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Listen
Think Global, Act Local
International Education in Communities
Annex A: Case Studies
Young people
Seaton Community Project
Young people from Seaton, Aberdeen hosted a group of young people from Sweden as part of the first leg of a youth exchange. The theme of the exchange was "Youth culture in different countries".
As the young people from Seaton were all over 18 and the young people from Sweden were 16 or younger there was a problem regarding the consumption of alcohol. In resolving the situation it encouraged the young people from Seaton to look at their social habits and to consider the other group's needs. It highlighted the fact that you do not need alcohol to have a good time and helped break down the barriers and to explore in some depth the cultures of the two countries.
The residential experience of the exchange involved the young people taking responsibility for domestic arrangements and chores, which was a first for many of them.
Most of the young people from Seaton do not mix with people outwith the Seaton area of Aberdeen, therefore the experience of forming strong relationships with the young people from Sweden was great for their personal development and confidence.
The exchange has given the group more confidence in themselves and they are now enthusiastic and motivated to plan the return leg to Sweden.
(Source: Wilma Smith, Seaton Community Project)
The Scottish Guides Ghana Service Project
Since its inception in 1991 four teams of young Scottish Guiders between the ages of 18-25 have helped four different villages in four different regions of Ghana to build two schools, a nursery and a community centre. This involved the Scottish participants working alongside both the villagers and local guides.
As a result of this project some of the villages involved have been able to send guides to International Camps in Scotland through funding provided by Scottish Guiding. A fifth Service project is now planned which will see Scottish Guiders visit Ghana with Ghanaian Guides visiting Scotland the following year.
(Source: Joyce Hamilton, Scottish Guides Ghana Co-ordinator)
The Girls Brigade/Christian Aid
Working in partnership a project was set up to help children within the Dominican Republic. The key focus of the project involved the running of summer camps for between 75-100 children over a three-year period, help fund the building works for a new wing at a pre-school establishment which will house between 60-80 children and to provide English tuition to children.
To assist with this initiative every Girls Brigade Company in Scotland was challenged to raise at least 100 to make this a reality. Six Girls Brigade members from Scotland accompanied by a Christian Aid worker flew to the Dominican Republic to assist in the running of the summer camps.
(Source: Maureen Mallon, Youthlink Scotland)
Bringing Gibraltar home
For the hosting leg the whole community was encouraged to participate. Family nights involved the extended family and friends. The press was used to promote and publicise the visit. As a group the young people learned the importance of teamwork and co-operation. Individually young people developed new skills and improved their self-confidence. The exchange visit provided the community with a focus and common goal.
Four of the young people from this group went on to study travel and tourism and now work in the industry. A further exchange was organised to Italy with many of the participants being the younger brothers and sisters of the Gibraltar group.
(Source: Julie Fox, Project Leader)
Montrose reviews Sweden
In preparing for the exchange with a Swedish Youth Council, participants focused on the eight key areas of Connect Youth International's Personal Record of Achievement.
A key feature of the exchange was the emphasis on communication skills and use of information technology. As part of the preparation regular email contact was established in addition to which good use was made of video-conferencing to discuss and agree the programme with the partner group. On completion of the exchange one member of the group produced a humorous website detailing the exchange, making good use of images and text.
Another feature of the exchange was the good use of the local media to raise awareness of the project. Articles written by the young people were a regular feature in the lead up to the exchange and a full-page diary of the exchange written by a participant appeared in the Montrose Review newspaper.
(Source: Stewart Maxwell, PCEO, Angus CES)
Young people trade for life
7 young people from youth groups across Glasgow formed the Teenage Trade for Life group. Supported by Christian Aid, the young people met periodically and produced a leaflet about international trade for other young people in the Glasgow area. They distributed the leaflet through youth leaders. The Teenage Trade for Life group also organised an event for other young people to learn about the international trade system and how, under current rules, it is contributing to global poverty. The group continue to meet and are currently planning the second issue of their leaflet.
(Source: Rachel Searle-Mbullu, Christian Aid Youth Co-ordinator)
"On Yer Bike"
Arthur 23 Years
Arthur from Dundee was lacking in confidence and had a history of homelessness. He chose to go to Sweden to do a six-week work placement but within days he was desperate to return home. He agreed to wait a few days and during this time he got to know some of the locals and had a chance to settle in. A few weeks before he was due to return home he independently found work and accommodation and ended up staying an additional seven months. During this time he kept in touch via email.
Angus 21 Years
Long-term unemployed Angus from Ross-shire chose to do a three-week work placement at a crèche in Strasbourg. He thoroughly enjoyed this and made an effort to speak the basic French he was taught at the preparatory residential weekend. Whilst Angus enjoyed the independence that the programme provided he was reassured by the fact that when he returned to his accommodation in the evening that there would be a few of his Scottish friends there with whom he could share his day.
(Source: Nicqui MacLeod, The Princes Trust Scotland)
Adults
WEA Going Glocal project
This 2 year project, funded through a DFID mini grant via IDEAS, created a sustainable series of adult education opportunities for WEA members, tutors and community groups to learn how to integrate an International perspective into all community-based courses and events that they are involved in.
WEA Going Glocal was designed to also provide a visible model of local and international partnership working. Year 1 focused on raising awareness of the purposes of Global Development Education, Global Citizenship and Internationalism through regional Saturday schools across Scotland. This programme was developed and delivered in partnership with Scottish Education and Action for Development (Sead), their exchange organisation Las Mujeres Dominicanas y Haitanas (MUDHA) from the Dominican Republic, and the WEA's UK-wide Development Education programme.
