Learning Communities
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
About
A key learning site for adults is the community. Adult learning takes place throughout the community
- in the local library, community centre, active retirement group, VEC and much more! Wednesday
also recognizes the role community education in particular plays in the development of communities
as a whole and in the participation of citizens in that development. In Dublin, AONTAS will screen
'Beyond the Classroom' - a series of programmes about community education.
Event & Activity Ideas
Silver Surfers / Click Start!
Why not open your doors to learners with little or no IT experience. The focus of this activity is to
create small groups in communities within which learners can become engaged with technology.
- Run a free session on e-mail. Learners can use their own e-mail to contact politicians about
learning issues!
- Buying a computer - the jargon explained.
- Open your library doors to research your family tree on the internet?
- Open your bank's door with free sessions on on-line banking?
Charter a Local Learning Bus
Why not partner with a local bus company to collect potential learners and bring them to your
centre? You can provide the AONTAS Information Booklet on the Learning Bus and information about
classes in your centre.
Funky Fitness
Regular exercise can help burn fat, lower blood pressure, boost the immune systems and make you
feel happier. It has also been shown to lower the risk of serious illnesses such as heart disease.
Ideally, you should aim to be active for at least 30 minutes 3 times a week. To mark the Adult Learners'
Festival, why not hold a taster fitness class in anything from bowls to belly dancing! You can even
bring keeping fit into the 21st century with a Wii demonstration!
The Big Draw
Everrybody is an artist and there are lots of ways to encourage learners to get involved in art! You
can hold a sample art or drawing class, an exhibition of learners' work or a guided tour of an art
gallery. Why not encourage learners' to draw their experience of adult learning and display them in
the organisations premises?
Ready, Steady, Cook!
We need to eat a range of different foods to keep our brains and bodies in tip top condition. A
fun way of making sure we get the good bits we need in our diet is to be creative. Why not hold a
creative cooking demonstration followed by a cooking class. Perhaps you could provide information
about learning opportunities in your area while participants are tucking into their culinary delights!
Learning in the Library
Libraries are a resource at the heart of every community. As part of the Adult Learners' Festival why
not encourage those who don't usually visit the library to pop in! As a library you can hold an IT
session, a guided tour of the library along with a recruitment drive or hold a book club. Book clubs
and reading groups are growing in popularity across Ireland. They are a great way to get together as
a group and talk about your shared passion for books and reading.
Quick Fixes
- Hold a workshop on job seeking skills in partnership with local organisations
- 'Meet the Tutors' Set up an information stand in your local shopping centre or canteen to
attract potential adult learners
- Include a crossword or information on learning opportunities with staff payslips
- Organise a taster class or demonstration for potential learners
- Behind the scenes....at the museum / at the university / at the library / at the art gallery
- Launch adult learning research or statistics
- E-mail your local and national politicians about your concerns for the adult learning sector
Useful Organisations
- The Library Council (www.librarycouncil.ie)
AONTAS Can Help!
We understand that it's often difficult to find the time to hold an event or run an activity so AONTAS have put a number of resources in place to make it as easy as possible for your organisation to become involved in the Adult Learners' Festival 2010.
- An Event in a Bag jampacked with everything you need to promote your event
- A local contact in each area to share their knowledge and experience
- Activity and Event ideas on www.adultlearnersfestival.com
- Calendar of Events at www.adultlearnersfestival.com
- AONTAS staff on hand for any guidance and assitance you might need
Don't have the time to organise an event or activity from scratch? You can still be part of the
Adult Learners' Festival by scheduling an existing event during the festival week.
