slicproject.wordpress.

com
facebook.com/SharingLearningInCommunities
Towards the Vision of a
Learning Society:
A Community
Development Contribution
1
Preface
An intended output and outcome from the SLIC project is evidence from partners confrming
that they are working towards...
A strategic framework for Community Development Learning, refecting
diferent national perspectives on engaging learners across the divides of
class, age, gender, sexuality, culture and wealth and ensuring recognition of
skills and knowledge gained from community activities.
Contents
Report
Preface
A Learning Society as conceptual orientation
A critical and refective process
Harvesting learning from experience
The challenges of dynamic and changing contexts
Appendices
Cyprus
Finland
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy
Poland
Slovenia
United Kingdom
1
2
2
3
4
5
7
9
11
14
17
18
20
23
2
The SLIC aims to explore and inquire into some key questions
What can community based learning programmes contribute towards a transforming
process to achieve:
a) Sustainable and resilient communities and b) a learning society in diferent
national locations and context?
b) What barrier and difculties are confronting those aiming to achieve this vision?
c) What is the potential for reaching this aspiration and what are the limitations?
A Learning Society as conceptual
orientation:
A critical and reective process:
Each of the countries participating in the project have described their vision of what
a learning society would look like from a community development perspective. This
has included providing examples of the ways in which learning programmes have
contributed towards community sustainability and resilience.
The commonality in the respective accounts relating to their visions is that they lead
to greater citizen involvement and participation and increased accessibility of learning
to marginalised and discriminated groups. Interestingly, the national contexts and
locations being described are very diverse. Some are working actively in remote rural
areas, some through established social work education programmes, some setting
up schemes for recognising the skills and knowledge of established workers, others
by promoting digital literacy and others with groups of young people or with inter
generational groups. The value of the SLIC Project illustrates that we have much to
learn from each other, and this is signifcant. Further, barriers and difculties have
been identifed in the respective delivery programme journeys some common but
also some unique.
3
Visions for a learning society are diferent stages of development in the diferent countries
taking part. From Greece, participants acknowledged that the concept of a learning
society there is less widely understood. However, a coherent vision for the future is
emerging around the concept of creating active citizens. For example, facilitating a
range of approaches around developing learning opportunities for adults, encouraging
learning through intergenerational collaboration and educating against discrimination.
In Germany and Italy, there is an acknowledgment of the need to embed learning in
all activities and the need to embrace the digital revolution. In Finland, eforts are
being made to emphasise the development of citizenship in social work training and to
develop new modules in community development and community oriented practice.
The opportunity to innovate and develop new action models and new ways of organising
services in the feld is a learning outcome and focus for students. The vision of a learning
society in the northern parts of the UK is very strong, it is reinforced through a Scottish
Community Learning and Development Council resourced and supported by their
government. In England there are emerging frameworks to encourage and development
a learning society. For example, ESB is encouraging the expansion of a wide range of
recognition programmes linked to a qualifcations framework. Community learning
hubs in diferent locations forms part of this development. The process aims to enable
practitioners to be recognised through formally gathering evidence of their learning and
skills and ofer formal accreditation.
In Poland the SLIC participants have developed a very useful set of objectives and
philosophy their vision of a learning society: Education is based on the pillars, that
values are shared by the teaching staf e.g. belief in the dignity of the individual , mutual
respect between people, a sense of social justice , participation , empowerment . Trainers
as practitioners, together with learners, forms an important educational community
focused on social change. Efective learning process includes several key elements: a sense
of meaning and purpose, the participants involvement, sense of security and a sense of
agency. We called this concept engaged education
In other countries, the vision is a little further developed but barriers are being identifed
that prevent that vision from being fully realised. The Hungarian Common Knowledge
project works in some remote rural areas where people have to date been less inclined to
engage in community issues and concerns and perceive of themselves as active citizens.
In an imaginative approach study circles have been developed facilitating a participatory
learning programme to help residents to see the value of citizen participation. A vision
exists to build on the foundations laid to work with government, NGOs and business
development to take co-operation to higher levels of large scale economic development.
The vision in Cyprus has largely focussed on work with young people particularly around
anti racism and development of personal and community resilience. They have used new
technology to create blogs and social media approaches to bring young people together
in experiential workshops giving them the opportunity to learn and empower themselves.
Community Resilience development has taken place through the strengthening of social
networks, holding meetings with other groups and building a sense of community pride
by supporting each other. All three of the above have faced barriers of lack of trust and
unfamiliarity with participatory training methods.
Harvesting learning from experience:
A critical and reective process:
4
The Slovenians have identifed a number of steps towards their vision. A number of
key principles are listed at the end of this paper provide some useful guidance and
of common interest for the SLIC project. They adopted as a starting point to inform
themselves about the meaning of a learning society and their role in it. This embraced,
using local community centres for decentralised learning. It included creating networks of
volunteers of diferent ages and creating strong ties with the local/regional public sector
to organise programmes that can contribute towards the wellbeing of the community.
Thus, all leading to the vision of a learning society. This process has been interwoven with
a continual assessment of the needs of the community to ensure the programmes are
appropriate for them. The aim for the future is to make practical learning programmes
even more accessible to marginalised groups.
The challenges of dynamic and
changing contexts:
The SLIC Project has illustrated that the barriers and difculties identifed across the
diferent countries include the economic challenges being faced in a number countries.
This is creating drivers for skills for learning being instrumental with a focus on the
skills needed for obtaining work rather than learning for community engagement and
developing the confdence to engage in community planning and decision making. It is
obviously important that people acquire the skills for their economic sustainability but it
equality important for people to critically refect on the factors and forces that are likely
to enhance their personal resilience and the resilience of the communities to which they
belong. A number of partners found tensions within the community as they attempted
to work in imaginative ways with marginalised groups. People taking part in the learning
activities also faced difculties in coping with participatory training methods that they
were unused to and initially felt uncomfortable with. There is scope for more sharing
across the nations to explore the ways in which such concerns can be overcome and new
approaches to community learning and social action shared and modelled in participative
way.
