Toward a community of sustainability learning and practice in Wales National Waterfront Museum, Swansea – April 14 th 2010

Welcome and Agenda Arrival & Refreshments – Welcome and Agenda – SRH & UL-T – Creating a community of sustainability learning and practice - SRH WAG and other stakeholder involvement and support – U L-T – Refreshments – Introduction to the projects – All – 15 minutes each – Lunch – Feedback on presentations – commonalities and differences - SRH – Discussion – what are our learning needs and priorities? - All – Refreshments – Action planning - All – Summary and Thanks - SRH & UL-T

Creating a community of sustainability learning and practice Dr. Steven Harris Manager, Science Shops Wales, University of Glamorgan National Waterfront Museum, Swansea – April 14 th 2010

“...learning is like muck, the more you spread it around, the more human growth there is in spades....”  - Martin Large, Chair of Stroud Commonwealth and co-founder of Stroud Communiversity

Aim To discuss the formation of a ‘community of sustainability learning and practice’ dedicated to sharing and building the knowledge needed to respond to the impacts of climate change and take forward the transition to post-carbon living in Wales.

Suggested Activities A series of site visits workshops & seminars Dialogue, discussion and shared hands-on activity participants encouraged to articulate their own knowledge and approaches while gaining a deeper understanding of others’ outlooks and emphases, Explore the ‘bigger picture’ of which all the projects are a part Where aspects of these interactions to be captured by participants and observers/facilitators and Materials produced made available online Ongoing coordination support by facilitators

Benefits Share and exchange technical, organisational and financial knowledge identify key knowledge and resource needs Share and exchange key skills and competencies identify key skills and competencies gaps or needs provide a safe, mutually supportive community of peers Facilitate communication on behalf of the learning group as a whole with e.g. policy-makers, agencies and funders

The Communiversity Concept A communal university, or, university of the commons Cooperative, mutualised, not-for-private-profit - owned and operated by faculty and students Low- or no-cost to end-users Non-bureaucratic, non-hierarchical, egalitarian Course materials, research outputs etc. ‘open source’ Involves every level of post-16 learner in integrated, multi-level groups Emphasis on action learning Short courses Integrates vocational and academic learning, physical and mental activity, skills-based, cognitive and emotional development Takes place at sites of transition action Examples: Stroud Communiversity, The School of LivingStroud CommuniversityThe School of Living

“Since we've made the idea of the Communiversity public many people have asked me: what is it? The answer is: whatever we want it to be! It is a collaborative educational project to help us develop the knowledge and skills we need to make our transition to a sustainable future. It will be a living example of how higher education should be in the future we want to live in. Our learning and teaching will be based around co- operation. Our goal will be sustainability. Other than this we are open to ideas. We wouldn't be much of a Communiversity if we weren't!”  Molly Scott Cato, Stroud Commonwealth and Stroud Communiversity

WAG and other stakeholder involvement and support Usha Ladwa-Thomas Climate Change and Water Division, Welsh Assembly Government National Waterfront Museum, Swansea – April 14 th 2010

WAG and other stakeholder involvement and support Usha Ladwa-Thomas Climate Change and Water Division, Welsh Assembly Government National Waterfront Museum, Swansea – April 14 th 2010

Introduction to the Projects National Waterfront Museum, Swansea – April 14 th 2010

Feedback, Discussion & Planning National Waterfront Museum, Swansea – April 14 th 2010