What is the initiative and where is it implemented (city or country)?
Two cases of study circles in the Republic of Korea show how this small-scale form of lifelong learning implementation can meet different learning needs. The first is taken from Uijeongbu City, where the Uijeongbu Mom Sam Atelier learning club brings together mothers who want to learn more about good parenting. It was formed in 2006 and pursues ‘pleasurable childcare and happy education’ by organizing social activities and fostering a culture of community learning. As part of the Uijeongbu Lifelong Learning Exhibition, the group organizes a family play camp with games and lectures on parental mentoring. The group also reaches out to the community with voluntary services including cooking and childcare
_ _ _
In Osan City, a study circle has been established to support those with low levels of literacy skills. The Osan City Literary Workshop aims to help people from this target group become passionate about learning by providing them with experiential learning opportunities. The principles of lifelong learning are reflected in the workshop’s recruitment of participants: those who benefit range in age from their thirties to their sixties and come from different backgrounds. Organizers of the study circle bring their practices and experiences to the National Literacy Teacher Conference each year and collaborate with adult literacy instructors in other cities to share effective methods
How was the initiative established? How was it implemented?
Uijeongbu Mom Sam Atelier was formed in 2006 by mothers with the shared vision of ‘creating a community of learning cultures for happy co-parents’. The initiative revolves around the values of community culture where parents are able to provide local children with a variety of educational experiences, foster intimacy, cooperation and creativity and create a sense of community
_ _ _
Osan City Literary Workshop was organized by volunteer literacy lecturers in 2016. The aim of the initiative is to promote literacy among the low-skilled marginalized population of the city, thus improving their quality of life. Through continuous competency development training, members of the group provide training to literacy instructors, who, in turn, provide high-quality education to illiterate citizens. The Osan City Literary Workshop operates with the help of membership fees and an Osan city subsidy.
Which stakeholders are involved in the design and/or implementation of the initiative? Which sectors do they represent?
Uijeongbu Mom Sam Atelier is based on voluntary social participation. The club organizes small-scale team activities such as reading discussions and provides education services and career guidance. The Uijeongbu Lifelong Education Vision Centre provides a free study room to support regular meetings and activities of the club.
The clubs engage with the residents through the network that encompasses the Uijeongbu City government, local educational institutions, social welfare institutes, learning clubs and civic activists. The local government supports the clubs by allocating budget and providing physical space for community engagement
_ _ _
The Osan City Literary Workshop is operated by volunteer literacy instructors who provide lessons for local marginalized communities. The main goal of the workshop is to promote practice-based learning and engage the community in pursuit of education. The workshop members also organize monthly meetings for literacy instructors in Osan city, officers in charge of literacy education and other stakeholders in the field. The members of the club have developed supplementary teaching materials, including a textbook for literacy education, which was published by the Osan City Literacy Teachers’ Association in 2017. The members of the workshop participate in the annual National Literacy Teacher Conference and create a network of literacy educators who share effective teaching methods and practices regularly
What are the impacts of the initiative in terms of facilitating lifelong learning? Who does it benefit and how?
Uijeongbu Mom Sam Atelier offers learning opportunities to marginalized members of the local community. Led by Mom Sam instructors trained by the Uijeongbu City government, the club engages in regular learning events aimed at enhancing professionalism and fostering active citizenship among stay-at-home mothers. The Mother’s Play School Project provides a variety of programmes to engage mothers and children in traditional play, board games, cooking classes, history and culture, childcare and basic ecology. The Family Camp offers lectures on parenting and professionalism.
The club provides training opportunities to mothers whose careers have been interrupted by marriage and childbirth. The club promotes interest in community-based learning and the idea of cooperation to educate local children. It creates a safe space for happy co-parenting and contributes to the reduction of expenses associated with private tutoring by providing regular programmes to support children’s learning
_ _ _
The Osan City Literary Workshop engages citizens of various ages and backgrounds. Close cooperation with the city is an important factor in the workshop’s success. The local government provides financial support to promote workshop goals, thus sustaining a bottom-up initiative and encouraging active civic participation
References:
Moon, S. J. 2020. Osan City Lifelong Learning Circle: Literacy education lecturer group. ‘Osan City Literary Workshop’. In: C. Duke & H. Hinzen, eds. Voluntary-based Study Circles and Related Municipal Policies: International best practices. Glasgow: CR&DALL Working Paper, pp. 87-92.
Yoon, M. K. 2020. Uijeongbu Mom Sam Atelier, Uijeongbu city, Republic of Korea. In: C. Duke & H. Hinzen, eds. Voluntary-based Study Circles and Related Municipal Policies: International best practices. Glasgow: CR&DALL Working Paper, pp. 80-86.