Year 2 used the forum of a weekend residential programme in Argyll to concentrate more closely on the different practices of introducing the International context into local adult education. This was followed with supporting participants to actively include what they had learnt into the design and delivery of their own community programmes. This intensive learning process was designed and delivered in partnership with the participants, Working Together for Change, their exchange organisation Familias Especiales de Santa Julia Billiart in Nicaragua, and WEA Lothian Women's Forum.
This successful project demonstrates how it is possible for adults of all ages, and from different communities, to link local with global and manage a shift in their thinking about the content of their own provision and communicate this to others.
Examples of the sustainability of this project include a 50+ group who have re-designed their long standing, 'liberal arts' programme to learn about what is happening in "troublespots" around the world and how these link with everyday decisions made in Scotland. A women's writing group in Airdrie, who usually concentrate on factual writing about their own life experiences, held an International Women's Day writing event to link local and international writing styles and contexts. And a WEA Local Association have held several "Read Your Way Around the World" workshops to consider local and international social issues and how these are communicated.
(Source: Joyce Conan, Workers' Educational Association)
Initial guinea pig
In 1997 Alex was the initial guinea pig for Grey Lodge Settlement - a voluntary youth and community centre in Dundee - to venture into overseas placements for their 18-25 year old adult members. Thanks to Alex's commitment, approach to work and enthusiasm it was a resounding success. He worked tirelessly in Ceperana, Italy for six months, helping to promote children's work, an area of work that he had previously volunteered for in the settlement. One outcome was the establishment of a Young Volunteers Group Exchange Project.
This initiative allowed enthusiasm, ideas and support networks to be shared and acts as a good example of community capacity building.
(Source: Alan S Duncan, Grey Lodge Settlement, Dundee)
Scottish Education and Action for Development exchange programme 2001
As part of a series of two way exchanges SEAD hosted two workers from MUDHA, a voluntary organisation in Dominican Republic. Workshops around issues of identity, racism, discrimination and poverty proved challenging, but created space for honest participation and discussion. Importantly, for both SEAD and MUDHA, through developing a deeper understanding of local and international poverty and discrimination issues, participants were able to realise they could challenge injustice within their own communities, whilst retaining a global perspective. The two guests from MUDHA were surprised at the extent of poverty in Scotland, problems they recognised as rooted in similar inequalities and structures. They noted "It is in our interest that the people we work and live with at home are able to perceive that communities in other parts of the world have similar problems and experiences and to be stronger we need to promote human solidarity"
(Source: Leonie Wilson, Scottish Education and Action for Development)
IVS: International Summer School
This is an initiative aimed at volunteers, mainly from Eastern Europe who are interested in becoming project leaders. The summer school enables the volunteers to receive training and share experiences with volunteers from other countries.
In August 2001 volunteers from Western Europe as well as Azerbaijan, Russia, and Serbia received training in Britain in organising voluntary projects as well as having an opportunity to meet British volunteers. One of the British volunteers who helped to organise this project reflected afterwards
Nothing can match the sense of achievement of pulling a project through from an idea to a successful event. I was especially happy to see the enjoyment of some of the volunteers who had never been out of their own country beforehand. We all learnt so much from each other. Even though I have not been to Azerbaijan I now know so much more about their culture and traditions as well as about Britain
Calix Eden IVS member
(Source: John Finn, International Voluntary Service)
Angus Adult Literacy Action Plan
Two Adult Literacy Workers and their line manager spent 3 days in Southern Ireland with the National Adult Literacy Agency looking at approaches to literacy work. The opportunity to observe and discuss practice will assist the authority in taking forward its literacy action plan.
The Study Visit was funded under the International Study visit Programme operated by the British Council.
(Source: Stewart Maxwell. PCEO Angus CES)
Unpeeling Bananas
'One topic that touched and inspired me was banana farming and international trade. We had a visit from a woman called Berta Gomez who works on a banana plantation in Nicaragua. She was in Britain to tell us about the working conditions on the plantation and to get extra funding for the clinic she helps run. (We raised 70) I was shocked that they had to pay for medical attention and to get educated especially when they get paid 1 a day. That means that 50% of children do not attend school even though it is illegal for them not to go.
In 1999, Berta and some other women set up their own clinic that offers cheap medical care with the help of the Dutch Embassy. Because of the chemicals used on the plantation many women suffer gynaecological problems and they can now get cheaper treatment at the clinic. They can also get cheaper Family Planning. Berta is training herself to become a nurse.
She is also in the trade union and travels throughout Central America to talk to other union members about working conditions. I am amazed that someone who has not had electricity for six months can be so selfless and believes totally in community spirit.'
(Source: Suzi Turner, participant in active citizen's programme, Community Training and Development Unit, Falkirk)
A Socrates Grundtvig Proposal from Aberdeen College, with Aberdeen City Council as a partner
The AXLE Project is a cross-cultural language learning partnership project being led by Aberdeen College, with Aberdeen City Council as a partner. The project involves Aberdeen's twin cities of Clermont-Ferrand (France), Regensburg (Germany) and Stavanger (Norway), plus four other European cities, three of which are from the EU-accession countries of Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria.
The project aims to encourage adult language learners in the eight partner countries to move beyond the "beginner" level of language study through the use of Information and Communications Technology. Using a web-enabled bulletin board, e-mail, video conferencing etc, the project aims to use ICT to help teachers share best practice and to put language learners in touch with native speakers to share cultural awareness and enhance motivation to continue studying.
(Source: Elaine Robertson, Aberdeen City Council. Further information from Bill Stalker, European Projects Co-ordinator, Aberdeen College)
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