Lifelong Learning In A Pandemic

The University has adapted learning programmes to run them virtually or, where possible, through blended delivery. Using our expertise in lifelong learning, we have supported learners who study at the learning centres to continue to learn in the changed environment of virtual learning by using our LLL expertise to create clever and simple solutions to overcome any barriers facing different groups and people of all ages.

CLL staff are ensuring that the local community knows that they have a learning resource on their doorstep and they are using blogs, social media, existing partners/networks and Centre’s websites to get the messages out.

By supporting people to go online, they are using a range of social media to create informal learning groups to support existing groups of learners.

They have been working with academics across the University to maintain the monthly public lecture series by taking it online using Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

They have been maintaining ‘business as usual’ by answering queries from local residents about progressing onto HE and linking potential new learners with subject and specialist advisors to make the journey as smooth as possible.

They are working with local partners to ensure that both learning and the Centres are a vital part of the recovery phase after the pandemic.

CLL staff are helping people to understand the value that learning and lifelong learning plays in a crisis including the value of learning together and sharing. They have created specialist new learning programmes to do this. Our motto is ‘it is never too late/too early or too young/old to learn’

In the height of the first lockdown, all the Centres provided daily ideas and links to resources which are available locally to support parents with school age children on key learning topics. The Stafford Centre produced a range of STEM lectures for young children to enable their parents to complete their assignments while the children were occupied.

University Centre Telford worked with members of the University's Alumni to bring them into learning activities being run through the Centre including a local author who is doing online book readings. She was about to launch her new book Finding Stones for Grandma which helps to build children’s resilience and their ability to cope with stress.

The Black Country Living Museum ran a range of programmes online including the History at Home series. The Black Country Studies Centre supported this programme by coordinating input from University staff to add STEAM dimensions and developed a parallel programme for adults called Lockdown Learning which included short lectures on local topics of interest to the Black Country.

CLL staff are using learning to help people understand Covid-19, the complexity and context of the crisis and the impact it has on our lives.  

The Stafford Centre is working with the Borough Council to run a business support programme called The Business Hub. It aims to support business start-ups and businesses wanting to grow by offering a structured and dedicated support service. The programme was originally designed to help businesses cope with Brexit but it has be revised to focus on impacts of the pandemic, particularly business resilience, and to run online.

An appeal by the Dementia Clinical Specialist at SaTH for people to knit or crochet blankets for patients living with dementia to make their stay in hospital more pleasant resulted in the creation of an older learner group at University Centre Telford to reduce social isolation. The Knitting Group as it is known, moved to supporting the urgent appeals made by the NHS locally by making scrub hats, tops and bottoms for nurses and button bands to make the wearing of face masks more comfortable.

To ensure that no one is left behind in terms of learning, CLL has worked with decision makers at all levels to understand the multiple roles that it can play in assisting them to achieve their goals when responding to the crisis. Learning plays a vital role in helping people to act appropriately and ensuring that social distancing messages are understood by all people.

Through the University’s involvement with the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL), an audit of actions by other universities with Lifelong Learning Departments has been undertaken to share practice across the sector and the four nations so that institutions can replicate models that are being used in other universities.  

By convening Wolverhampton City Learning Regions (WCLR) Core Partners meetings we have acted to understand how we can all work together to support issues such as digital poverty in the city. We are collaborating and planning in order to mobilise our resources to help Wolverhampton adapt as a city through lifelong learning in response to the challenges of COVID-19. We have reached out to our partner learning cities around the world to hear what actions they have been taking and have shared our work with them so we can learn from each other.

Through conversations with our partners we have learnt that we need to take time to understand how we should respond in the light of the new challenges facing the cities and towns. This will result in a new agenda that focuses on the ‘new normal’ with learning having a clear and strong embedded role within it.