A New Way of Learning Which is Right Up Your Street
ERICA SMITH
Hastings Commons is currently running a programme of courses tailored to suit people who have never felt comfortable in formal learning situations.
The Alley Way Learning programme is a series of one hour and 30-minute introductory courses in venues across Hastings. The programme takes its ethos, and the inspiration for its name, from the successful Australian Laneway Learning project. Courses are designed to make learning accessible to everyone within the local community.
The initiative aims to provide affordable and varied learning opportunities, with classes taught by those from the community: whether that’s local experts and business owners or just people who want to share their knowledge, skills, and/or cultural heritage with others. The programme of courses was developed after asking people across the town what they wanted to learn – and what skills they would be happy to share with others. Neither the tutors or students are from traditional educational backgrounds.
So far, the workshops have included Chinese calligraphy, chess for women, preserving foods, Colombian dance and local history. Classes have been held in the Observer Building in Cambridge Road, the Grumpy Cook cafe in Robertson Street and the Board Games café in Hastings Old Town.
There is no set fee – you are asked to pay what you can, with a suggested £4 fee per class. If you can’t afford to pay anything, that’s not a barrier to you attending the class. And if you are able to pay more than £4 then you are welcome to ‘pay it forward’ to help others access the courses.
The next three courses programmed are:
- An English Language Conversation Cafe on Wednesday 13 November at 12pm
- Self Portraits via Collage on Thursday 14 November at 12pm
- The History of Palmistry on Thursday 21 November 2 at 7pm
The courses cover five strands of teaching and learning styles which create environments that accommodate different access needs. For example, some classes take place in relaxed and sensory friendly environments, taking into consideration different learning styles and providing a supportive environment for those whose first language isn’t English. Learning will vary from traditional hands-on workshops to movement activities and digital learning (online workshops).
Alley Way Learning coordinator Santi Sorrenti says, “In any community learning environment, it is important to create an enriching learning experience for people where the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and skills transcends financial, physical, and social barriers. Through this, we build confidence in people, create dynamic community cohesion, and instill feelings of self-worth, resilience, and confidence. We are lucky to have a plethora of creatives and makers in Hastings, and this project looks to connect with people who have not had a platform, or the right opportunity to deliver their knowledge and to broaden the spectrum and breadth of events in the town.”
All sessions are introductory/beginner. Visit the website to see venues and the full range of courses that are available between now and December: hastingscommons.com/programmes/alley-way-learning
We hope you have enjoyed reading this article. The future of our volunteer led, non-profit publication would be far more secure with the aid of a small donation. You can also support local journalism by becoming a friend of HIP. It only takes a minute and we would be very grateful.
Leave a Reply