Community Learning Development Resource 601 – 05
SKILLS NEEDED TO SUPPORT CAPACITY BUILDING–
LEARNING FOR WORKERS
SUMMARY
Feedback from local authority Community Learning workers, about understandings and skills needed in workers – from a review and development workshop session, after the first six months of working with hard-to-reach learners in local priority communities and neighbourhoods.
1. BASICS
- Recognising the learning needs of both workers and learners
- Learning for improving learning skills and personal development is a key area
- Personal development – to encourage individual and social responsibility
- Building learner empowerment and capacity for choice – participation and action
- Learning development – enabling learners to move from apathy and reactivity to becoming reflective and proactive
- Developing capacity in people for active participation in community development, requires a holistic learning agenda with the soft outcomes of personal development the key component
- Learner empowerment for participation is crucial – the development of relationship and communication skills and learner self-confidence and self-esteem are core.
2. SHARED CORE BELIEFS IN:
- equality (equity / equal opportunities)
- valuing individuality and diversity
- inclusion
- learner-centred learning
- learner capacity-building and empowerment
- learner participation in regeneration and renewal.
3. CURRICULUM PRINCIPLES AND REQUIREMENTS:
- Learner development and capacity building focus
- Identification and assessment of learner wants and needs shapes the curriculum and drives the delivery
- The curriculum offered is relevant and responsive – an entitlement curriculum:
- Anti-oppressive practice and concern to address any learning gap
- Starting from the position of individual learners
- Access and inclusion are key requirements
- Learner-centred – learner choice of learning journey
- Participation and interactive learning activity
- Individual learner and learning support provided
- Learning outcomes are identified through understanding the use and application of learning by learners
- Evidence of learning success through assessment of learning application and impact by learners, and the gains and benefits from learning within their lives and the lives of others
- Concern for learning progress and progression
- Evaluation supports quality improvement
- Evaluation supports curriculum development