, create, and thrive.

Solas Jyoti School 2027

Solas Jyoti is a new primary school coming to the district of Mawana, UP, India, and the first holistic school in the area. Opening its doors in April 2027, a local team of educators and facilitators, many of whom have been involved in A Place for Us , Neemka, will offer holistic education grounded in compassion, creativity and joy to children between the age of 4 and 11 years old. This school is supported by A Place for Us Education Foundation (India) and Learning Wholeness (Ireland).

The Hands That Move the Mustard Seed is one of The Galileo Commission’s Consciousness Education Network projects.
This project has been based in Neemka, Uttar Pradesh, India, since October 2024, first as a pilot, and later as one of the Fondation Salvia supported Consciousness Education Network projects.
 

This project engages 18 children (ages 5–16) marginalized children, already part of the “A Place for Us” programme.
Session Format: 45–60 minute weekly sessions (Sundays) as part of a larger 3–4 hour programme.

Project Aim

To guide underprivileged rural children in exploring consciousness experientially, empowering them to see beyond societal limitations like caste, class, and gender, and to imagine and create a better future.

Key Goals for the Children

1. Emotional Awareness & Regulation
2. Improved Focus & Attention
3. Kindness & Compassion Development
4. Expanded Self-Identity Beyond      Societal Labels
5. Greater Resilience & Coping Skills
6. Creative Expression through Art & Storytelling
7. Mind-Body Awareness
8. Deep Connection with Nature
9. Sense of Safety & Trust
10. Long-Term Social Empowerment

Core Session Elements

• Heart-centered meditation & breathwork
• Embodied movement practice 
• Storytelling 
• Creative reflection (drawing,      vocal expression)
• Sessions conducted in nature      (mustard fields and forest)

This project aligns with the seven principles of Consciousness Education:

• Holistic and dynamic 
• Embodied and heart-centered      learning
• Interconnectedness with nature and others
• Integration of spiritual and      scientific perspectives
• Experiential, non-materialist approaches
• Culturally sensitive yet transformative learning
• Emphasis on relational, participatory growth