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Education
Business Champions: Robyn Antonelli, Chris Doonan and Angela Williamson SomerVille Ecovillage™ will provide the ideal location for a dynamic, integrated community based education model for all ages. Work has now started on developing a plan for this. A survey should be available by February 2007. Latest News The first education forum was held on Saturday 2nd September 2006, focusing on education for children/teenagers at SomerVille . You can read about this at: http://www.somervilleecovillage.com.au/newsletters/ (SomerVille Scoop - September 2006) A background document was prepared for the forum. A survey is currently being prepared and should be available by mid October at: http://www.somervilleecovillage.com.au/surveys Description and Scope of this enterprise
The Big Picture At SomerVille Ecovillage™ we have a unique opportunity to develop an education model which is a profound response to the current global situation. Educators, governments, community groups and individuals are recognizing the need for a new paradigm in thinking in this rapidly changing world. Therefore there is an opportunity to create an education model which caters for all ages, recognizing that learning is a life long process. This model would see the whole village as a learning centre so that learning opportunities are integrated into village life. Buildings in the village could therefore be multifunctional- the café, library, business centre, media room, community centre, performance spaces- creating a dynamic heart but also assisting in viability. Such a place may assist in recreating cross-generational sharing, a place where elderly are valued and asked to share their wisdom and where youth find voice taking their own place in contributing to village life. This learning environment would represent all aspects of sustainability – economic, social, and environmental. Partnerships could be created with village businesses to facilitate apprenticeships/mentoring/ work experience which is a win/win situation for all. The knowledge base of our own people would be seen as an incredible resource and “passion” teaching specialists could emerge from all walks of life. Strong links would be forged with the outside world by inviting others in to be part of our learning environment and bringing in external facilitators whenever required. If it is done well, this model could then be over-laid into other ecovillages and communities, helping to send a wave out globally in the quest to shift educational thinking on a much larger scale. Sustainable education is more than teaching about recycling and planting trees. It is about getting to the very essence of who we are as people, how we interrelate with each other, how we can become responsible global citizens, and how we can learn to work in areas which are fulfilling to us yet demonstrate sustainability on all levels (i.e. we can earn enough money to give us the quality of life we want in a way which uses our resources responsibly and contributes to a healthy community). There are many different opportunities for education initiatives at SomerVille and some of our members have already expressed interest or started ventures in certain areas. Some of the ideas currently being floated include:
The task now is to identify how to create a framework for this to become possible. The following quote from the Prime Minister’s Youth Pathways Action Plan Taskforce 2001 report is an example of just one of the ways we could make a difference at SomerVille : “Changes will be needed in the way the community responds to young people’s needs. Communities must find ways to work with their young people, to consult them, to involve them meaningfully in community decisions, and to take an active responsibility as a community for their successful transition through school and into full adult life. The communities that are most successful at this are those which take the greatest control of the pathways for their own young people, exploring and negotiating opportunities for them while they are at school, and as they move into the next stages of their lives. A strong message from our consultations, and from many of the successful initiatives we observed, was the importance of developing local ownership of these issues, with local solutions for local problems. Community partnerships must grow from strong roots in the local community. They cannot be forced from the top down. (p6)” “The Taskforce found that young people living in communities that are rich in social, recreational and cultural activities are more often well connected to their communities. In ‘opportunity-rich’ communities, their transition to adult life is supported by strong peer and adult social networks. (p7)” http://www.youthpathways.gov.au/report.htm The following patterns from A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander strongly support these ideas: Pattern 18 Network of LearningPattern 83 Master and Apprentices Pattern 84 Teenage Society Pattern 85 Shopfront Schools Why is this enterprise important to SomerVille ?
Some interesting links for further consideration: http://www.creatinglearningcommunities.org/book/community/hornick.htm Pathfinder Learning Centre http://www.northstarteens.org/ Pathfinder Learning Centre has now evolved into North Star Teens and is an excellent example of the type of learning Centre we are aiming to create at SomerVille http://www.hse.org.uk/index.html The Human Scale Education movement http://www.byronchild.com/arts34.htm Creating Learning Communities: Freeing education to create a sustainable co-operative society To learn more about SomerVille Education you can contact Robyn Antonelli directly at robyn@greenedge.org
Reference Information
Relating to Education and Childcare at SomerVille :
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