Harvesting learning from experience:
5
Appendices
Cyprus
Programmes already implemented:
1. Cyprus Youth Clubs Organization in accordance with its goals for addressing social problems
implemented a program called Coloring Against Racism. The program was funded by the Youth in Action
Programme and had the form of a national initiative. The theme of this initiative was racism, xenophobia,
social exclusion and social inclusion. The initiative-project started in February 2012 and completed in
February 2013.
Starting point of this initiative was the creation of a blog. Through the blog young people had the
opportunity to exchange views on these phenomena and were informed about new concepts and
terminology around these issues. Also public was encouraged to participate in a questionnaire linked
on the blog which explored the views of Cypriots on the reasons that drive these phenomena. The blog
is also a forum of expression and projection for events and initiatives that have to do with these specifc
topics. Then we organized series of experiential workshops which were implemented in the whole island
and which gave the opportunity for young people to come together, learn and empower themselves
to address racism, xenophobia and social exclusion. During the implementation of the project printed
leafet was distributed by our volunteers, which informed society on these issues. The culmination of this
initiative was the creation of grafti about the unity of the people and is giving a message against racism.
The grafti, decorates a centrally located municipality of Cyprus and is in public view, as an art form,
spreading in this way a clear social message. This activity was implemented by young people, members
of the Cyprus Youth Centers. The goal was the awakening and awareness of youth, and the whole of
society on the subject of racism and discrimination, active youth participation, empowerment of creative
expression and the consolidation of our European identity.
2. Cyprus Youth Clubs Organization organized and implemented the 1st Summer Youth Camp during
13-15 of July 2012 in the camp site of the Cyprus Scouts Association outside the village Kornos. The
participants were 32 boys and girls aged 14-18 from diferent Youth Clubs across Cyprus and 4 group
leaders.
The camp included structured educational and recreational activities that both facilitated the
relationship building in the group and the development of the targeted skills. The primary educational
goals of the camp was youth to understand the group dynamics that exist between and within groups
and especially the Youth Clubs (according to the theories of social psychology) and the importance of
problem solving between the members of a group. Another goal was the growth of self awareness and
6
self-control in the context of a group through interaction and cooperation with the other participants.
Additionally, the group analyzed the concept of leadership and the characteristics needed of a leader
in a group composed from young people. The adolescents interacted with each other about the issues
in stake and through the activities they managed to develop intergroup communication and built their
relationship.
The tasks/tools that were used during the camp were PowerPoint presentations, workshops, discussions
in the whole group and smaller groups, team building activities and energizers. Also the group expressed
their attitudes towards issues that the youth faces in our days through painting and dance activities.
The coordination of the activities was implemented by two youth workers of the organization and
from the president of the Executive Board of CYCO. The recreation program included a last night party
organized by a group of the participants who were the winners of a series of activities. The party included
traditional and modern dances and satire.
Ideas for future work
1. Because of the situation in the labor market in Cyprus today with the rising unemployment, people
in communities will need some additional skills that may arise from a contribution in the community,
attending seminars and other activities involving non-formal learning. At the same time, the labor
market emphasizes on personal skills that a person need to possess, so it is good to develop social
skills, organizational skills, independence, creativity and ability to work in groups. The advantages of
individuals who have experience with non-formal learning are associated with these functional skills. In
Cyprus, in the workplace and in educational institutions, there is lack of information on skills acquired
during extracurricular activities (eg workshops, volunteer work). In addition, many of our citizens are
not motivated to ofer from their personal time to help their fellow humans, participate in campaigns
and other related activities. So we need to ofer external incentives and an advantage in employment.
The recognition of non-formal learning is based on the idea that learning takes place outside the formal
school system, in other situations and environments. Any kind of knowledge is considered valuable
and thus should be recorded and documented, regardless of the manner of acquisition. The validation
of non-formal learning will enhance educational opportunities for people in distant communities for
further growth and development of their skills. We aspire to prepare a validation tool of learning that will
lead to the design of pre-vocational training for people with fewer opportunities. To do this we need the
cooperation of educational institutions and companies and similar institutions in Cyprus.
2. Resiliency Development in Communities: In the level of community, resilience refers to the capacity
of a community to cope with stress, overcome adversity or adapt positively to change. The ability to
bounce back from negative experiences may refect the innate qualities of individuals or be the result
of learning and experience. Regardless of the origin of resilience, there is evidence to suggest that it
can be developed and enhanced to promote greater wellbeing. Resilience is not regarded as a quality
that is either present or absent in a group but rather a process which may vary across circumstances
and time. In accordance with the latest unprecedented consequences of economic crisis in Cyprus, our
organization is required to contribute to the development of resilient communities through Youth Clubs.
This can be achieved by strengthening the Social Networks within a community. Youth clubs can be
encouraged to organize meetings with other groups (e.g. church groups), organizations and stakeholders
in their communities and develop common goals (e.g. Development of support services, build a sense of
community pride by supporting each other, share a sense of purpose, give informations and incentives
to their citizens for diverse and innovative economy and encourage them to buy locally). Workshops
from psychologists can be held to foster a positive outlook among the people of the community, learn
successful stories from cases with similar experiences in other countries or the past and learn to embrace
diferences in their communities.
7
Finland
Introduction
I am writing this assignment from a perspective of the MA degree program of social work, in which I am
working for. Our aim is to educate developers of social services. In our study program, the meaning of
citizenship-based social work is emphasized. Students task is to study social work associated with the
community services.
