Reviving Limerick CDB City of Learning Strategy

2011

•The City of Learning Steering Group was established by the CDB in 2002

•Huge commitment on part of members, who participated in regular meetings & task groups over a 7 year period.

•City of Learning Collaborative Framework for Progress launched in 2008

•Review of Progress conducted in 2009

•No further progress since 2009

•Negligible adoption of LLL principles, approaches & practices by public organisations, civic entities, communities & workplaces and, as a result, no systematic fostering of a LLL culture in Limerick City.

Possible reasons for limited success of initiative include;1. Dominant focus on organised education and training provision with

corresponding undervaluing of Lifelong Learning2. Failure to fully appreciate the critical role that learning has to play in the

renewal and sustainability of 21st century cities3. Weak commitment to the ideal of Limerick as a Learning City4. Insufficient investment in the initiative

Limerick City of Learning Project: Progress to Date

Why Limerick must be Learning in 2011

•Globalisation - exposed to a global world, cities are under increasing pressure to make profound changes in order to compete and prosper in the future.•Recession - demands that we learn how to do things differently & more efficiently, if we are to secure social and economic inclusion for all our citizens•Digitalisation – rapid advances in information & communication technologies are impacting on the lives of all individuals, organisations & communities, and are fundamental to success in almost every arena•Explosion of New Knowledge – particularly in the sciences & technologies

In the current environment “change” is the only constant. However, “change through learning” is also the best response to managing the profound socio-economic change that is transforming economies, nations, industries & communities.

Learning occurs in every City. However, the essential & distinguishing feature of a Learning City is its explicit adoption of “Lifelong Learning” as an organising principle and a social /economic / cultural goal. A Learning City values, recognises and invests in LLL and purposefully integrates it within the analysis, planning and implementation of all sectoral and cross sectoral collaborative strategies.

What is a Learning City?

Civic Sector (Local

Government)

Economic Sector

(Private & Social Enterprise)

Public Sector (Health, Social

Protection, Libraries, Gardai,

etc.)

Educational Sector

(Schools, Colleges, Training Agencies,

etc.)

Voluntary & Community

Sector (Civil Society)

LIFELONG LEARNING -

A fundamental element of all strategies in the

Learning City

•The aim of the Steering Group is to:1. promote the value of learning in Limerick, across all stages of the life cycle2. support the range of sectoral networks & groups in their efforts to engage

people in positive learning experiences. •Concept of “learning”, rather than organised “education” and “training” provision, is kept to the fore.

•Steering Group reconstituted around key, sectoral networks, partnerships & fora – not specific institutions or individuals, in order to promote recognition, coherence & integration of all learning opportunities and activities – formal, non-formal & informal.

• Network representatives on the Steering Group are conscious of the critical role learning has to play in the development of our City and are committed to working in partnership to create a LLL culture in Limerick.

•Learning Priorities / Themes, which may change from year to year, are agreed by the Steering Group – in consultation with the constituent networks

•Limerick City of Learning Initiative - the Irish site in EU R3L Grundvig Project

•The Chairperson of the Steering Group does not come from any of the organised education or training sectors. S/he is regarded as a “neutral” champion of Lifelong Learning, leading a city-wide initiative that is learning - not education - driven.

City of Learning Steering GroupCritical Features: December 2010 – May 2012

Sectoral Groups involved in Formal & Non-Formal Learning

City of Learning Steering Group Representation – Networks with Role in Learning

Sector Relevant Network Role in LearningEarly Years Education

• Start Right Limerick (NEYAI) Consortium

• Local Demonstration project involving all Early Years agencies

Primary and Post Primary Education

• Regional DES Office• Education Secretariat –

Diocese of Limerick

• Works with Limerick Regeneration• Point of Contact for Management

of Schools in Diocese

Adult and Further Education

• Limerick City Adult Education Service (LCAES / CLVEC)

• Leading Provider of Adult & Further Education in Limerick City

Higher Education • Shannon Consortium • HE Partnership: UL, Mary I, LIT, ITT

Labour Market Training

• Fás Mid-West • Regional Training and Employment Authority

Employers • Limerick Chamber of Commerce• IBEC

• Local Business Representatives• Regional Employers’ Network

Trade Unions • Limerick Trades Council • Employee Representative Network

Sector Relevant Network Role in LearningLocal Development Agencies

• Regeneration • PAUL Partnership

• Learning central to Social Regeneration

• Role in increasing access to Formal and Informal Learning

Local Government

• Limerick City Council • Learning central to running of the city.

Community Groups

• Limerick Community Education Network (LCEN)

• Limerick Community Connect / ICT Strategic Group

• Network involved in the provision of Adult Community Education

• Informs Digital Inclusion Strategy

Youth Work • Youthwork Committee • CLVEC Sub-committee – established under Youth Act 2002.

Sport • Limerick City Sports Partnership • Providing quality opportunities for learning

Guidance & Progression

• Limerick City Adult Guidance Partnership

• Network of all providers of adult guidance in Limerick.

Promotion Limerick Communications Office • Communicates and Showcases the City’s Core Strengths

Networks with Role in Learning - continued

: The Role of Networks

Individual Network

City of Learning Representative: -• A ‘Champion of Lifelong Learning’.• Bringing the information to and from the City of Learning Steering Group.• Motivates network members to commit to Citywide Learning Initiatives.

City of Learning

Steering Group

Network Rep brings information to and from

City of Learning S.G.

Individual Network

Individual Network

Individual Network

Individual Network

City of Learning Steering Group Meetings

Explore concepts of Lifelong Learning & Learning City.

Share information, experience, issues and challenges.

Identify common issues/themes for actions.

Spearhead/support city-wide initiatives.

Add value to work of network members and their constituency of learners.

Implement Actions from Strategic FrameworkMapping/scoping non-formal learning activity in

Limerick.

Organising Learning Festival – in collaboration with Co-ordination Office and all partners.

Supporting development of Learning Pathways in Mid-West Region, posted on Limerick.ie.

Collaborative Citywide Learning Initiatives as agreed by the Steering Group.

Progress on Actions to Date: -•Membership successfully reconstituted around key sectoral networks, partnerships and fora •Data gathered from all sectoral representatives on (1) involvement in ‘Collaborative Learning Initiatives’ and (2) recent Learning-related data, Research, etc. conducted by partners. •Information collated; categorised and shared with members. •Information sharing will increase partners’ awareness and knowledge of cross-sectoral learning activity , promoting collaboration & integration.

Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival

Limerick’s first ever Lifelong Learning Festival held week beginning June 13th.Over 70 events were hosted by a variety of partners, including demonstrations, tours, plays, performances, workshops, information sessions .Official Opening of Festival held in Limerick’s Milk Market on June 14th

Steering Group currently working on Terms of Reference for Roadmap of Learning – Learning Pathways.Scoping categories; target audience, intended outputs.

‘Roadmap of Learning’ Initiative

EU Grundtvig Project• Limerick City of Learning was the Irish site selected by Nexus Research Cooperative.

•Sharing best practice, project aims to identify criteria, indicators and methods for evaluating Learning Regions.

• As part of this project, Limerick City of Learning had a facilitated session with Nexus in March 2011, and also conducted a visit to Germany and Switzerland in May 2011.