South West
(Projects are listed alphabetically)
Add-Venture In Learning
Aspire to Grow
C-Changes
Cornwall Adult Education Service
Cornwall College Transformation
Cornwall Look Group Network
Creative Links
Foxes Bridge Community Music Project
Fun Learning for All
Gloucestershire County Council
Headway Somerset
Impact
Learn Devon
Leonard Cheshire Disability
Let Me Be Frank
More than words: Sharing the language of learning
Music in Time
My Music
Featured Nature@SunDown View more...
The overall aim of the Nature@SunDown project was to provide informal adult learning opportunities by creating an environment in which people would directly engage with wildlife at dusk thereby beginning a personal learning journey.
The project hosted 28 taster events including Canadian Canoe trips down the river Dart at dusk, badger tracks and signs, tram drives to identify birds, identifying constellations, observed an otter ecology, night wildlife walks looking for pond life, badgers, foxes and deer, barn owl tracking and rock-pooling by moonlight.
In addition, the project focused on using new technology to record and communicate wildlife activity from remote locations. Nature@Sundown enhanced existing surveillance equipment so that the movements of otters on a Devon river could be video recorded and automatically emailed to adult learners.
447 adults were engaged through the taster sessions, exceeding the project's target of 250. Two learner lead projects have developed focusing on natural history.
Sometimes the main barrier for people who want to connect with nature is the 'safe' environment in which to do this. Small group adult learning opportunities offer this 'safe' environment.
It is important to work with project partners that you already know you can work with as this means you can get the project off the ground faster when delivery times are short.
Ambios Ltd
3 Little Gutton
Shobrooke
Crediton
Devon EX17 1DJ
New 2 Somerset
North Devon Adult Learning Forum
Photography: Capturing The Image
Featured Sea Devonport View more...
Sea Devonport aimed to provide informal learning opportunities that could lead to structured learning and formal training in science and media for hard to reach adult groups.
The project delivered training sessions on:
- film making, including use of technology;
- editing;
- sound and oral history recording;
- interview techniques; and
- photography.
The project worked effectively with a range of partners including a social enterprise (Pembroke Street Estate Management Board), Mount Wise family rooms (not for profit) and Local Authority sectors (Frederick Street Youth Service and Manor Street Children's Centre) for the facilitation of the sessions, and involved local business in the delivery of expertise (Learn to Sea, The Aquarium, Living Coasts, Glynn White - local business person).
Partners in the project were able to engage more individuals in using their services through the wide range of activities on offer, whilst participants developed new networks and increased social skills.
Placing children at the centre of the learning activities was a great success. The young parents, in particular, benefitted from the information aimed at their children. Through the making of films, groups of young parents and their children learnt about issues related to marine environment and about the effect of pollution on the sea.
However, it can take time to build successful relationships with participants and this should be considered at the beginning of any similar project. In addition, travel costs may be high for other organisations that may want to replicate the activities in the Sea Devonport project.
CoastNet
Mountwise House,
Devonport,
Plymouth,
Devon PL1.
South West
Projects in the South West
Southern Brooks Community Partnership
Stroud FM
Sustainable Somerset
Swing Door
The Agile Learning Programme
The Learning Village
The Media Bus
Transforming Lives
Featured Water Works View more...
The aim of the Water Works project was to encourage water sports providers to use sign language with both deaf and hearing learners, in an environment where it is often hard to hear spoken instructions.
The project worked with deaf learners and water sports providers to establish core sign language skills that would be helpful for water sports providers.
The first phase of the project was a series of water sports activities including sailing, canoeing, scuba diving, swimming and surfing. This provided an opportunity for water sports providers to engage deaf learners and to identify the sign language skills needed to engage these learners.
All of the activities were filmed and edited to produce a toolkit for water sports providers.
One provider has updated its handbooks and changed the information given to coaches as a result of involvement with the project.
Participants were easily recruited for the programme and remained enthusiastic throughout.
The project established good links with water sports providers and the Academy is aiming to maintain these links.
Some of the deaf people who took part in the activities were keen to take on a leadership role and teach water sports in the future.
Water Sports providers are very open to working with deaf people and becoming more deaf aware.
Water Sports instructors often use very visual approaches and are comfortable teaching in a visual style.
Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Edcuation,
50 Topsham Road,
Exeter EX2 4NF
Amanda Denham, Head of Fundraising
Tel: 01392 267089
Whose History is it Anyway?
You're Never Too Old