During their studies, the students complete a development assignment which is intended to be closely
connected with the students own workplace. (Our students are part time students.) The students
start working with the development assignment already during the frst contact teaching period and
continue with the process throughout the entire postgraduate degree programme. On the one hand,
the development assignment is a working life-based project that serves the interests of working life in
the social work from the perspective of developing citizen and community-based work. Through their
own specifc development assignment, each student innovates and develops a new action model, a new
way of organising services in the feld, or a new assessment method together with the clients and other
actors. On the other hand, the development assignment is the students individual learning process
where the student develops his/her own special area of knowledge.
I pick two examples of our students development assignments which are also their researches for their
theses.
Case of Arkipaja
Student: Salme Kalliokoski, 2012
The Settlement of Vaasa started the Arkipaja-project in 2000, It is funded by the Finnish Slot Machine
Association. The project is still continuing with fnancial aid from the FSMA and the town of Vaasa.
Arkipaja is a local community center for mothers who are in need. The mothers have difculties in their
own mental health, or they have challenges in looking after children. The aim of the project is to ofer
social support for the mothers and their families in the local community center. Arkipaja ofers intensive
group activities to mothers and their children, aiming at preventing exclusion. It ofers also peer-to-peer
network for mothers and helps them to get larger social circles and social networks.
The intention of the research was to evaluate the Arkipaja-project. The participant mothers were asked
about the pros and cons of Arkipaja. The goal was to fnd out what works well and what requires further
development. Also the function of Arkipaja was studied. Local social workers were asked what is their
opinion on the activities of Arkipaja.
Research results show that the mothers and local social workers have a shared opinion on Arkipaja: the
biggest challenge of families is in the mental difculties of the mothers or parents; and on the other hand
the families do not get enough social support in their local community. According to the research results,
Arkipaja has very positive infuence on the lives of mothers and their families. Arkipaja is like an open
kitchen and living room in the local community. Arkipaja has been a unique social facilitator for the
mothers.
On the other hand Arkipaja has not reached enough intensive relationship with the local social workers
and local social services. Local social workers give very positive statements about Arkipaja, but they
are not involved in Arkipaja and its activities. There seems to be a barrier between the third sector
organization and the public services. In this meaning, Arkipaja is just an independent actor in the feld of
social work without a supportive network of social services.
8
The case of Vuorikeskus
Students: Tuija Kivioja and Sanna Ala-Hallila, 2012
Vuorikeskus is a community center for elderly. The thesis tries to document the history of Vuorikeskus.
Vuorikeskus has been a part of the organization of the town. However, the town council decided to
develop its function towards a resource center for the elderly. It means that the town dont alone want
to organize all activities for elderly, but instead it seeks co-operation with the third sector associations. I
think this is a Finnish application of the policy of the Big Society.
This thesis is a document of difculties which were faced in re-organizing the services of Vuorikeskus. The
town tried to seek co-operation and partnerships with associations for a new multifunctional center. The
students worked to help for changing the function of Vuorikeskus. The study is a report on how difcult it
was and what kind of barriers they found during the process..
The study is an action research, where students tried to follow the process to develop a new kind of
Vuorikeskus. During their study, they tried to get a better understanding about the social process in
which they were involved and which they also tried actively to change. In a multifunctional environment,
they had to negotiate with others all the time. Although, they tried to negotiate with other actors,
they did not fnd a base for mutual co-operation. There were a lot of tensions between the town and
associations; and between the town and the elderly.
In their conclusions, the students argued that because the town made the decision about to change the
function of Vuorikeskus without hearing the others, later it was difcult to fnd a mutual co-operation
and trust among other actors.
9
Germany
1.1 Learning in a digital age
Project-based learning is one of the rediscoveries in the age of Web 2.0, since it is clear that a
new way of learning outside formal education in the institutions of school, college and training is
becoming increasingly important.
Today, there is no longer a need to discuss the reductionist approach to learning of the industrial
culture that has honored only systematic academic book learning, that is long outdated and that
is fnally responsible for the failure of educational institutions at all levels - in terms of their function,
the competencies and the individual and social knowledge that are necessary to cope with the
challenges of the 21st century.
Learning in the knowledge society of the 21st Century is the one and only critical success factor of
all social systems: people and organizations who do not learn enough and permanently (both what
is needed, as well as in an adequate way), will be increasingly urged to the edge of society in the
future, hence excluded from participation, and fnally suspended or liquidated as an organization or
institution.
However, how is this kind of learning 2.0 going to be considered within a culture of the digital age?
The four main features of this learning society:
Learning is self-determined
Learning is personalized
Learning is collaborative
Learning is linked
These features are found almost exclusively in non-formal and informal learning contexts, especially
in the web, but also in extracurricular youth work as well as in private adult education. The formal
educational institutions must redefne their system properties to the extent that they can make
those main features also features of learning in these institutions.
1.2 What do we have - What is needed
Those are two important questions with regard to the methodology of project learning. Also during
disruptive, revolutionary times never are thrown away all previous concepts.
We already have the methodology of project learning, under which like in the internet learning is
considered to be self-determined, personalized and within collaborative networks.
We also have a variety of learning experiences from the digital world, the experience of learning in
non-formal learning communities and personal learning networks.
We still need a closer linkage between the experiences of project learning with those of learning in
web 2.0 in order to achieve a new self-evident unity. Therefore, the two previously separate worlds
frst need to meet:
to discover their common philosophy,
to communicate their particular practical experience and
to plan joint actions and make a start.
10
1.3 What have we done in the past?
Years before smartphone and mobile apps discovered the world of the learning society we set up a
(virtual) learning network focused on the needs of the diferent target groups in learning starting
from the age of 12 until 99. Special online and ofine training courses were ofered and interactive
learning groups were formed to establish learning networks in both worlds the real and the virtual
one.
On approx. 400 square metres we created a learning environment that was forward looking trying
to combine new concepts with well known contents. Moreover, learning was assumed to be rather
practical than only theoretic, for what reason also practical learning opportunities could be used.
We called this space Learning Studio.
