RCE North East-2013
a) Criteria/ indicators used to assess aspects of RCE work/ project: Character count 300 words:
Potential projects are considered against the extent to which the individual project proposal would contribute to the achievement of one or more of the global objectives as determined by the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD). NECTER/RCE North East aims to act as a catalyst for organisations in the North East of England that promote Education for Sustainable Development (ESD); a major focus being the sharing of information and experiences of sustainable development between stakeholders in the region as well as contributing to global learning. Transformative education is the key to several NECTER projects as is engendering a spirit of quality learning.
The success of adopted projects is measured by the impact of a project. An example is the Explore project which has concluded after four successful years of operation. Explore was conceived as a creative response to the withdrawal of funding for adult learning under successive UK governments. The impact of the Explore project is evidenced by the number of individually scheduled sessions in galleries, theatres and art centres over the four years (4,500) as well as the number of attendances on “open” sessions (nearly 30,000) and bookable course sessions (37,000). A single subscription payment gave access to an entire programme of over 1600 contact hours and approximately one thousand people joined the programme. External recognition of this unique experiment in lifelong learning was achieved in 2010 when Explore won the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL) National Award for “creativity, innovation, impact and transferability”. This project has been an exemplar of best transformative education practice.
The success of adopted projects is measured by the impact of a project. An example is the Explore project which has concluded after four successful years of operation. Explore was conceived as a creative response to the withdrawal of funding for adult learning under successive UK governments. The impact of the Explore project is evidenced by the number of individually scheduled sessions in galleries, theatres and art centres over the four years (4,500) as well as the number of attendances on “open” sessions (nearly 30,000) and bookable course sessions (37,000). A single subscription payment gave access to an entire programme of over 1600 contact hours and approximately one thousand people joined the programme. External recognition of this unique experiment in lifelong learning was achieved in 2010 when Explore won the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL) National Award for “creativity, innovation, impact and transferability”. This project has been an exemplar of best transformative education practice.
b) Successes of the RCE and lessons learned: Character count 300 words:
In addition to the Explore project, there have been a number of positive achievements during the last twelve months. For example The Great North Festival successfully launched its first round of events and HYPODS (Hearing Young People On Development and Sustainability) provided training for young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs). This project is the vehicle for delivering on NECTER’s first grant (all previous grants had been held by partners). One of our flagship projects, the great northern debate, also attracted three grants that will ensure the continuity of the project throughout 2013-2014. The project, with the support of various partners including RCE North East and four of the Universities in the region, attracted top quality speakers to the North East to deliberate in an open manner on the issues of the day. The project also involves a schools programme that focuses on developing an innovative interdisciplinary discursive approach to teaching young people about sustainable development, and an action research element designed to improve educational practice through discussion-based learning. The aim is to impose academic rigour on the adaptive approach to the discursive learning being developed.
There are several lessons that have been learned from the selected projects. In the first instance, the importance of collaboration with a range of partners is essential to ensure that there is diversity of ideas, skills and expertise as well are a more efficient use of shared resources. Secondly, all of the targets groups at the heart of all of these projects have a recognised need that urgently requires to be addressed; whether that is NEETs, adult or other lifelong learners. Finally, the remedies are delivered in the community; be that in a theatre, public gallery or in a community centre.
There are several lessons that have been learned from the selected projects. In the first instance, the importance of collaboration with a range of partners is essential to ensure that there is diversity of ideas, skills and expertise as well are a more efficient use of shared resources. Secondly, all of the targets groups at the heart of all of these projects have a recognised need that urgently requires to be addressed; whether that is NEETs, adult or other lifelong learners. Finally, the remedies are delivered in the community; be that in a theatre, public gallery or in a community centre.
c) Challenges experiences: Character count 300 words:
The major challenge facing NECTER/RCE North East in 2012/2013 was a significant problem emanating from correspondence received by Northumbria University from RCE North East’s former Co-ordinator and a colleague at Newcastle College. The content of the correspondence remains unknown to the committee as it played no part in this exchange.
The difficulties, in particular, revolved around three concerns:
First, the correspondence from our Newcastle College colleague had been mistakenly interpreted by Northumbria University as an official complaint from Newcastle College about the University hosting a NECTER General Meeting. This resulted in Northumbria University deciding not to host the General Meeting.
Secondly, in February, an Emergency Meeting of the NECTER Committee was held instead of a General Meeting. There was confusion over correspondence selectively circulated by the same individuals suggesting that the Global RCE Service Centre at UNU IAS had concerns about NECTER and making a variety of accusations against the Committee including fraud. Investigation by the NECTER Committee found that the Service Centre had expressed no concerns. The Committee was unable to ascertain on what basis accusations against it had been made.
Thirdly, the main concern was that relationships with Northumbria University and Newcastle may have been damaged. Unfortunately, Newcastle College did not reply to correspondence from the NECTER Chair and Treasurer and, therefore, it remains unclear as to the extent of future collaboration between the College and NECTER.
NECTER/RCE North East has experienced change during 2012/2013. New committee members have been elected and, at the October AGM, one of the new committee members was formally elected as Director. It is testimony to the resilience of the Committee and its partners that the retiring Director of NECTER/RCE North East was able to declare at the 2013 AGM that fourteen active projects were reported to the RCE Global Service.
The difficulties, in particular, revolved around three concerns:
First, the correspondence from our Newcastle College colleague had been mistakenly interpreted by Northumbria University as an official complaint from Newcastle College about the University hosting a NECTER General Meeting. This resulted in Northumbria University deciding not to host the General Meeting.
Secondly, in February, an Emergency Meeting of the NECTER Committee was held instead of a General Meeting. There was confusion over correspondence selectively circulated by the same individuals suggesting that the Global RCE Service Centre at UNU IAS had concerns about NECTER and making a variety of accusations against the Committee including fraud. Investigation by the NECTER Committee found that the Service Centre had expressed no concerns. The Committee was unable to ascertain on what basis accusations against it had been made.
Thirdly, the main concern was that relationships with Northumbria University and Newcastle may have been damaged. Unfortunately, Newcastle College did not reply to correspondence from the NECTER Chair and Treasurer and, therefore, it remains unclear as to the extent of future collaboration between the College and NECTER.
NECTER/RCE North East has experienced change during 2012/2013. New committee members have been elected and, at the October AGM, one of the new committee members was formally elected as Director. It is testimony to the resilience of the Committee and its partners that the retiring Director of NECTER/RCE North East was able to declare at the 2013 AGM that fourteen active projects were reported to the RCE Global Service.
