Transcript Slide 1

NCEA Principles of
Community Education
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Lifelong Learning
Community
Involvement
Efficient Use of
Resources
Self-Determination
Self-Help
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Leadership
Development
Institutional
Responsiveness
Integrated Delivery of
Services
Decentralization
Community Education advocates
and supports the creation of
innovative programs and
collaboration between all
members of communities for the
purposes of advancing
community learning and
sustainability.
The strength of community education is also its
weakness. Community education’s strength is that
it deals with many different and varied
components of education within the community.
It’s weakness is that this makes it very hard to
describe what we do.
Tony Townsend
Defining Community Education
The aim of 'Community Education' is to equip
communities with the skills they need to
undertake the activities they wish to undertake; it
is essentially about educating communities or
groups, not individuals.
England
Defining Community Education
Adult and Community Education (ACE) is a
response to the lifelong learning needs of the
community. Key features are:
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it is learner-centered.
it is for everyone.
it covers a wide variety of learning.
it responds to the community.
Australia
Defining Community Education
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A process whereby learning is used for both
individual and community betterment. It is
characterized by:
Involvement of people of all ages.
The use of community learning, resources and
research to bring about community change.
The recognition that people can learn through,
with and for each other to create a better world.
Canada
The field of Community Education is about providing the knowledge and
skills for people to not only be self-sufficient and independent, but to
create and utilize the interdependencies that must also exist in civil
society. It is about creating a participatory learning culture that
incorporates principles and practices of respect, mutual aid,
inclusiveness, lifelong learning, skill building, self appreciation,
entrepreneurship, and leadership development – the puzzle pieces that
make up community life and learning.
Who are Community Educators?
We are the learning strands of communities.
We are the youth workers and the youth leaders.
We are the preschool and out-of-school time instructors and
supporters who work with children and their care-givers.
\We are the adult education counselors, teachers
and volunteers
in continuing education programs,
in workforce development programs,
in workplaces,
in colleges,
in prisons,
in museums,
in immigrant serving agencies
in family resource centers,
in senior centers,
and in other community-based agencies.
We are those who inform the public about the risks to the environment and
its beauties, and what we need to do to sustain healthy lifestyles.
We are muralists and local media producers that educate and engage
people about local issues.
We are change agents adept at working with community members to
identify needs and resources, and then to meet those needs through
educational services.
We facilitate cooperation and collaboration among those involved in the
participation and delivery of multiple resources.
We provide training in leadership and curriculum development that tie
formal to informal learning.
We offer help in strategic planning, communication development, public
relations, and program evaluation, among other transformational activities.
We are so many people addressing the multiple
needs of individuals, families, organizations, and
communities - providing an array of
academic, recreation, health, social
services, using the common thread of learning, to
prepare people of all ages for active and healthy
community life.
Recommendations
Build the linkages between
the myriad incarnations of
Community Education and
ensure that the mission is
about sustaining
communities through
education and learning.
Build partnerships with all
institutions, (education,
government, businesses, service
organizations, neighborhoods,
families, philanthropy and civic
associations), locally, regionally,
nationally, and internationally,
and guide where we are
welcome the process of creating
collaboration.
Reach out to and engage population groups not currently
being supported by formal education institutions. Learn
from other informal and indigenous learning systems so
that we are informed about the traditions and knowledge
that shape people’s lives and values.
Tap into the knowledge and expertise of community
educators throughout the world. Set up structures to share
this knowledge with one another so that we benefit
collectively what we each individually have experienced.
Constantly review, evaluate
and adapt to the political,
economic, societal,
technological,
environmental, and
demographic shifts
occurring in our
communities, nationally and
internationally.
Community Education is a
vibrant and ever changing field,
unique and interdependent,
adapting to the needs of
communities by responding with
programs and/or processes
specific to the local area.