Past Activites

Picture of a class of pupils in front of the Hysbys - Project

GWLAD - Gaining Work Learning and Advice in Rural Areas 2005 - 2007/8

GWLAD is a unique partnership based in north Wales which is looking at innovative ways of delivering learning in rural areas.

Funded by ESF EQUAL 2, GWLAD is the Welsh word for ‘country’ and is an acronym that reflects the main work of our project – Getting Work, Learning and Advice in rural areas.

The partnership consists of a range of organisations from the educational, voluntary and community sectors including Lifelong Learning at Bangor University as lead partner; Medrwn Môn, the voluntary agency for Anglesey; the Black Environment Network; CAIS – a drug and alcohol rehabilitation organisation; Stonewall Cymru (Wales); Chwarae Teg, a women’s rights organisation; the Welsh Language Board; the Open University; McAlpine’s, a local employer.

For further information please contact:

Project Director:
Dr Brec'hed Piette 01248 382743

Project Co-ordinator:
Patricia Reid

Website: www.gwlad.org

Grundtvig II: An Intercultural Approach to Active Democratic Citizenship 2006 - 2007

This project examined the role of education in helping to overcome social exclusion and promote the ideal of an inclusive European citizenship. Its aims are as follows:

Increase knowledge of the different cultures with the aim to facilitate coexistence and integration of citizens.
Discover and analyse the major difficulties with regards to the participation of citizens, lived out by different cultures in multicultural environments.
Substitute traditional teaching methods with those that are more interactive and democratic.
Establish link mechanisms from educational environments to local communities and promote extra-curricular activities.

The project has resulted in the development of a course aimed at raising awareness and understanding of intercultural issues.

Download the Citizenship in an Intercultural Europe course for free.

Contact: Dr. David Sullivan 01248 388477

Website: www.interculturalcitizenship.org

Grundtvig II Cross-Cooking Project 2006 - 2008

The Cross Cooking project aims to rediscover and preserve traditions in cooking across Europe, whilst enhancing the possibilities of learning and cross-generational and cultural cohesion. There are 4 groups in north-west Wales and representatives of each group will have had an opportunity to visit and European partner project during activities and share information, skills and stories based around food and community life. The groups have taken part in numerous local activities and contributed to the Gwledd Conwy Food Festival in October 2007.

Contact: Shan Ashton 01248 383224

Website: www.cross-cooking.eu/

Carnegie – Skills for Rural Community Development

This research was the basis for a learning needs analysis on skills for rural community development, developing an agenda for the next ten years in Wales. It formed the Welsh element of a rural action research project covering Wales, England, Scotland, northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The research was sponsored by the Carnegie Trust UK and Bangor’s Lifelong Learning was partnered by Wales Rural Forum, the Wales Council for Voluntary Action and Community Development Cymru.

In 2008 further work will be undertaken with Carnegie and partners to action the research.

For further information contact:

Research coordinator: Shan Ashton 01248383224

Website:

www.cefngwlad.org/documents/carnegie_english.pdf

www.cefngwald.org/documents/carnegie_welsh.pdf

Learning Networks for Community Development, Enterprise and Regeneration 2008

In 2008, the Community Development Unit is celebrating ten years of activity and course development and delivery. Part of its newly evolving activities will be the Community Learning Networks programme.

The CDU can develop and deliver specific learning opportunities to answer a community’s needs. The provision will be planned with each community, delivery timed to suit each community and each community will contribute to developing the relevant content. The content will be highly focused on each community’s situation but in addition study visits can be arranged to other community groups in Wales, the UK or Ireland to see how they have approached similar issues.

The focus of each learning network may well differ according to each community’s need and all or part of the delivery can earn higher education credits leading to a range of accreditation or qualification. Costs will vary according to numbers involved and learning and accreditation undertaken.

Contact: Shan Ashton 01248 383224

HEFCW Work-Force Development Project 2007 - 2008

This project aims to develop higher level learning in the Welsh workforce in order to boost the economic competitiveness of Wales. It aims to extend the opportunities for mature adults in the Welsh workforce by engaging them in graduate education via the use of innovative blended learning and learning recognition activities. This will allow Welsh HEIs, in a collaborative context, to play to their strengths in designing, assessing and accrediting work based learning.

Phase 1 of the project (carried out by Lifelong Learning, Bangor University, supported by project partners) is a feasibility study which allows for the creation of a service development project linked to accrediting in-company training programmes and assessing outcomes of individual work-based learning. It will include a critical review of current workforce development activities between the business and the university sectors in Wales and map out the extent of AP(E)L (Accreditation of Prior and/or Experiential Learning).