11
Greece
Preface
Creating a learning society with the aim of being active citizens is an idea-a vision that each community
and each person perceives diferently. The reason is because each person/body/community and country
sets its own aims and priorities according to the needs and problems that exist. The learning society with
the aim of being active citizens is designed to:
Development of learning opportunities for adults, encouraging learning through intergenerational
collaboration, education against discrimination, eliminate disparities, increase mutual cooperation at
local, regional, national and European level.
Despite the specifc needs of each person, each body and local community is generally accepted that
through educational activities can be development in personal, local, regional, national and European
level. Driving force for the creation of a learning society are the education centers and educators in
general.
In Greece, although the meaning of the learning society is not widely understood, are made remarkable
eforts through various educational activities with the aim of mutual cooperation of citizens and
active participation for: citizenship, continuing education, intergenerational learning and cooperation,
elimination of social exclusion, social inclusion, use of technology and other important issues of the
European Community.
Below are mentioned the training activities that carried out under the learning society in Greece and
specifcally in Kilkis which could provide examples and other educational institutions of the EU.
1. LEARNING SOCIETY: Project that was implemented in order to create a learning society
Title of the project: ACTIONS OF YOUTHS FOR THE CONSERVATION OF LOCAL TRADITION AND
CONTINUATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE in the frame of YOUTH IN ACTION PROGRAM (Youth Initiatives)
Implementing Association: Pontians Union of Kilkis Prefecture (NGO)
Aims: The Youth Initiatives support projects that enable young people to participate actively and
directly in activities of their own devising in which they play a central role in order to develop the ability
to take initiative, entrepreneurship and creativity. This project is interesting as well as achieved goals
of Intergenerational Learning, through the implemented activities. The implemented activities of IG
Learning were:
Create a Pontiac Stamping Ground (Area for young people: meetings implementation & youth
information)
Workshop for Development the Basic Knowledge in Cooking with the use of traditional Pontiac
products
Youth Meeting on the subject Youth and Culture
Participants: 10 young people in ages between 17-30 years old.
Results:
Through activities participants in ages between 17-30 had the change to:
Socialize with older people, exchange ideas and experience
Receive informal education (cooking courses and traditional dances) from older people
especially women.
12
Get knowledge for Tradition and culture
Fight against social exclusion (participants were also immigrants, young people who left school
early, people who feel socially excluded)
Actively participate and contribute in encouraging learning through the use of intergenerational
work
Eliminate inequalities
Increase mutual cooperation in Europe
2. LEARNING SOCIETY: Action that was implemented in order to create a learning society
Title of the action: REVIVING THE TRADITIONAL GAMES
Implementing Association: Organization for Culture, Youth and Sport (OPONGA) Kilkis Municipality
Aims:
The OPONGA of Municipality of Kilkis held at the Folk Museum, with the help of trainer Mr. Bazirgianni
Antonio, a series of educational projects with the central theme of old games.
The aim of the project was to learn children about the old games that were played many years ago
in neighborhoods and courtyards
Participants: In these projects participated children, trainers, members of OPONGA, parents and
grandparents of Kilkis Prefecture
Results:
The parents and grandparents of the children informed children about the old games, the few
ways and means in entertainment. There were discussions between educational groups in order
to bring together all members of the family
In the frame of the project implemented a tour in the places of Museum, in which students
observed the exhibit objects and learned about objectives from diferent sectors of everyday life
Adults have the chance to actively participate and cooperate with children
Promotion of mutual learning
Use of informal learning
3. LEARNING SOCIETY: Program that was implemented in order to create a learning society
Title of the action: E-PARENTS
Implementing Association: EPIMORFOTIKI KILKIS SM LLC
Aims:
The program e-Parents was enrolled in Digital Strategy 2006-2013. It implemented by the EU grand and
the European Social Fund through the operational program Information Society.
Participants:
Students, teachers, parents, educational bodies
Results:
More over 200 parents of students of Secondary Education attended computer programs with
distance learning.
Parents were educated at home from experienced trainers in young ages for subjects such as: use
of internet, safety and protection of minors from internet dangers.
Many parents certifed their know ledges in ICT tools
Promotion of typical, non-typical and informal learning
13
Fight against social exclusion (participants were also immigrants, young people who left school
early, people who feel socially excluded)
Actively participate and contribute in encouraging learning through the use of intergenerational
work
Use of technology
Promotion of the idea of Lifelong Learning
The Greek view of a Learning Society. What we would like to see happen in our own country to establish
the vision of a learning society.
Beyond the learning needs, we take into account that Kilkis is an area near the border and this has a
positive and negative infuence on society. Also we take in mind that in Kilkis live many immigrants and
refugees. So, we would like to see happen in our own country/city to establish the vision of a learning
society through:
More information and educational activities
Theoretical and practical exercises
Cooperation between local authorities, schools and training centers
Attractive for active participation of youth, adults and older people
Learning through experience between diferent generations
Active participation of disadvantaged groups
Cooperation with other European countries
Adoption of good technical and practices from EU
Development of youth entrepreneurship
Fighting unemployment
Development of healthy competition
Incentives for continuing learning
Desire to change the society for the better
Establishment of information centers on educational opportunities in Greece and in European
Union countries
Establishment of information networks on educational opportunities in EU by the cooperation of
educational centers and associations.
14
Hungary
1. Learning communities - Local curricula
Familiarity with the local community has to be continuously enriched and enhanced. This will contain
aspects of local history, traditions, knowledge and experience, as well as familiarity with local landscape
and nature, the built environment, industry, market and service systems, public life and, last but not
least, an active relationship with these systems. The purpose of community studies is for stakeholders
to learn about a range of issues and needs present in a given locality, while also having a vision for
the future which involves them in an active role. A school and a community should deal not only with
the past and the natural environment but also with the people who live today. Young people must
develop an understanding of the basic drivers of society and the potential for action from organising
life in a way mostly determined by the outside world to local development controlled by inner forces;
from unemployment to career opportunities; from local minority and human rights problems to the
responsibilities of an active citizen.
