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Regional capacity for Adult Learning and Education

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SAVE THE DATE: Last transnational meeting and the final conference of the REGALE project

We are delighted to announce that the Regional capacity for Adult Learning and Education (REGALE) project is reaching its successful conclusion, marking a significant milestone in our journey. We cordially invite you to join us at the final conference to celebrate our achievements and share the remarkable outcomes of our collaborative efforts.

The last transnational meeting will be held in Brussels, on Monday, 27th of November 2023 at EAEA premises (Mundo J).

 

The final conference will be held in Brussels, on Tuesday, 28th of November 2023, the location will be confirmed soon.

 

The final conference is going to be held back-to-back with LLLWeek, therefore we invite partners to stay longer and attend some events from other organisations, working in the field of education.

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"Debating the learning success stories of cities and regions"

Written by Katerina Palaiologou, HAEA. The original text is available in Greek.

On Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 September, the Hellenic Adult Education Association (HAEA) organised, within the framework of the European project Regale – Regional Capacity for Adult Learning in Adult Education, a Study Visit entitled “Debating the learning success stories of cities and regions”. It was attended by representatives of the Regale Consortium, Norway, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.

 

The educational activity took place in two different municipalities and lasted two days. Its main objects were:

 

  • Familiarity with how the idea of the Learning City is perceived in Greece.
  • Understanding and exposure to local strategies implemented to enhance learning culture in different contexts within the same overall culture.
  • Familiarity with the efforts required to develop the necessary political and social contracts for the creation of a Learning City by investigating the case of the Municipality of Larissa.
  • To familiarize themselves with a methodology of Sociocracy that can attract young adults to participate in creating a City that Learns (the case of the Youth Council of Thermi Municipality).

1st day – Visit to the Municipality of Larissa

On the first day, Wednesday, September 28, 2022, we visited the Municipality of Larissa. There we were welcomed at the City Hall by Dimitris Deligiannis, Deputy Mayor for Administration, Education and Lifelong Learning who made reference to the philosophy and actions of “Larissa-Learning City” and the Citizens University.

 

This was followed by a visit to Pappa’s Mill, where the Deputy Mayor for Culture, Panagiotis Sapkas, presented the rich activity of the Municipality in the field of culture. Afterwards, the educational actions for the vulnerable groups were presented by the Head of the Education Directorate, Stavroula Baxevanou, as well as the actions of the Roma Community Center by the Head of the Center, Evi Boukorou. The participants were guided to the Museum of Cereals and Flours by Konstantina Kontsa, in charge of the museum, and to the TIRITOMBA theatre by Fotini Kaloudi, in charge of the Municipal Kuklothiasos.

 

This was followed by a short tour of the 1st Ancient Theater by Katerina Zachou, an executive of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Larissa. The meeting concluded with a visit to the Life Workshop of the OKANA Prevention Center of Larisa, where the group was welcomed by the President of the Center, Vassilis Pinakas, Deputy Governor of Larisa, while Irini Koufakis, psychologist – Scientific Manager and Georgia Zavrakas, presented the work of the Center and guided the visitors to the premises of the Life Laboratory.

2nd day – Visit to the Municipality of Thermi

On the second day, Thursday, September 29, 2022, we visited the Science Dissemination Center and Technology Museum – NOISIS, where we were welcomed by the Mayor of Thermi, Theodoros Papadopoulos, and the Deputy Mayor, responsible for education, Stylianos Apostolou. Afterwards, George Koulauzidis, assistant professor at the Hellenic Open University and member of the board of EEEE, presented Lifelong Learning and Local Self-Government in Greece. 

 

This was followed by a presentation by Chryssa Klimatsouda, Director of Education and Social Affairs of the Municipality of Thermi, of the responsibilities, educational activities and collaborations of the municipality. Also, the LogoMatheMania Reading Club’ presented its ‘good educational practice’ and its relationship with the Local Society (Thermi Municipality, Deputy Mayor of Education, D.E.P.A.T.H., Thermi Municipal Library) in the context of Learning Cities as also its actions that promote Lifelong Learning. ‘Logomathemania’ was represented by the professors: Dr Mourouzidou Olga, Papaspanou Anna, and Vardali Chrysoula (retired). Afterwards, Ioanna Papafotiou and Stavros Papagiannis, as representatives of the Thermi Youth Council, discussed with the participants the way they work within the council, how they make decisions using the socialist model, the structure of the council, the roles and the programs in which they participate. This was followed by a two-hour workshop on the Sociocracy model, conducted by Sofia Kyprianidou.

