What is the initiative and where is it implemented (city or country, for example)?
The Australian city of Wyndham, located on the western edge of Melbourne, Victoria, has been growing rapidly and steadily as a lifelong learning community. The year 2006 marked the beginning of learning strategy development in the city, which set Wyndham on a journey towards becoming a learning city with a vision of a sustainable learning community (Wheeler and Tabbagh, 2020).
How was the initiative established? How was it implemented?
The initiative of turning Wyndham into a lifelong learning community commenced with the launch of the first Learning Community Strategy (LCS) in 2006, followed by an online learning portal (Wynlearn) in 2007. The online portal gave access to learning opportunities initiated across the municipality. The second LCS for the years 2014-2017 was introduced as a result of increasing community engagement. The strategy combined the community’s learning priorities, education, theory and the Wyndham City Council’s desire to improve social equity. The City Council appointed a Learning Community Coordinator to oversee strategy implementation. The strategy identified desirable learning outcomes and promoted a strong partnership approach to achieve them. Additionally, it developed a system to evaluate partnerships in terms of strength and outcomes. A dedicated Learning City Portfolio Committee (LCPC) was created and aligned with other council committees as a result of improving governance structure. The Annual Learning Festival was established to celebrate lifelong learning in the city. The current LCS for 2018-2023 was developed with close involvement of the LCPC and guidance from a working group formed by its members. The Council’s role in LCS 2018-2023 was clarified as advocacy, facilitation, exploration, initiation and delivery. In 2019, Wyndham City Council was accepted as a member of UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities (Wyndham City Council, n.d.; Wheeler and Tabbagh, 2020).
Which stakeholders are involved in the design and/or implementation of the initiative? Which sectors do they represent?
The initiative was designed and implemented by a wide variety of stakeholders representing both private and public sectors. The Wyndham City Council represents the government, schools and other educational institutions hold workshops and other learning events, and private individuals and organizations also contribute (Wheeler and Tabbagh, 2020).
What are the impacts of the initiative in terms of facilitating lifelong learning? Who does it benefit and how?
The current Learning Community Strategy introduces a pragmatic action plan designed to provide opportunities to acquire adaptive skills and realize potential for the greater good of the community and for personal success. For example, the courses initiated include Aboriginal Culture and New Ways to Learn, Developing Leaders in the Local Communities, Creative Learning, community ‘Hackathons’, Entrepreneurship in Business, Civics Learning and Social Cohesion, among others.
The Wyndham Learning Festival is held annually each autumn through collaboration between the Wyndham Community and Education Centre and the Wyndham City Council. The Festival coincides with Australia’s Adult Learners Week. It comprises around 180 events attended by approximately 5,000 people. Activities include the Young Scientist competition, which encourages young people to solve a community problem. Such events and competitions have had a continuous positive impact on the participants who gain experience, develop critical thinking and express creativity, all of which benefits the city simultaneously.
Since 2018, an Acknowledgement to Country has been incorporated at the start of the day in all Wyndham kindergartens as an act of respect for the continuing connection of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owners and Custodians to the land on which the early learning service (school, or event) stands.
In 2016, the Victorian Department of Education and Training published Marrung: Aboriginal Education Plan 2016 – 2026, which encompassed a long-term plan of action to improve learning outcomes for Aboriginal people. Marrung describes a vision of Victoria as a flourishing state that celebrates the rich and thriving culture, knowledge and experiences of Aboriginal people, with inclusive, responsive and respectful universal service systems.
Learning centres have been opened throughout the city of Wyndham to provide more opportunities for learning at all ages. Various free events are held regularly, such as meetings with authors, public readings, lectures and workshops, book clubs, etc.. Many of these have been transferred into an online format due to the pandemic. Libraries have organized home delivery for the municipality’s residents to minimize the risk of spreading the virus. The City Council has hosted events on safety and provided resources to inspire the residents to continue their learning journeys under lockdown conditions (Wyndham City Council, n.d.; Wheeler and Tabbagh, 2020).
References
Wheeler, L. and Tabbagh, D. 2020. Wyndham City: A tale of steady progress towards a sustainable learning community. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 60(2), pp. 492-514.
Wyndham City Council, n.d. Wyndham Learning City. [Online] Wyndham, Wyndham City Council. Available at: https://www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/services/wyndham-learning-city [Accessed 12 Sep 2021].