A Hungarian example is the village of Szegvr (population 5000). Members of all age groups
demonstrated an unusually strong community identity and commitment during the community
development process, which took place in 2003 - 2004. Only later could the development worker solve
the mystery of this unprecedented activity: it turned out that, from the mid-1980s, students at the local
school had been given lessons on their local community and in 1993 the school board decided that every
student over nine years of age should study the history of the local community. The subject was named
local studies and the curriculum and study book called The Story of the Szegvr Area were developed
by one of the teachers. The book contains the history and ethnography of the local community, as well
as information on the locality. The local syllabus has been incorporated into the subjects of biology and
geography and into childrens leisure programmes: they produce traditional pottery, collect old artifacts,
carry out interviews with elderly people etc. The teachers committed to the local curriculum say that it is
not enough to have a committed teacher, a good study book or even practical experiences: the positive
and supportive attitude of the local community is also indispensable for efective education. The school
has managed to win over the parents for the cause, and the local newspaper has reported on the work
on a regular basis. In this way, being a Szegvr resident has become a public matter afecting the whole
community.
2. Community development learning as an agreement
Another Hungarian example reached within the framework of a regional operative programme fnanced
by the EU. The agreement has been signed by representatives of local authorities, entrepreneurs and
civil society organisations for the period 2007-2013. The objective of the programme is for the region to
take responsibility for its own development, to reduce the number of external initiatives and increase
the number of internal ones. The programme has been coordinated by the Association of Community
Workers in Upper-Kiskunsg, with the assistance of the Civil College Foundation, through a two-year
development scheme involving facilitation and partnership training.
The community development professionals employed on the scheme have done their best to involve all
key actors in the programme and commit them to the development process. The participants involved
reached the conclusion that the main goal is to develop the human resources of the region and they
have devised a strategy to implement this objective. The most important aspects of the strategy are
the strengthening of self-confdence and learning motivation; the development of learning skills and
capacities; the enhancement of local and regional community identity; the development of confdence,
15
social participation, cooperation, tolerance and solidarity both within and between the sectors; and the
establishment of local media. Using a regional analysis and the major trends in development planning,
the training strategy has focused on complementing the existing forms of formal and informal adult
learning and training with new and up-to-date content. Another important aspect is to enhance
peoples general and vocational knowledge, and to look for opportunities to provide freely accessible
adult education, again in both the area of general purpose adult training courses (provided by the Civil
College Foundation) and vocational courses (provided by the Hungarian Association for Community
Development and formal education institutions).
Two ideas for future work we would like to do
1. Training and learning sustainable development and community organising
CCF is about to initiate to implement a complex strategy refecting on to key overall problems in
Hungary, following two professional threads:
The frst dimension focuses on developing/adapting/supporting alternative community
solutions in mobilizing local resources in order respond deepening needs and hardship.
This thread is primarily focusing on simple and implementable practices, highlighting the
possible ways of reorganizing local resources.
The second dimension is putting the emphasis on local community organizing, motorizing
local human resources on key issues defned by the community, building constituency and
citizen power, articulating interests, infuencing decisions, extend and protect community
resources.
As a basic programme element CCF is about to establish a sustainable development and community
organizing resource centre
Key steps in the frst two years:
Curriculum development, trainings, meetings, mentoring
Leading/supporting 3+7 local feldworks
Local campaigns, actions, resource-development
Nation-wide campaign, conferences
Key actors:
Local communities, CSOs
Professionals engaged for community organizing, sustainable development
Regional community work organizations
2. Community-based learning
To enable democratic thinking and active citizenship to spread at an increased pace, it is not enough
merely to increase the number of free adult training programmes and organise them into a regularly
and securely functioning system. Community development must also engage with the socialisation
process of children and young people. Programmes that combine early socialisation and community
development focus on interactive learning and consist of informal elements complemented by formal
learning. Living in a community must be practiced even with the youngest age groups. In addition to
single actions such as special days or outings, working and learning together on a regular basis is also
necessary.
Community studies, the training and learning aspects of the local development plan, the
16
development of a community-based economic culture
learning about democracy in school and real life
embedding these in an adequate practice within the school system and the community itself.
Implementation of these is not the exclusive duty of schools but concerns the community as a whole.
The catalyst can be either the school itself or the community development professionals it has involved,
but the process cannot be efective without the co-operation of parents, local institutions and local
residents, that is, without making people aware of the process and encouraging them to own it
themselves. The socialisation eforts of the school in the area of community and democracy will be futile
if real life situations keep contradicting them.
Training and learning community development
The European dimension of training and learning for community development has been of considerable
importance. In 2005 the Combined European Bureau for Social Development (CEBSD) obtained funding
under the EUs Grundtvig programme. The idea for a European cooperation and networking project
arose from the Budapest conference in March 2004 on the theme of building civil society in Europe
through community development. Implementation of the project inspired a high level of interest from
community development organisations across Europe. Partners in the project and participants in a
thematic seminar demonstrated a high level of motivation to work together on community-based
training, which is seen by many as a bridge between social, economic and cultural development.
Community-based training can also make a substantial contribution to developing active citizenship and
the skills of democratic dialogue which are so essential for meaningful participatory democracy.
The fnal report on the project provides detailed information on European community development
organisations dealing with training. The project was the frst European-wide attempt to set out the
principles of training and learning in community development and identify the community development
and adult training organisations willing to engage in such a co-operation:
In the light of the project, partners share the view that the experience of community-based learning
combined with adaptability to diverse communities is the unique contribution that community
development can bring to lifelong learning. (Community Development Foundation/CEBSD, 2008, p 6)
The underlying theme of this chapter is that local communities and community groups can play a
major role in developing a collective existence that incorporates human life as a whole. This collective
existence involves the acquirement, preservation and development of local culture, the establishment
of the norms and values forming this process and the transfer of these into practice. When referring to a
crisis of values, morals, confdence and culture in Central and Eastern Europe, one must recognise that,
without socialisation to community life and democracy, the crisis will only be handled partially, with
the consequence that democracy will not be realised in the region, or only with considerable delay. The
renewal of fragmented and atomized local communities requires external intervention, because most
local communities lack the resources to implement the process. Hopefully, the examples listed in this
chapter have justifed both the need for community development intervention and the argument that
community development should be supported to a greater extent as a means of contributing to the
socialisation process.
