A Community-based approach to delivering diverse learning opportunities

Community Action Dacorum currently participates in the Transversal Study Visit programme which is funded from the Lifelong Learning Programme.   The study visits enable us to host individuals from other European countries to show case how the local voluntary sector in Dacorum works in partnership with each other and the public/private sectors around the themes of employment, education and training.  During the past two years we have hosted visitors from seven countries: Bulgaria, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Spain and Turkey.

Our most recent Study Visit took place between 11th and 15th February 2013.  The theme of the visit was to encourage co-opeartion between the worlds of education, training and work.   The 9 participants were from six countries: Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the Czech Republic and included a Headteacher, lecturers, seconday school teachers and voluntary sector organisations working with migrants and refugees.

A specially tailored programme was put together by Community Action Dacorum and was designed to show case our area of expertise in supporting local voluntary organisations, delivery and planing of community based learning, the role of the Dacorum Learning Partnership and the provision of courses by Cultural Learning in the community amongst others.

Visits inlcuded:

• The South Hill Centre to hear how the facilities are used to benefit the local community.
• Hamilton House to observe and ESOL class (English for speakers of other languages) run by Community Action Dacorum
• West Herts College Watford Campus to eat in the restauarant attached to their catering courses where students are taught and trainined on site
• Kings Langley College post 16 education department
• Sunnyside Rural Trust to learn about plans for the Hemel Food Garden, how people with learning difficulties and disabilities are engaged and how the centre is also used to deliver training
• Radio Dacorum for a live intervew in which the group talked about their visit
• To the Mayor of Dacorum to receive the Certificate of Attendance.

The study visit group report was outstandingly positive and all felt they had benefited from their week with Community Action Dacorum.  The report was summarised in these words - "by talking about all our experiences in our own communities, we have learned how to make our community better". A key point highlighted in the report was the contribution made by our volunteers in the success of all of our projects.

We are looking forward to hostig similar visits.  For more information on the study visit or other European Project activity please contact Musarat Inayat.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.  This publication refelcts the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.