New neighbourhood community projects place wellbeing and community connection at the heart of learning.
The new projects, based at St. Wulstan’s Church in Warndon, Worcester, and The REDI Centre in Redditch Town Centre, will offer local people the opportunity to design and deliver projects that bring real benefits to their neighbourhoods, while building confidence, skills, and social connections in a supportive environment.
Community projects are free learning opportunities delivered in communities experiencing social or economic disadvantage. By giving adult learners, aged 19 and over a voice in shaping the project activities that matter to their communities, the programme fosters belonging, purpose, and improved mental wellbeing.
Nikki Foster, Neighbourhood Learning Manager for Worcestershire County Council’s Learning Services, said: “Our community projects aren’t just about learning new skills, they’re about reconnecting people to their communities, giving them ownership of positive change, and supporting mental health and wellbeing at a grassroots level. Evidence suggests that more than 70% of adults taking part in community learning activities report improved wellbeing as a result.
‘The two new Community Projects mark a commitment to addressing the impact of loneliness and isolation, by bringing learning opportunities directly into communities where they are needed most. We embed the Five Ways to Wellbeing into all of our courses, and it’s always encouraging to hear from people who were hesitant about joining our community projects because they were feeling isolated or anxious, and then to see them, by the end of the project, feeling more confident, connected, and positive about what they can achieve.”
Previous community projects have been held in Birchen Coppice in Kidderminster, Winyates and Woodrow in Redditch, Sherrard’s Green in Malvern, Warndon in Worcester, Pershore and Evesham town centre.
Projects have ranged from decorating shop windows with recycled artwork, designing a Narnia themed ‘festive trail’ in a shopping parade, well-dressing in Malvern, creating a community Easter Egg hunt, creating Christmas gifts for people dealing with isolation, crafting memory blankets for Worcestershire Royal Hospital’s dementia unit, and creating Post Box toppers to brighten up a housing estate,
For more information about Adult Learning from Worcestershire County Council, please visit:
www.worcestershire.gov.uk/learningservices and to browse all available courses, visit: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/courses or call 01905 728537.