The continuation of European networking following the key recommendations of these programmes
would be crucial to strengthen community based professional cooperation towards a learning society.
http://tl4cd.wordpress.com
The Budapest Declaration
15 May 2013 Budapest
17
Italy
Since we are a network made of 6 schools, an Adult Education Provider and a Volunteering Association,
our previous experience is referred especially to schools.
Example nr 1
Transferring topics from non formal learning to a formal one
As a result of a Comenius Multilateral Partnership we updated the formal curriculum in 4 subjects taught
in 9 partner schools: History, Foreign languages (English and French), National Literature and Social
Sciences.
The topics have been drawn from articles 10 and 11 of the Charter of fundamental rights of European
Union (Dec. 7th, 2000) i.e.
1) Freedom of thought and its expression,
2) Freedom of information,
3) Freedom of conscience and religion.
The school partners involved in this Comenius Multilateral Partnership called OMAC- Open minds for an
active citizenship are located in Italy (2), Poland, Germany, Turkey, Bulgaria (2) and Romania (2).
The devoted website is the following: www.zambello.veneto.net/omac.htm
Example nr 2
Blended English courses using Moodle platform
As a result of a Grundtvig Learning Partnership project dealing with social media, after a training course
for learning how to use the Moodle platform, blended English courses were ofered in evening classes
for adults.
That course was useful especially for those who came from the countryside and sometimes had some
problems to join the class and for those who, occasionally, couldnt attend the course because of
coincidence with work hours, both had the chance to check from home the lesson done and didnt have
difculty keeping up with the others and didnt fall behind.
All learners could train themselves at any time of the day and from everywhere they were having the
possibility of consulting lesson material consisting of videos, records, grammar, exercises and tests. The
course was successful because learners were keen of following it and fully satisfed for the results at the
end of it.
The moodle platform used for the blended courses is at the following site: http://www.levidocet.eu/
18
Poland
Engaged education as a key to community development
Education process of Local Activity Support Centre CAL is based on the assumption that every person
has the potential to develop, if he or she is willing to learn. This potential includes his/her experience,
skills, knowledge, talent and attitude. Learners are entities with the ability to change themselves and
the surrounding world. Learning process takes place between the educator and the learner - participant
- their mutual relationship is not hierarchic. They learn from each-other, through the engagement,
fow of information and synergy. It is also learning through confict and struggle, but the conditions of
security and equality are met. The aim is to create training courses and workshops based on the direct
relationship individual individual and individual group. Together with the educator group creates a
learning community on the basis of active interaction.
Education is based on the pillars / values that are shared by the teaching staf e.g. belief in the dignity of
the individual, mutual respect between people, a sense of social justice, participation, empowerment.
Trainers as practitioners, together with learners, form an important educational community focused on
social change. Efective learning process includes several key elements: a sense of meaning and purpose,
the participants involvement, a sense of security, a sense of agency. We called this concept engaged
education.
An approach of active learning (learning by doing) and the cycle of Kolb (experiential learning) is also
included. Through active methods participants create experiences, trying to critically refect on and
then discuss - generalizing and associating with the practical actions in their communities. Educators
use various forms of training to enable people with diferent types of learning), it promotes learning
efciency but always subjectivity of the participant is the most important.
In terms of CALs education philosophy, learner in the educational process is a full-fedged, autonomous
and creative person shaped by his/her personality, life experiences, talents, skills and knowledge. It
is important to enable participants in the learning process share of the responsibility for the act of
education. Educator / trainer moderates this process by creating an educational situation for participants
who consciously and responsibly enter into learning process. Education afects not only towards
acquiring new knowledge, but also the acquisition of new skills and infuence change in attitudes
towards values. Educator / trainer appears more as a facilitator of the process of education, rather than
expert-teacher, provides a climate of openness to the voices and opinions of participants and their needs
related to various problems.
19
A very important aspect of the training is a sense of purpose, which is so called clarity among the
participants about the meaningfulness of involvement in the educational process. The most important
approach relating to active education is that students learn to actually do and act. How they are going
to act is always their choice. Education is rooted in the values that defne attitude, brings out the support
people capabilities and create an atmosphere that strengthen their progress. Everything moves to the
ultimate goal of education, which is the link between theory and practice. It is called education in action,
because the educational content - knowledge, skills- are oriented both for a change of a learner, and the
change of the community. Crucial is also the role of refection on practice, which is combined with the
experience and might be applicable to new life and work situations. Participants learn, work, create a
refection, learn and work again - drawing on the experience of action learning is important approach.
These people are a community of support for each other and learn the important support of the trainer /
educator, mentor, coach.
Local Activity Support Center CAL believes that together with the participants of the educational
community are learn together, but also change themselves, their communities, and as a result social
change in Poland. To sum up, CAL engaged education creates united community of learners and teachers
towards participative change in local communities based on the values of empowerment and social
justice, in particular by working with groups and communities at risk of being marginalized or excluded
already.
Concrete
Experience
doing / having an
experience
Refective
Observation
reviewing / refecting onthe
experience
Abstract
Conceptualisation
concluding / learning from the
experience
Active
Experimentation
planning / trying out what you have
learned
Experiential Learning Cycle
20
Slovenia
PREFACE
The world we live in has throughout the last decades become much smaller place, since the trend
of globalisation connected us in a way we never thought it will. Globalisation has its pros and cons,
but maybe a con worth mentioning is defnitely its impact on the society which is nowadays eager to
know variety of things which have its place of origin in diferent countries worldwide. Those elements
contribute to the fact that there is not a State in the world which would not engage itself towards the
path of improved development, justice, the environment and eradication of poverty, Slovenia not being
an exception.
