Author/s: Donna Rooney
Edition: Volume 51, Number 2, July 2011
Summary: The overarching aim of this paper is to ‘talk up’ learning in the Australian neighbourhood centre sector, realising this aim is premised on a need to understand neighbourhood centres themselves. Hence, the paper tentatively offers a mapping of the sector by first asking: ‘What is a neighbourhood centre?’. Next, the paper provides an introductory scoping of learning in centres in an effort to invite further consideration. Two important conclusions are made. The first is that centres’ capacity for continual re-shaping, while retaining some very particular values, marks them in ways that differ from organisations for which adult education is the primary purpose. The second is that the range of learning possibilities in centres is far-reaching, and makes significant and valuable contributions to individuals and communities, and ultimately to the Australian nation.
Keywords: neighbourhood centres, adult education, values
Share a copy of this abstract.
This article is part of AJAL, Volume 51_2. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.