South West

Introduction:

Projects in the South West

South West Projects

Cornwall Adult Education Service

‘Learning in Off-Island and Remote Rural Communities’ was the product of a partnership between Cornwall Council, the Isles of Scilly Lifelong Learning and Cornwall College. The project made use of learning platforms, virtual classrooms, video conferencing, mobile telephony and community radio to provide learning opportunities for both off-island communities on the Isles of Scilly, and isolated rural communities in Cornwall. The project developed and delivered a series of short pilot online learning programmes including conversational French, Archaeology, web-design, social media, and ‘computers for older learners’. The courses were delivered by ‘remote’ tutors, with the exception of archaeology II, which was delivered using a support ‘buddy’, and/or self-study courses. A learning platform made available study resources for learners, and was free to use for providers. The project received positive learner evaluation and the ‘buddy’ system proved an effective and low-cost approach.

Cornwall Look Group Network

Tate St. Ives

The ‘Look Groups’ Network was a project led by Tate St Ives, taking place across Cornwall. Piloted from October 2009 to April 2010, the project represented a partnership between Tate St Ives and Cornwall Council. The ‘Look Groups’ network connected 21 hard to reach and remote communities with the purpose of enabling and facilitating face-to-face peer-led democratic dialogue around art; stimulated by Tate’s displays and learning resources, with an emphasis upon learner generated opinions and ideas through a traditional ‘book group’ model. This was enhanced by a Ning network for online learners. The project targeted communities across Cornwall (including learners and non-learners), with particular emphasis upon rural and coastal communities, addressing barriers to access and engagement through creative activities. The project reported improvement in participants’ wellbeing, art knowledge, digital literacy skills, confidence, employability skills and social skills.

Let Me Be Frank

New College

This project engaged with male and female adult drug, alcohol users and homeless individuals by offering a programme of innovative learning opportunities involving e-learning technologies. Learning activities including creating and uploading blogs, uploading videos and photographs, writing poems and stories allowed 25 learners to tell their stories and cascade their experiences to other people affected by substance misuse, as well as helping to develop ICT skills. The project website, www.letmebefrank.co.uk/, continues to be a focus for learner engagement.

More than words: Sharing the language of learning

Single Parent Action Network

Inspired by the linguistic diversity of the areas around Junction 3 in inner-city Bristol, ‘More Than Words…sharing the language of learning’ explored the theme of language through workshops and short courses leading up to a celebration event and exhibition. The project was delivered and devised in partnership with community groups offering learning opportunities to local residents situated in an area of high deprivation and with significant ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity, the Junction 3 Creative Learning Centre had a focus on encouraging people to develop confidence and real life skills, through informal and formal learning.

Music in Time

Superact CIC

Music In Time consisted of 6 prison based music programmes for offenders, including many older learners. These were led by trained musicians and delivered in 5 prisons. The project resulted in the creation of CDs of music created by participants.

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Ambios Ltd

Nature@SunDown was developed by Ambios ltd in partnership with countryside and coastal charities, local authority and private organisations in the South West. The project provided informal adult learning opportunities by creating an environment in which people could directly engage with wildlife at dusk, thereby beginning a personal learning journey. Further support via face-to-face and online and distance learning focused on the learners’ chosen wildlife species. The project was open to all, but sought to engage the underrepresented; such as young people and lone female adult learners. The project used new technologies that allowed events in the natural world to be recorded and communicated to learners remotely, via mobile phone text, e-mail and online social networks; such as otter surveillance. The project hosted 28 taster events including Canadian Canoe trips, astronomy, and otter ecology, and successfully increased participation/ interest in the environment, enhanced digital literacy skills, and improved physical and mental wellbeing.

New 2 Somerset

South Somerset District Council

An inter-generational, cross cultural, all abilities project aimed to promote community cohesion and combat isolation by celebrating the history and heritage of Somerset. Learners were drawn from a very diverse mixture of communities, including travellers, migrant and refugee communities, black and minority ethnic communities, disabled people, people with mental health issues, people with learning disabilities and older learners. Using digital media, participants worked together to produce films celebrating being ‘New 2 Somerset’. The films were premiered at a celebratory event and DVDs were produced that can be used in future learning contexts.

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CoastNet

Not-for-profit network CoastNet led a project to reconnect unemployed parents with the coast and sea by using this as a basis for skills training in media and arts. Parents and children developed short films about the coast, which were then screened at an ‘Oscars’-style award ceremony to mark the culmination of the project. The development process included training in digital technology and field trips to relevant attractions (aquarium and coastal zoo). The films were also collected on a DVD and made available on the project blog (http://seadevonport.wordpress.com/).

Sustainable Somerset

Somerset County Council

Somerset County Council aimed to place sustainable development at the heart of informal learning by supporting local communities to develop the skills of sustainable living and working. Five community venues were opened up as learning spaces and learners were able to access a wide range of activities including free IT drop-in sessions, sustainable living, access to cultural monuments and a week-long exploration of the work of Transition Towns. A celebration event was held at the end of the project that attracted 243 learners. Use of digital technology supported and enabled the sustainability theme of the project.

Swing Door

Well UK

The Swing Door project, led by Well UK, sought to establish a two-way benefit: enthusing people with new learning opportunities when they connect with local services; and encouraging better use of services by people enthused with learning opportunities. With activities largely themed around life skills and healthy living, 140 taster sessions and 13 longer courses were held in 26 communities with activity in every district and unitary area across Devon. Nearly 2000 attendances were registered during the lifespan of the project. The project also strengthened informal adult learning infrastructure at a local and regional level.