To successfully pursue this goal one must realize that contemporary methods of gathering and
improving knowledge are not enough. Schools and universities have their curriculums which often ofer
only theoretical aspects of diferent, however mostly important, bedrocks, but they lack manifestation
of those in practice. Furthermore, time that one may spend in this institutionalized way of learning is
limited and often not diverse enough. Therefore we must stream towards new ways of improving our
societies as a whole. Starting point is defnitely an individual himself and also local community centres
which ofer leadership, knowledge and enthusiasm connected with advertising.
To achieve the goal of a more educated society it must be reckoned that lifelong learning will have to be
the foundation of this new approach. Only throughout the life, with connectivity to intergenerational
and voluntary practice, one can achieve the individuals goal. If we can achieve relevant number of
citizens in a local community that would boldly engage themselves in lifelong learning of useful and
needed practices in a globalised manner, using intergenerational approach with help of voluntarism,
only then we will be able to speak of Learning Society, which recognizes learning as an essential element
to the progress of humanity, which encompasses economic prosperity, social well-being, personal
fulflment and sustainable planet.
STEPS TO TAKE
In our view, the road towards a Learning Society is a long and arduous, however we thing it can be
achieved in a reasonable time of two generations not in every corner of the world, but in some
important areas which could serve as the initiative for global change. There are some steps we have to
take in order to implement Learning Society. Since it is our belief that this implementation will difer from
place to place, however with some common elements (due to globalisation impact), we will talk about
one of proper ways which could work in Slovenia.
Firstly, local community centres have to inform themselves about the meaning of Learning Society and
their role in it. Those centres would be used as a starting point of decentralized learning in diferent
themes or areas. Preferably those centres include volunteers of diferent age.
Secondly, those centres have to create a network of volunteers of diferent age under the mentorship
of adults or seniors (in some aspects also youth). Those volunteers have the responsibility of advertising
voluntarism in a contemporary manner in thus the network of volunteers will connect more and more
people.
Thirdly, centres have to create strong ties with local/regional public sector, economy and other NGOs in
order to organize diferent programmes which can contribute to the well-being of the community. Those
programmes, which will be carried out by volunteers and mentors, are the next step towards a Learning
Society.
21
Fourthly, continuance of scanning the needs of local community must be applied. Only programmes
that correspond to the actual needs of some community will succeed. At the beginning it would be
good to start with programmes that upgrade the knowledge of marginalised groups in order to level the
community knowledge, i.e. computer literacy, economy and justice literacy
Lastly, those centres have to continue their work in diferent aspects and thus connecting local
inhabitants, local corporations, public services, local government and similar organisations.
PRINCIPLES THAT A LEARNING SOCIETY SHOULD INTERNALIZE
As mentioned before, proactive actions in order to implement a Learning Society will and should be
diferent in diferent areas of the world. However there are some principles that are widely accepted:
1) Cornerstone of a Learning Society is learning throughout life, which means accepting new
technologies, new practical ideas which make life better, new theories connected with practice
2) Learning should be taken to the learner and thus decentralizing learning and seeing it as an activity
and not a place.
3) Learning should be meant for everyone. Discrimination is not an option.
4) Communities and their inhabitants have diferent needs and therefore learning must be properly
carried out to meet those needs.
5) New learning providers must take the initiatives they can derive from public, private or NGO sector.
6) Relationship between learning providers, learners, funders and innovators is of crucial importance.
Contemporary virtual networking ofers some good starting points.
7) Each community has to create a system of continuous interests and feedback of what works in which
circumstances in order to allow transfer of good practice.
With accordance to these principles, a Learning Society can be a strong substitute to conservative
methods of learning. This however, in our opinion, does not mean that known methods of learning are
not needed.
OUR PAST PROJECTS
In Intergenerational centre Celje we are aware of the need to better our society through learning. As
it is stated in our name, we promote intergenerational approach toward any activity. We have started
organising diferent programmes that fall into category of Lifelong Learning in 2011 and we are
continuing in that stream.
1) Our frst project has commenced in 2011 and involves practical learning programmes for those, who
want to become volunteers. It needs to be mentioned, that our concept of a volunteer is a quite wide
one, since we didnt equip our volunteers with only theoretical knowledge but rather we organised
practical work in the feld they prefer under the mentorship of someone who had more experience.
Volunteers of diferent ages, but mainly younger ones, therefore formed groups of people who want
to make a change in local community in diferent areas, including: culture, sport, learning aid, healthy
lifestyle, social support, etc. Those volunteers learned about the status of each feld, talked about the
fndings with mentors and inhabitants in that community and in the end formed small programmes
that included themselves as volunteers and participants from diferent age groups who participated in
diferent programmes mentioned above.
The result was that everyone who participated learned some important elements. Volunteers learned a
lot about the needs in particular area in their local community and participants learned some new things
that were helpful in everyday life meaning of regular physical work out through advice from volunteers
and mostly through actual work out organised by our volunteers and mentors.
22
2) In the year 2012 we started a pilot project that involved contemporary networking combined with
practical advice on lifestyle, namely web-based collection of articles with advisory content. Those articles
can be found on the website which is easily accessible and there is no registration fee or something
similar. The website works on the principle that everyone who wants to share some practical advice on
how to live a better life, can participate in writing such an article. Therefore there is the writer on one side
and a reader on the other both learning new and for life important things.
Result was that many people, who never wrote as professionals, decided to try out this venture. On the
other side we had a lot of interested readers that through the time became active participants sharing
their own views and similar.
