North West

Introduction:

Projects in the North West

North West Projects

A New Learning Adventure for Third Agers

Lancaster University

This project aimed to create a learning community across South Gloucestershire, by creating and training a team of community learning champions and volunteer coordinators. These champions and volunteers then worked with partner organisations to offer open days with taster sessions. Following this, specific courses were delivered to engage and support adults in a wide range of learning activities, the most popular of which were line dancing, drawing, photography, jewellery and beauty therapy. This project worked to develop the learning infrastructure by creating new partnerships between organisations and as such the champions and volunteers have developed their knowledge about different learning providers in the community.

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Community Reporting NW View more...

People's Voice Media

The aim of the project was to create an online interactive peer learning network allowing individuals, communities, organisations and staff to share knowledge and skills and support participants to become Community Reporters. An open source online resource bank was developed to embed social media produced by local residents, and staff from the housing association. They also developed content using social media. Participants of all ages, who were interested in learning new skills and sharing their knowledge with other people via a community website, included residents on the Huncoat and Hattersley estates with support from the Contour Housing Group.

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Creative and Innovative Communities Learning Project View more...

Liverpool Personal and Community Development (PCDL)

Liverpool PCDL Partnership aimed to deliver informal adult learning to people living in areas of deprivation. Four organisations were commissioned and worked with learning champions to deliver a varied programme of activities in five Neighbourhood Management Areas. Over 600 learners took part in sessions which included local history, health and wellbeing activities, reading for pleasure, regeneration and social enterprise. The project opened up new spaces for learning in the community, including a marketplace and vacant retail premises.

DiGi 50+

Vision+Media

Dip into digital, led by Vision+Media, Northern Film + Media, Screen Yorkshire in partnership with Library Services and Age Concern, aimed to combat issues of social exclusion and rural isolation of people over 50 living in rural towns and villages across 3 geographic locations in the North of England. The project supported participants to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence around using online, digital and social media tools and created new training content. The learners engaged were all from the key target groups: 51-75, 76+

ENVIZ project

St Vincent's Housing Association

St Vincent’s Housing Association worked in partnership with another social housing provider and an arts organisation to bring informal adult learning to vulnerable tenants. Over 20 people took part in twice weekly drama and film workshops including cultural trips, leading to a public performance at Bolton Little Theatre at the end of the project by a core group of 15 participants. A supporting programme helped participants to build emotional wellbeing, as well as offering information, advice and guidance to take up further learning. A toolkit was produced for other social housing providers wanting to implement creative approaches to homelessness.

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Football and Life Academy View more...

Crewe YMCA Foyer

Crewe YMCA led an innovative project targeting a hard to reach group: single young adult males experiencing or recently resettled from homelessness. Thirty learners were engaged through a programme that combined football training and the pitch-side delivery of life skills. Participants developed emotional self-management techniques as well as physical fitness, allowing them to address wider issues of social participation such as tenancy retention and substance misuse. Following the project learners have shown a high rate of continued participation in local football leagues as well as entry into paid employment and volunteering.

Groundwork Eco Hub

Groundwork Manchester Salford

Groundwork’s Eco Hub provided opportunities for adults to participate in community based horticulture projects from single events to short courses. Groundwork has developed a series of centres for people to access which form the Eco Hub to help promote horticulture and food growing. The project engaged adults with learning disabilities, men’s health group, Asian women’s group, refugee and asylum seekers, allotment groups, In Bloom groups, community groups, tenants groups and unemployed people.

Growing Places

Knowsley's Parents Adult Carers

Knowsley Adult Learning Partnership, a forum made up of public, private and third sector training providers, developed this project to engage local residents in transforming derelict spaces. 103 learners took part in redeveloping 4 neglected open spaces into accessible vegetable gardens; activities included site clearance, construction of raised beds, paths and polytunnels, and planting crops. Participants gained a better understanding of environmental issues and enjoyed the outdoor activities.

Growing Windows for Peace UK

Windows for Peace

Windows for Peace (WfP) – a project providing workshops for facilitators, Trustees and volunteers within WfP and organisations interested in developing peace education and dialogue concerning Israel/ Palestine. Aims are to develop skills, confidence and capacity to promote, plan, deliver and support work of this nature. The project has contributed to personal development of participants and organisational learning.

In Focus

Toxteth TV

‘In Focus’, a project led by Toxteth TV, was developed in partnership with a range of voluntary and community organisations within Liverpool and the surrounding areas. The purpose of the project was to develop a series of short documentaries, based around ideas and themes expressed by participants, in order to both empower and give a ‘voice’ to individuals suffering isolation. Learners were supported in the creation of their own media through a programme of training in film/making, writing, TV production and IPTV broadcasts, and produced live studio-based via web broadcasts describing their lives, whilst lessening both their social and digital exclusion. The project worked with older people (both in and out of sheltered accommodation), carers, young homeless people, people from minority groups, and adults with learning difficulties to deliver benefits such as digital literacy skills and access, improved mental wellbeing and confidence, enhanced community cohesion.