Contact: Lowrian Williams 01248 388407

HYSBYS 2004 - 2007

The Hysbys was a partnership between Lifelong Learning at Bangor University, the BBC and the Welsh Language Board. The Hysbys travelled the length and breadth of north Wales, visiting towns, villages and communities to familiarise the public with the aims and objectives of their local university and the other partners who formed part of the enterprise.

The bus contained computers and a broadcasting studio, so that the public could take part in taster sessions and short courses, surf the partners’ websites and contribute to their work. Advice and guidance was provided on the variety of courses offered by Lifelong Learning. There was also an opportunity to contribute to BBC content in Welsh and English across a variety of subjects, and with the Welsh Language Board as a partner the aim was to promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language.

Hysbys Launched by Meri Huws, March 2005

Staff on the bus planned and adapted activities for the various communities visited. In addition to visiting towns and villages, the Hysbys visited major events in the north, such as the Urdd National Eisteddfod, Sesiwn Fawr Dolgellau and the Anglesey Show.

The bus began its journey in March 2005. The Hysbys had its own website which reflected the work achieved and includeed a programme of activities and the bus timetable. By visiting the Hysbys people were able to learn, create and enjoy at the same time!

News Stories:

¡Dime Tú! - Learn Spanish Through the Medium of Welsh 2005 - 2006

Dime Tu! Image of textbook to learn spanish through the medium of Welsh

When our programme of modules in Modern Languages was reintroduced in light of demand by prospective students, it was found that many who used Welsh as their first language. The innovative module Dewch i Siarad Sbaeneg (Beginners’ Spanish) was then developed so that the teaching of Spanish was done through the medium of Welsh. The next stage was to consider a text to accompany each taught session and ¡Dime Tú! was launched in November of 2005! Given the demand for a continuation course, ¡Dime Tú 2! followed within the next few months with this volume being launched at the National Eisteddfod in Swansea.

The development of both books was undertaken by Lowri Williams. The projects were funded by the Centre for Welsh Medium Higher Education and the project managed by Delyth Murphy, Senior Co-ordinator in Lifelong Learning.

Contact: Delyth Murphy 01248 383761

Purchase the book and CD.

Leonardo Project Home Care In Europe 2002 - 2005

This project invested in developing an on-line training course for those working in the domiciliary care sector in five EU countries – Sweden, Hungary, Italy, Finland and Wales. The format of the resulting course was one of flexibility, allowing the use of accreditation of prior experiential learning, access to the course twenty four hours a day and at no cost.

The course can be studied as a stand alone programme or can be used to support the knowledge requirements of the National Vocational Qualification awards at both level 2 and level 3.

Additional information and details on how to access the course can be obtained by contacting:
Brec'hed Piette ( b.piette@bangor.ac.uk)

SEQUAL Development Partnership 2003 - 2006

Researching empolyability, discrimination and social exclusion.

The Sequal project investigated practical community interventions to enhance understanding and articulate complex and vital issues for strategy and policy development. T bangor University our theme for investigation was 'cross-cutting issues', which included geographical isolation, mental health and language.

Lead insitution: University of Surrey

Partners:

University of Wales, Bangor
University of Bristol
Edge Hill College of Higher Education
University of Glasgow
London Metropolitan University
University of Sussex
University of Warwick.

SEQUAL was funded by the European Social Fund under the Equal Community Initiative Programme.

Project Officers (Bangor):

Brec'hed Piette b.piette@bangor.ac.uk
Linda Evans l.evans@bangor.ac.uk

Research Officer (Bangor): Rhian McCarthy

Website: SEQUAL website

SEQUAL leaflet.

Dynamo 2004 - 2006

Dynamo was an entrepreneurship initiative financed and supported throughout Wales by the WDA, the material is endorsed by ACCAC. Its aim was to foster entreprenurial development in the young people of Wales.

Our training team held workshop days for teachers at venues across north Wales where they were allocated Dynamo resource packs for use in their schools.

More details are available on the attached flyers and at the website.

Dynamo Entrepreneurship Teaching Resources
Dynamo Entrepreneurship Teaching Materials

www.projectdynamo.com

Contact: Alan Morgan

Image of GWLAD delegates at conference to represent Research Activities at Lifelong Learning

projects at Lifelong Learning

current activities

staff