OUR FUTURE PROJECTS
1) Our main goal for the future, with regards to a Learning Society, is to widen our network of volunteers
and make practical local programmes even more accessible to diferent marginalized groups, especially
unemployed (problems connected with the loss of employment) and elderly (loneliness, feeling of
unworthiness). Those groups are facing a lot of difculties and mostly they cannot fnd the proper
way out. Intergenerational volunteering with connection to Lifelong Learning could be one of the
possible solutions, since it will engage them in diferent community work, ofering them venue of
opportunities they may seize. Although volunteering is not a direct remedy for their problems, it ofers
a good countermeasure to negative aspects, especially keeping them active, presenting them new ways
of learning diferent things which they can use in their search for employment, new connections and
similar.
In Intergenerational centre Celje we will organise work and learning problems design especially for
unemployed and elderly. We expect results such as better employment options, better health/mood,
something good for the community, etc.
2) Our second priority project is setting up a network of informal legal ofces ran by young lawyers and
law students ofering legal advice for elderly and those who cannot aford any paid advice. The starting
point of this project is pro bono counselling which is organized by volunteers specialized in law and
supervised by a competent mentor.
When we were talking to local ofcials and volunteers we realized that in the time of economic crisis
there are quite few people who are facing diferent problems and would need some non-binding
legal advice but they cannot aford getting one. On the other hand we realized that there are a lot of
volunteers who are specialized in law and would like to do some volunteering in accordance with their
specialized knowledge. The logical solution would be to connect those people.
There is a great impact on local community with this project. First of all, volunteers are ofered a plethora
of possibilities to try their theoretical knowledge on real cases. Secondly, their knowledge is used in
a way that helps local community. Thirdly, unemployed young lawyers or students are ofered a way
how to be active in their feld and to gather experience which are valued by the employers. There is
also positive impact on the benefciaries, since they get the needed advice that can help them coping
with their problems. In addition, volunteers will ofer also free presentations of the most needed and
important legal branches. This will help raising legal culture in the local community, providing legal
security and prevent diferent contemporary issues such as discrimination, exclusion, etc.
23
United Kingdom
Community Development is a long term value based process which aims to address imbalances in power and
bring about change founded on social justice, equality and inclusion.
Two things we have done
1. How we target audiences of people working with communities to bring about changes in their
communities and how we ensure trainers are well prepared to deliver such training by defning diferent
approaches to community development training.
We have trained people as mentors to practitioners going through the recognition process by recruiting
people who have been active in community development and providing a full day training in the
methods they might use in generating the evidence of peoples knowledge and skills. They have been
given access to new technology and trained in ways of using that to capture the evidence thus moving
away from traditional methods of writing everything down. Participatory methods were used in the
training which encouraged mentors to develop their own ways of working with their mentees so that
individual needs were met.
The process enables people to organise and work together to:
Identify their individual needs and aspirations
Take action to exert infuence on the decisions which afect their lives
Improve the quality of their own lives, the communities in which they live, and societies of which
they are a part
The process of Community Development is guided by a clear set of values:
Equality and anti-discrimination
Social justice
Collective action
Community empowerment
Working and learning together
2. The second integral aspect is being assured in how people learn.
This is based on the belief that everyone has something to contribute about
their experiences of being within communities its not an empty vessel
approach but one that draws upon the work of Paulo Freire.
Freire believed that important knowledge was being withheld by people in
power in order to keep the lower classes dependant on them. They could
control people in this way. Freire felt that a problem-posing approach
should be taken, where each person helps identify a problem/ issue which
is then examined by all; it is discussed and joint action is decided upon
after consideration has been given to what the possible consequences of
the action might be. After the action the matter is again examined and
discussed: Has the action made any diference? What should we do next?
How do we achieve our goal now? Everyone helps by sharing their views, experience and knowledge
and a common goal is worked towards. This is the essential framework for Community Development
24
work with community members, activists and paid worker taking on diferent tasks and roles but all
being equally valuable within the piece of work. Freire argued that to enter into dialogue presupposes
equality amongst participants. Each must trust the others; there must be mutual respect and love (care
and commitment).
Yorkshire and Humber Community Development Network held a number of practice sharing events.
One particular example focussed on the needs of rural communities faced with the localism agenda
of the new coalition government and gave community development practitioners a chance to explore
the opportunities and challenges this might pose to the communities in which they lived and worked.
Speakers from rural support agencies were invited to present their thoughts on these opportunities and
challenges and workshops were planned around the key themes of the localism agenda. One looked
at the possibilities opened up for key local services to be run and owned by community groups and
organisations. Another addressed the resources available to develop neighbourhood plans which would
inform the local planning system. The day was attended by people who worked in paid community
development work and by people who were active in their own communities. Those attending went
away better informed about government policy but they also had the opportunity to challenge it
critically and discuss what benefts it might hold for their communities but also what dangers and how
they might work to ensure that their communities remained in control of their own destinies.
Two things we would like to do
1. Develop a wider range of recognition programmes and a qualifcations framework to enable everyone
to engage and be rewarded for their training. (We hope to be able to write this up to present when we
host our conference in June 2014.) Recognition schemes are supported refective learning programmes
based on community development national occupational standards. It can be completed by people
who are involved in community development whether paid workers or unpaid activists. The process
uses the individuals current and past paid or unpaid activities in communities to develop the technical,
social, team working, practical and problem solving skills of participants. It also brings out their personal
qualities, resilience, independence and their ability to be self managing and creative team players.
2. To further develop the ideas around community development learning hubs throughout the UK
and Europe and identify funding streams to support this development. A community learning hub is
a partnership of organisations concerned with developing and delivering community development
learning. They come together to pool ideas, resources and motivation in order the make community
development learning happen. Where they have happened, the work they do includes bidding for
resources together for projects such as Recognition (see above), designing learning programmes to ft
the needs of communities, getting community development learning on to the agendas of government
bodies, developing progression routes through to Higher Education, fostering closer links between
learning providers, community groups and employers of community developmentworkers.