6th October 2023 – Speaking Truth to Power: Putting Popular Education into Practice.
Building on prior research circle presentations and dialogue, this event deepened connections with lived experience, and considered possibilities for democracy and learning in specific places and neighbourhoods.
The contributions to this and other 2023 events follow the theme:
Dialogues for Democracy: Learning Neighbourhoods, Cities and Societies – Building a Dialogical Learning Democracy
The 2023 event series built on our earlier work by combining global with local learning dimensions. Our emphasis was on challenging issues of power and control over education and democratic engagement. We recognise democracy is in crisis. There is a widespread unease pervading communities, politics, economics, and education which is connected to the sustainability of the entire planet.
This event is split into three videos, which can be found below.
Introduction to the October 2023 Event
Introduction to Speaking Truth to Power, with Sharon Clancy and Iain Jones.
The Importance of Adult Community Education, with Jan Vincent & Colleen Baker (Aspire Learning Support and Wellbeing).
Sharon, in conversation with Jan Vincent, Director of Aspire Learning Support and Wellbeing in Durham and Colleen Baker, Aspire Learning Co-ordinator. We discussed the importance of community adult education, the power of place in relation to community building and Jan’s evolving work over many years, as both a learner in community adult education and her role as Director of a Women’s Learning Centre, in response to the challenges of place-based activism. The session focused on the richness of Jan’s rooted experiences – and how these, in turn, relate to wider themes we examined in April and May.
Speaking Truth to Power Programme, with Niall Cooper (Church Action on Poverty)
Jo Forster, in conversation with Niall Cooper, Director of Church Action on Poverty, presented CAP’s Speaking Truth to Power Programme. It provides learning opportunities to people struggling against poverty to speak up and take action on the root causes of poverty in the UK. In bringing together people with a diverse range of direct personal experiences of poverty to speak truth to power both locally and nationally, participants develop the skills, training and support to speak confidently and powerfully to local and national media, politicians and other power-holders. Learners become effective campaigners and spokespeople in their own right and inspire others to action.