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PILOTING: Learning and Work hosts first adult numeracy network webinar

Written by Alex Stevenson, L&W.

Image: Hazel Klenk, Research Manager at L&W, shares insights into learner recruitment and engagement at the inaugural MEPN webinar.

Learning and Work Institute hosted the first webinar of its new Multiply Effective Practice Network (MEPN) on 28 th February 2023, as part of the RegALE project pilots.

MEPN aims to support adult education providers, policymakers and other stakeholders with the delivery of Multiply, a new three-year, £560m initiative by the UK government to support locally and regionally implemented adult numeracy programmes.

MEPN was launched in autumn 2022, and to date almost 250 stakeholders in local government adult education have signed up. The network was inspired by the RegALE publication Adult Learning Policies in Europe: An Insight of Regional and Local Stakeholders, which highlights the need for professional development opportunities for adult educators.

Following a survey of MEPN members, the theme chosen for the inaugural February webinar was the recruitment and engagement of adult numeracy learners. This reflected a common concern amongst stakeholders that many adults face barriers to returning to education, and maths learning in particular, due to poor experiences in school and challenges such as low confidence in the subject.

At the webinar, L&W’s Research Manager (and RegALE project team member) Hazel Klenk began the session with research insights into engaging adult learners, drawing on a recent research project into effective practice in English and maths for adult learners in London, and L&W’s wider evidence on effective practice in adult basic skills.

Other contributors included municipal adult education providers Haringey Learns (London) and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (Dorset), who shared insights into how they are using the Multiply programme to engage different kinds of learners in adult numeracy.

Over 100 people representing 75 organisations attended the session. Webinar participants welcomed the event, with one delegate commenting, ‘It was a good mix of research, practical examples that were very different, and an opportunity to share opinions’.

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Webinar: Building a Learning City

Objectives

Covid-19 demonstrates the vulnerabilities of living in close proximity to others. This also high-lightened the importance of working together to deal with the crisis, as well as the importance of reflecting and learning in relation to changes to our lives. This assumption begs the question, which city would enhance the lives of all its citizens, including new arrivals. This question is at the center of attempts to bring adult and citizenship education to
address community and social problems through a pedagogy of the city, in this case the City of Larissa. UNESCO provides the framework, resources, and support for the Learning City project. It is planned as an exercise in democracy and citizenship which is the version of lifelong learning proposed by the Municipality of Larissa the local lead agency for this venture.

The webinar will introduce the participants to the concept of Learning Cities, the goals, the cultural and educational obstacles to the development of a Greek Learning City and the example of Larissa-Learning City.

Speakers and facilitators

Alexis Kokkos is Emeritus Professor of Adult Education in the Hellenic Open University. He has actively participated in the establishment of the institution of Popular Education in Greece, as well as in the foundation of the Hellenic Open University. He was the scientific responsible of the national program of Training the Educators of Professional Training. He is Chairperson of the Hellenic Adult Education Association and editor-in-chief of the international journal ADULT EDUCATION Critical Issues. His books and articles on Adult Education and Training, as well as on Transformative Learning, have been published in Jossey-Bass, Palgrave Macmillan, Brill/Sense, Routledge, Nova Science Publishers, Journal of Transformative Education, RELA, Convergence, LifeLong Learning in Europe, International Journal of Education and Ageing, Andragogical Studies, International Journal of Vocational and Technical Education. He is member of the Leadership Circle and co-responsible of the Research Circle of the International Transformative Learning Association (ITLA) and was co-convener of the European Network of ESREA Transformative Processes in Learning and
Education (2013-2021). He has been advisor on issues related to adult education of the Greek Prime Minister (2009-2012) and the General Secretary of Lifelong Learning (2019-). He has been awarded for his Exemplary Service and Leadership within the international transformative learning community.

