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Resetting Youth and Community Education: Thinking Co-operatively

A Free Webinar Hosted by the Co-Operative College

This webinar will encourage attendees to revisit youth and community education through the lens of ‘thinking co-operatively’, asking questions about what would be required to reset youth and community education as a practice grounded in co-operative values and principles.

Youth and community work is cited as having its roots in ‘an approach to working in neighbourhoods that helps local people to decide, plan and take action to meet their needs’ (Ledwith, 2005)

A short history of youth and community work

The earliest forms of youth and community education were often set in the context of the neighbourhoods they aimed to serve and worked in partnership with local people to construct learning, action and social change.

As a practice, youth and community work contributed to the rise of co-operatives, friendly societies and trade unions. It was evident in the emergence of adult education and the university settlement movement as a response to poverty in all its manifestations: economic, health, housing and education.

The challenge

Much of today’s youth and community education is located within institutions: schools, colleges and universities. These institutions prescribe the terms of engagement for youth and community learning, often requiring the individual to bend towards institutional procedures, comply with predetermined criteria and make do with what is ‘on offer’.

The webinar

The webinar will explore three aspects of educational practice with a short, introductory, presentation followed by virtual break out groups and a plenary discussion.

The webinar will encourage discussion and debate around three key areas:

1. Teaching and Learning Differently

Provocation from: Paul Fenton (PALYCW) and Dave Beck (University of Glasgow)

Followed by a breakout discussion to address: How could teaching and learning be delivered differently outside traditional University structures?

2. Organising Differently

Provocation from: Gill Hughes and Christine Smith (University of Hull)

Followed by a breakout discussion to address: What constitutes organizing differently in higher education?

3. Researching Differently

Provocation from: Janet Batsleer (Manchester Metropolitan University)

Followed by a breakout discussion to address: Does research need to engage with communities more co-operatively?

Join us

To help manage numbers we're asking all those interested in joining the webinar to book a free ticket via the link below. You will then receive further information, including details of how to join the session.

The outcomes will contribute to a continuing conversation between The Co-operative College and The Professional Association of Lecturers in Youth and Community Work in assessing the potential for shaping future developments in youth and community education.

LINK TO BOOKING FOR THIS WEBINAR VIA THE CO-OPERATIVE COLLEGE