What are learning communities.....
Learning Communities are groups of people - in towns, around centres, or in interest groups - who work toward making lifelong learning possible for everyone. People and organisations in Learning Communities use 'learning for all' as a principle and goal and work collaboratively to provide access to and encourage participation in learning:
To develop skills in people of all ages - lifelong and life-wide. This ranges from basic literacy and numeracy to skills for adjusting to new employment opportunities (e.g. IT skills) and social, life and coping skills. By developing people's skills, the learning community can assist in building the community's capacity address challenges facing the community.
To grow business by increasing the community's skills base and its capacity to contribute to expanding commercial opportunities (e.g. greater diversity of service providers in the knowledge economy, a greater capacity to win tenders for community services) and to more efficient business alliances.
To foster collaboration between people and organisations in the community, which may result in better sharing of resources (e.g. the use of school infrastructure after hours), greater access to opportunity for people (e.g. joint advertising of adult learning classes), or in the development of local solutions for local problems through collaboration within government.
To help people grow, by providing access to knowledge and skills to increase their confidence and competence to participate actively in their communities. Wanting and being able to learn are great antidotes to poor self esteem and despair and, for example, good health management outcomes are achieved when a person understands the problem and is able to learn to change their behaviour in order to implement the solution.
To strengthen community, by enhancing the capacity of the individuals that make it up, and of the groups and organisations to which they belong. Individuals who engage with their communities to learn and help others learn, and organisations collaborating to facilitate learning contribute to stronger, more capable, more aware and more sustainable communities.
To continuously improve the practices and outcomes of the community, by learning from its experiences and the experiences of other communities to be more efficient, effective and sustainable.
Learning Cities include learning communities of all sizes based around a geographic area - be it a neighbourhood, a town, a local government area, or an entire region. Learning Cities focus on 'learning for all' who live, work, study or play in the area.
Learning Centres are learning communities of all sizes based around a particular hub or centre, such as a community centre or school. Learning Centres work to encourage and enable the immediate community- participants, their families, local residents - to engage in learning.
Learning Groups are similarly concerned with creating a climate and culture that support learning, but amongst a group of people who share a common interest, rather than necessarily a geographic area. This may be a learning community of practice (e.g. a professional group) or a learning community of interest (e.g. a hobby society).
Acknowledgements
ALCN Inc, in assuming management of the website (September 2006), acknowledge the support of Adult Learning Australia, Australian Local Government Association, Australian National Training Authority and Department of Education Science and Training for their contributions of funding and time for the initial development and subsequent management of the site from 2003 through to September 2006 in partnership with our Network.
Join the ALCN Inc.....
Download the application form.
Community Learning in South Australia....
Community learning in South Australia is about people learning through family, workplace, community, social, voluntary and professional activities and through organised courses or programs delivered in the community. It is about the insights, knowledge and skills gained through informal, non-formal and formal learning.
Community learning frequently consists of pathways between each form of learning. Much of it is self-directed and it is often self-funded. It is a long term process, which continues through all phases of life.
Community learning happens anywhere within a network of people connected through common interest, identity, location or geography.
Community learning outcomes are personal, social, economic and environmental:
- Individuals are empowered
- Communities are enriched
- Economies are strengthened
- Environments are sustained
http://www.training.sa.gov.au/tasc/files/links/CommunityLearningStrategy.pdf
Conference Organising Committee members.....
- Mr Patrick Wright, Steering Committee Chair – Deputy Chair, Training & Skills Commission, DFEEST
- Manager ACE & Community Partnerships Unit DFEEST
- Ms Sharon Smith – Event Manager, ACE & Community Partnerships, DFEEST
- Mr Jeff Green– Executive Officer, ACE & Community Partnerships, DFEEST
- Ms Jenny Lauritsen - Workforce Development Unit DFEEST
- Dr Stan Salagaras - Delfin Lend Lease
- Ms Cassandra Gibson-Pope - City of Marion
- Ms Bridget Ransome – City of Marion
- Ms Teresa Brook - Plains Library Service
- Ms Annie Payne - City of Salisbury Mawson Centre
- Ms Sue Ross - Chief Executive Officer, WEA of SA
- Dr Peter Willis - CREW – University of South Australia
- Ms Jenny McCormick – Movers and Shakers
- Ms Kaye Bowman – Consultant
- Mr Peter Peterson – Chief Executive Officer Adult Learning Australia
- Mr Steve Fawcett – TAFE SA Regional