Section 1. Introduction
1.1 Concept1.2 Focus
1.3 Common Elements
1.4 Guidelines
1.5 Networking
1.1 Concept
The idea for the Grundtvig 4 Thematic Seminar on Training and Learning for Community Development arose from the Budapest Conference in March 2004 on the theme of "Building Civil Society in Europe through Community Development". The shared aspirations on training in the Budapest 'Declaration (See Appendix C: Articles 4, 5, 6 and Articles 21,22 and 23) encouraged partners, under the leadership of the Combined European Bureau for Social Development to set up a Grundtvig Project on Training and Learning for Community Development in October 2005 funded by the Socrates Programme for Transnational projects in the Directorate of Education and Culture of the European Commission. The funding for this project was provided in order to plan and set up a Thematic Seminar and to develop interest in a future network. The implementation of the project attracted interest from Community Development organisations across Europe. Partners in the project and participants in the Thematic Seminar demonstrated a high level of motivation to work together on community-based training, which is seen by many as a bridge between social, economic and cultural development. Community-based training can also make a substantial contribution to developing active citizenship and the skills in democratic dialogue, which are needed in participatory democracy.
1.2 Focus
The main focus of the Grundtvig4 project was the Thematic Seminar. The seminar set out to develop framework for exchange of training and learning in community-based settings. The main intention behind the Thematic Seminar was that it would lay the foundation for a future network. Partner-organisations from Hungary, United Kingdom, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Romania, the Netherlands, Italy and Ireland met in Dublin and Bucharest to plan the Thematic Seminar, which was held in Budapest, Hungary from 30th March - 2nd April 2006. The Grundtvig 4 working group invited 39 participants from 17 countries who pooled their expertise and experience. Participants in the seminar have commented on the quality of co-operation achieved which it is difficult to recapture in a report such as this. However the results of their work on the following objectives are a reflection of the common understanding and ethos of co-operation achieved between diverse representation across Europe.
- To identify Common Elements for Training and Learning in Community Development
- To develop Guidelines
- To start networking:
1.3 Common Elements
In fulfilment of the first objective, the project brought together practitioners to identify the common elements of good practice in training and learning for community development. In spite of many differences in culture, social problems and experiences, there was common understanding, which provided the raw material for a shared framework for training and learning in Community Development. They also emphasised that in spite of these commonalities, there was no simple 'recipe' for best practice and the best guidelines or points of reference are those which can be adapted to the specific situation. The main achievement was the identification of a large area of common ground, based on a diverse and broad experience of working in communities. In the light of the project, partners share the view that the experience of community-based learning combined with adaptability to diverse communities is the unique contribution that community development can bring to lifelong learning. There is also a broad commitment to a shared definition of 'Community Development (See Section 3). In spite of the differences in context, there is a scope for more development of a common framework for curriculum guidance and material including areas such as conflict resolution and community mediation. In the course of the project the title - "Training and Learning for Community Development" - became one of the discussion points. Some saw it as rather cumbersome and other titles such as Community Development Training or Community-based training were proposed as more appropriate for future networking.
1.4 Guidelines
In fulfilment of the second objective participants in the Thematic Seminar worked on guidelines for a common framework for training and learning for community development. They drew together an impressive collection of guidance notes based on their experience of designing and delivering Community Development training and/or adult education courses with community development objectives. They emphasise that these guidelines are not prescriptive and would benefit from a further process of discussion, consultation and exchange with a wider group. (See Section 4)
1.5 Networking
One of the project's on-going aims is to promote dialogue between the fields of adult education and community development in construction of a community-based learning environment. The need for continued exchange has attracted commitment from a broad range of organisations and associations to the development of a network on this theme. (See section 5 on Thematic Networking for the description of these organisations) Partners seek to place this networking within the broader framework of adult education and lifelong learning. It is envisaged that the network would focus on the specific area of overlap in the following diagram, drawn by Hans Andersson of CESAM, Sweden and used by partners to reflect and maintain the focus of the project.
CD stands for the field of Community Development AE stands for the field of Adult Education The potential development of a network would link these two fields at particular points without overlapping in separate areas of interest. The project in the internal overlapping area reflects the existence of common ground articulated by the Grundtvig 4 project on "Training and Learning for Community Development "