Time for Community Learning
‘Knowledge is power‘ is an old motto that used to adorn Institutes in the South Wales Valleys. Time to learn pays tribute to the old teachers and artists involved with the institutes and is modeled on the old Educational Settlement Trust that encouraged active learning in the community. Time to Learn values the participation of adults in active community learning networks and groups. The agenda is to move away from a passive learning culture to the creation of an active learning culture where people use their learning in the collective context of their own community.
Case Study: Cwm Learning Time Bank
Members are encouraged to share their knowledge and skills with their communities. Eighty adult learners at the Cwm Café in Blaenau Gwent were given time credits for active learning - attending planning meetings of the Workers Educational Association, teaching, mentoring and recruiting other learners. Time credits were used to access educational and social events including: trips to the Museum of Welsh Life, the National Portrait Gallery, a pampering evening for the ‘Feeling Good, Looking Good’ class.