Dimitris Deligiannis is Vice-Mayor of Municipality of Larissa and Professor/Consultant at the Hellenic Open University. His bachelor studies were on Literature and Law. His MA studies were on Social Planning in Organization and Management in Education. He obtained his PhD at the Hellenic Open University on the field of adult education. For over a decade, he worked as a teacher at secondary education and has published numerous articles in books and science magazines. In 1998 became Education Director of the Center for the Treatment of Addicts – EXODOS and since 2000 organized the Adult Alternative School, the first adult education structure for ex-users in Greece. Coordinator of the first Vocational Training Programs for former users and responsible for organizing a training structure for juveniles in the Kassavete Prison. In September 2019, he was elected as the Chairman of the City Council of Larissa. During the period 2014 – 2019, he was Deputy Mayor for Social Policy and Chairman of the Committee for the “Larissa – Learning City” for which the City of Larissa was awarded the Lifelong Learning Institute (UIL) at UNESCO 2017.

George A. Koulaouzides, studied mathematics and adult education. He teaches theory and practice of adult education at the Hellenic Open University (Assistant Professor) and the Democritus University of Thrace (Visiting Scholar). He has designed the well-known accredited training program for the instructors of the National Centre for Public Administration in Greece and has a vast experience in training of trainers. He is considered as the person who guided the internationalization of the Greek adult education community. His research interests are learning, transformative learning, educational biography and critical reflection. He has written one book on adult education, translated four books on adult education and qualitative research methods, edited journals and several textbooks. His published work counts more than 100 papers in Greek and international journals, edited volumes and conference proceedings. For 15 years he was working as Secretary General (i.e. CAO) for many Municipalities in Northern Greece. He worked extensively in supporting the Municipality of Thermi in becoming a member of the UNESCO Global Learning Cities Network, and he also supported as an external advisor the on-going application of the Municipality of Corinth. In 2019 he was the first Greek who was inducted in the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame as a distinguished adult education practitioner. He is a member of the executive board of the European Association for the Education of Adults (2019-2021), and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame (2020 – 2023).

Agenda

Format and registration

The webinar will take place on Zoom.

To participate in the webinar, please complete the registration form.

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TRAINING: Debating the learning success stories of cities and regions

Objectives

The objective of this Peer learning activity is to familiarise the participants with the methodology and the approaches that were followed by two Greek Cities (Larissa and Thermi) that are active members of the Global Network of Learning Cities. Larissa followed a strategy aiming to foster participation of the general population (community learning) while Thermi focused in developing an innovative framework of operation (sociocracy) to foster young adults’; participation in the social and political life of their respective communities.

Practical information

Organiser: Hellenic Adult Education Association, Greece

Contact person: Katerina Palaiologou, EU Project Manager, k.palaiologou@adulteduc.gr

Dates: 28 – 29 September 2022

Language: English

Venue: Thessaloniki, Greece

Registration

If you would like to participate, please register here. 

Please make sure that your place at the training has been confirmed by email by HAEA before you book your travel and accommodation.

 

This activity is limited to 25 people, and those who have already provided their application to the shared RegALE form will be prioritised.

Agenda

Study Visit_Agenda – please click here

Travel information

For more information, please click here.

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TRAINING: Local networks for lifelong learning

Practical information

Organiser: University of Sienna, Italy

Contact person: Francesca Torlone, francesca.torlone@unisi.it

Dates: 31 August – 1 September 2022 

Language: English and Italian

Venue: Lucca, Italy

Registration

If you would like to participate, please register here. 

Please make sure that your place at the training has been confirmed by email by Francesca before you book your travel and accommodation.

Agenda

Agenda in English

Agenda in Italian

 

The visit will start on the 31st August at 9.30am and will end on the 1st September at 4pm at the latest.

The meeting will take place at the Municipality premises that are located in the city centre.

Map of Lucca

Travel information

For more information, please click here.