With the current covid-19 lockdown, food access for older people is a key issue in this current pandemic. We are pleased to make available a 2009 Welsh Food Alliance report of a UK Older People’s Food Summit on growing malnutrition in an ageing society, which we feel is very relevant today.
International Women’s Day – 8 March 2019 – This year is themed around gender-balance Balance drives a better working world. Let’s all help create a #BalanceforBetter
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-47440774
With older people 80+ predicted to increase by 44% in Wales by 2030 we need active space with tax funded National Care Service for self help enterprises -member owned and controlled @CartrefiCymru @Glennwalescoop @KarenLWilkie @derekwalker_ @wgmin_deputy @wgmin_health @fmwales @JulieMorganLAB
When will we have a national conversation on how we move from the commitment in the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2016 to an exclusively co-operative and publicly run social care system across Wales.
The aim of this newsletter is to give you an update of recent events and also describe how you can contribute your expertise and ideas to both the campaign and the Centenary Commission. Disappointingly (though perhaps unsurprisingly in these troubled times) it has proved extremely difficult to secure even the most limited resources with which to deliver the campaign or indeed fully involve those who so generously and enthusiastically responded to our call. That was our plan and our intention. We continue to seek funding but are forced to do things on the proverbial shoestring, so any ideas on how to access financial support are most welcome!
Firstly, a reminder of how we got to this point. You will remember that there were two main strands to our plans for the Centenary of the Ministry of Reconstruction’s Commission on Adult Education. The first was to kick-start a Campaign which would raise the profile of adult education as a critical factor in addressing the challenges facing out times – from automation to fragmented communities, deepening inequalities to a sharpening and dangerous demographic deficit. It’s aims are:
Read the full newsletter here
Last month there was a gathering of co-operative, educational and social enterprises in Cardiff sharing ideas for broadening adult education and learning with impacts designed to benefit the wider community.
We have set ourselves the task of promoting equality of wellbeing through adult and community learning in a collaboration across three sectors: adult and community learning, the co-op movement, and the third sector. Groups including Adult Learning Wales, Cartrefi Cymru, the Co-operative Group, Co-operative College, Wales Co-operative Centre, Drivers For Change, Co-ops and Mutuals Wales and Wales Council for Voluntary Action.
It may sound straightforward, but actually further work is needed so that for example we recognise positive impacts from education, which are not formally measured or accredited. Collective benefits could be more valuable than individual achievements and curriculum development must closer reflect a mapping of local community needs. So with some investigative research underway there will be another gathering of these groups to plan a way forward early in 2019.
We are planning our next all-day event for Saturday September 8th at the Tabernacle Church on the Hayes, Cardiff.
Details of this exiting event will be published in the coming weeks
Watch this space
David Smith recommends a blog post by Ed Mayo. https://edmayo.wordpress.com/2018/04/18/fake-non-profits-2/
‘BBC Radio 4 British Socialism: The Grand Tour – Series 1: From Robert Owen to Keir Hardie Episodes 15 minutes.‘Anne McElvoy traces the emergence of British socialism through the 19th century, from Robert Owen’s visionary schemes for a society based on villages sharing goods in common, to the arrival of Labour MPs in Parliament 1906’
The omnibus edition is on Friday evening at 21:00 – http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09rzxh9‘
A link to the third C&MW event, held last November can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/43ch4a0ono551bc/CMW%20Co-operative%20conference%2018%3A11%3A17%20report%20%20.pdf?dl=0
David Smith remembers a speech by Barack Obama:
“Change will not come about if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for”. (Chicago 2008)
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The Wisdom of Citizen Clem – individually & collectively we can make a change #coops #cooperation #together |
Chilling out in a sunny climate after organising three events over the past twelve months developing the future of Co-operative Education in Wales with Co-ops and Mutuals Wales, I have just finished reading “Citizen Clem: A Biography of Attlee: Winner of the Orwell Prize” by John Bew which I started reading six months ago.
Speakers shown include Tom O’Kane, Toni Schiavone and Dafydd Rhys.
A report on the day will be published.
Speaker Dafydd Rhys
Adult Learning in the Community for the Community
Saturday 18th November @ Cartrefi Cymru Co-operative
This is the third event facilitated by Co-ops and Mutuals Wales aimed at highlighting the crucial role of Co-operative Education in building a Co-operative Wales. Our theme – Re-visioning Adult Community Learning for a Co-operative and Democratically Engaged and thriving Wales – is very timely with recent Government policy and review announcements on Adult Education. We are delighted that Addysg Oedolion Cymru/Adult Learning Wales will be co-sponsoring the day as part of their new democratic engagement curriculum and campaign to revitalise Adult Community Learning.
Places are limited: admission by invitation. £10 by cheque or cash on the day. For further details please contact David Smith: Secretary C&MW without delay! ds@davidsmith.org.uk (01633) 266781
9.30 Arrival and refreshments
10.00 Introductions: Sue Lyle
The Community of Enquiry Approach and asking conceptual questions – getting to know each other
10.20 Setting the scene – Think Piece 1: Tom O’Kane from Cae Tan, Swansea, biodynamic farm. Working with young people and local communities that demonstrates co-operative practices and adult learning in action.
10.40 Small group work response to Think Piece 1: What can we learn from a community-based small-scale cooperative project to help us re-envision Adult Community Learning?
11.00 Policy context – Think Piece 2: Professor David Reynolds, Acting Head, Swansea University School of Education Adult Community Education provision, including legislative/policy context, relevant international experience and ideas.
11.20 Break
11.30 Small group work response to Think Piece 2: What are the assumptions of the Welsh Government and what are the implications for Adult Community Learning?
12.00 How do we do it? – Think Piece 3: Toni Schiavone. Former Director of the Basic Skills Agency in Wales and Head of the Welsh Government Basic Skills Unit, currently, Vice Chair ALW. Practical steps and policy arrangements required for adult education in a Co-operative and democratically engaged Wales – bilingual presentation.
12.30 Small group work response to Think Piece 3: How best can we seed and support grass roots Adult and Community Learning initiatives?
1.00 Lunch and Networking
2.00 Small group work: What questions arise for adult learning practitioners if we are to re-vision Adult Community Learning? Generating questions for enquiry.
2.40 Community of Enquiry
3.40 Next steps: What should we bring from today into our different contexts?
Is there a need for Co-operative Education in Wales?
Ed Mayo talks about businesses trying to bring dignity into their care services.
Are you treated with dignity? New options in health and social care
[Cartrefi Cymru Co-operative is a not-for-profit multi-stakeholder co-operative that supports people with learning disabilities in Wales, to lead fulfilled lives, at home and in the community. For more information see this video.]
Secretary - David Smith
216 Stow Hill
Newport
NP20 4HA
01633 266781
david@cooperatives-wales.coop
Skype: Davidsmith.wales
Follow us @CoopsWales
