Learning Partnerships
Aims and objectives
The aim is to promote reciprocal learning in terms of the discovery and exploration of the organisational structures, methods, working patterns, approaches and activities of the five participating countries. Specifically the learning will concentrate on four themes; intercultural learning, rural issues, gender and equality issues and disability, the latter being a new opportunity for learning exchange amongst the countries.
Activities and lessons learned
A series of three-day exchanges (excluding travel) are being organised amongst five participating countries with each country having the opportunity to be host to the others.
The exchanges are a mix of:
 | Visits to relevant organisations and places of interest always with the aim of promoting intercultural learning and including at least three of the main themes on each occasion; |
| Activities to encourage discussion and provoke further thought around the four themes, for example, a treasure hunt was organised which led participants to various places in Hexham such as ADAPT (Action by Differently Abled People in Tynedale) which provides transport for people with disabilities and people living in rural areas; the local youth project which organises exchanges and carries out intercultural work; not to mention the numerous charity shops which are a feature of Hexham. All these activities produced lots of questions from the participants relating to the main themes; |
| Presentations by participants and outside speakers on their work relevant to the themes. For example, one of the team in Hexham works as a local government officer in community development and gave a presentation on how governance is structured, devolved and funded in the UK from the Westminster Parliament down to local parish councils, taking in local authorities and strategic partnerships on the way; |
| Shared meals featuring regional and local food and shared social experiences, answering the question ‘what do we do socially to amuse ourselves?’ In the case of ADAPT this involved a Ceilidh (country dancing) and visits to three different kinds of pubs all in the same small village! |
Achievements
The main achievements so far have been:
| Building up the desire within local organisations to plan their own exchanges; not only the desire but the confidence, knowledge and capacity; |
| Cementing of relationships amongst the participants, leading to trust and confidence in one another's commitment to further develop their work together; |
| Engaging project participants on a steep learning curve with regard to understanding disability and the particular issues thrown up by it, but most importantly a huge change in the perceptions (not to say prejudices) surrounding disability. This was expressed by one participant as, ‘I am no longer afraid of engaging with disabled people’; |
| The possibility of organising a joint training programme between individuals from the participating countries to train workers in the field of intercultural exchanges. This training would be designed to include the full participation of people with learning and/or physical disabilities; |
| The exploration of a joint Market Towns initiative with regard to intercultural work and learning; |
| The UK group developing their language skills. |
Materials produced
The group have produced a website, please visit www.societecivile.org, containing feedback from the individual participants according to the checklist of questions before and after the visits. The website also contains details about the partner organisations, the project and the meetings held.
The project intends to publish a toolkit to assist any other groups wishing to plan intercultural exchanges. The toolkit will include simple, practical information, and also guidelines about listening and respecting each participant’s contribution. More detailed guidance notes will be compiled with regard to the inclusion of people with disabilities.
All the UK participants produce their own reports after each visit, which are disseminated amongst local organisations.
Partnership organisations/countries
France:
| People and Culture - covers rural, youth and intercultural work; |
| La Vie en Douce Les Services de Maison - a project to enable elderly people and/or people with disabilities to remain in their own homes. |
Germany:
| Intercultuelles Netwerk - promotes youth exchanges. |
Italy:
| Ufficio Scambi Giovanili Internazionalicitta di Torino - promotes youth exchanges. |
Spain:
| REDS – a funding body for organisations dealing with gender issues and intercultural projects. |
UK:
| ADAPT – Action by Differently Abled People in Tynedale. |
Learner involvement
ADAPT consider themselves to be the learners of this project, so that all activities are learning opportunities. After each visit staff evaluate their own learning and experiences.
Impact
On the organisation
Although ADAPT is the host organisation for the project, participants come
from different projects and fields of work such as youth work and community
development work. The impact on ADAPT has been a totally new experience with
regard to intercultural learning and the potential for involvement of people
with disabilities.
Through this project Hexham Youth Initiative has made additional links with the participating countries to organise future youth exchanges.
Tynedale Council is very keen to increase intercultural work in the area and is very supportive of this project.
On staff
The ADAPT staff who became involved in the activities of the hosting
programme have had a very positive experience. The same is true for staff from
Tynedale Council and Hexham Youth Initiative.
On adult learners
During the hosting programme ADAPT included activities to encourage adult
learners from each organisation to participate on this exchange and engage with
people from different cultures and countries. Learning taking place within the
community was observed as they engaged with the group and saw communication in
different languages taking place.
On outside bodies
During the hosting programme a local organisation for people with learning
difficulties – Gateway into the Community – got involved in the project
and have been inspired to organise their own exchange.
Hexham Youth Initiative works with the Prince’s Trust delivering European programmes and through the Grundtvig project it has made new contacts for the regional department.
Links have also been established for EVS programmes running in the respective countries.
Not exactly a ‘body’, but the band which played for the Ceilidh, ‘Northern Lights”, quickly devised new dances which allowed the three wheelchair users to join in the dancing. This was a ‘first’ for them, and they were very happy to have the opportunity to do this.
Contact details
Name, organisation and address:
Rosemary Theobalds
ADAPT
Haugh Lane
Hexham
Northumberland
NE46 3PU
Telephone no.: 01434 600599
Email: r.theobalds@btinternet.com
Classification data
Project focus
| Active citizenship | |
| Essential skills | |
| Inter-generational learning | |
| Cultural/multi-cultural |
X |
| ICT and learning | |
| Foreign languages | |
| Other* |
Project Type: Grundtvig 2 (Learning Partnerships)
| East Midlands | |
| East of England | |
| London | |
| North East |
X |
| Northern Ireland | |
| North West | |
| Scotland | |
| South East | |
| South West | |
| Wales | |
| West Midlands | |
| Yorkshire and the Humber |
