Cork Learning Neighbourhoods: documenting the impact on communities and organisations in
Cork city and exploring current and sustainable models of practice

Nash, Eamon

Cork Learning Neighbourhoods: documenting the impact on communities and organisations in Cork city and exploring current and sustainable models of practice

Files

EamonNashCARLreport2020.pdf(1.74 MB)

Published Version

Date

2020-09

Authors

Nash, Eamon

Publisher

Community-Academic Research Links, University College Cork

Abstract

Cork City, Ireland was awarded a learning city award from UNESCO’s, Institute of Lifelong Learning (UIL) in 2015. The Cork Learning Neighbourhoods, which is one strand of the Cork Learning City, was first piloted in 2015 and now (in 2020) consists of six different learning neighbourhoods in Cork City. The Cork Learning Neighbourhoods aims to facilitate partnership and collaboration to strengthen leaning for all and lifelong learning opportunities in each neighbourhood. This research aims to document the impact of the Cork Learning Neighbourhoods as well as identify current and sustainable models of practice. A participatory research approach using a sequential transformative strategy to mixed methods was employed in this research. This allowed the research to collect data in a phase-by-phase manner. The findings show that the Cork Learning Neighbourhoods is positively impacting individuals and neighbourhoods social, identify, cultural and human capital and enhancing mental health. The research also shows that a neighbourhood centred integrative and participatory approach to a hybrid and evolving model of practice has been adopted across all Cork Learning Neighbourhoods. Financial and non-financial resources and supports from Cork Learning Cities partnering organisations and local organisations are key to the sustainability of the Cork Learning Neighbourhoods. The research concludes by stating that the UIL Learning Cities is setting the Global framework, Cork Learning City is adopting and leading this in Cork City and the Cork Learning Neighbourhoods, comprising of all of the local and city partnering organisations and individual learners, are realizing and putting this into action in their local learning neighbourhood.

Keywords

Cork Learning Neighbourhoods , Mayfield CDP , Mayfield Integrative Community Development Project , Institute of Lifelong Learning , UIL , Models of practice

Citation

Nash, E. (2020) Cork Learning Neighbourhoods: documenting the impact on communities and organisations in Cork city and exploring current and sustainable models of practice. Cork: Community-Academic Research Links, University College Cork.