Summary

The purpose of this report is to present the Wyndham Learning Community Strategy 2018-2023 to Council for endorsement.

The Strategy outlines a strong commitment to ensuring the benefits of learning are available to all Wyndham residents.  It promotes a learning community culture where equity and inclusion are the drivers of planning, engagement and delivery.  It highlights the need to be agile, with place-based resources directed locally towards emerging challenges and opportunities as Wyndham’s population continues to grow and further diversify.

The Strategy has been informed by extensive community engagement and consultation, both for the evaluation of the previous Learning Community Strategy 2014-2017 and the development of the new Strategy.  Council’s Learning City Portfolio Committee provided guidance and advice, along with a specially convened Learning City Committee Reference Group (LCCRG) which met frequently at key project milestones.  The LCCRG was chaired by Cr Josh Gilligan, as the Learning City Portfolio holder.

The draft Strategy was endorsed for public exhibition by Council at its meeting on 7 November 2018.  Feedback was sought through Council’s online community engagement platform, The Loop, between 8-29 November 2018.  The LCCRG met again after the public exhibition period to review submissions received and respond.

Key Issues

• Development of the Wyndham Learning Community Strategy 2018-2023 through extensive community and stakeholder consultation.
• Consideration of public submissions.

Background

The Learning Community Strategy 2018-2023 arises from an evaluation of the previous 2014-2017 Strategy undertaken in early 2018.  The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the success or otherwise of the previous Strategy, to determine achievements of actions and to inform the development of the new Wyndham Learning Community Strategy 2018-2023.

The evaluation process included consulting the original community forum group that was established to develop and oversee the Learning Community Strategy 2014-2017, in addition to key stakeholders; together with a literature review.  The results of this review process indicated an appetite to build upon the work of the first Strategy, and to include aspirations for transitioning Wyndham into a UNESCO Learning City.

The development of the new Learning Community Strategy 2018-2023 aligns with the Wyndham 2040 Community Plan, echoing many of the priorities identified by the community, the vision for Earning and Learning; Employment, Education and Training; Social Connection; and Community Engagement.

In addition, the project aligns with the following strategic objectives and themes of the Wyndham City Plan 2017-2021:

• Helping residents to stay healthy, active and connected.
• The Health, Wellbeing and Safety Goal.
• Actively supporting social inclusion and tackling inequalities by ensuring all residents have access to services and building social connectivity.
• Earning and Learning: Wyndham City will be a city of opportunity, recognised for its diverse, high‐quality centres of learning, its libraries and knowledge hubs and its varied and plentiful employment. We will attract businesses of all sizes, and promote a wide mix of shops and retail, events and attractions – all designed to build community pride and engagement.
• “Council will work innovatively with our partners and community to ensure Wyndham is a place of opportunity for learning, working, investing and succeeding, which builds a vibrant and sustainable city where all residents have access to opportunities. We will seek innovative ways to build an attractive business and investment environment – both locally and internationally”.
• “People in Wyndham enjoy financial security, have access to a diverse range of learning, education and work opportunities, and have safe and healthy work and learning environments.”
• Council will grow a diverse economy by tapping into the international knowledge and connections of our community, and look to develop strategic and collaborative national and international relationships for commerce, education and investment.
• Through embracing new technologies, Wyndham will be transformed into a Smart City, thereby enabling new and established business to create employment opportunities and build a financially secure community.
• Council will invigorate local commerce and visitation by activating retail precincts to increase local economic development and support local business.

Discussion

Learning is fundamental to the future wellbeing, prosperity and sense of belonging for the people of Wyndham.  With the Wyndham Learning Community Strategy 2018-2023 as the driver, Council is positioning Wyndham as a leader for innovation, change and resilience in an increasingly complex and ambiguous world.  The Wyndham Learning Festival, City Libraries, Community Learning Centres and strong community partnerships are critical vehicles for activating learning in Wyndham.

Collaborations such as the Wyndham Integrated Learning Group, Literacy and Numeracy Network and the Building Blocks program further promote access and equity, foundation skills and leadership development at all levels of the community.

Learning Across Life is the central pillar of the Wyndham Learning Community Strategy 2018 - 2023. Supporting this pillar are strong governance, partnerships and collaborations, strategic promotion and outcomes measurement.  The central pillar relates to all Life Stages - Early Years, Middle Years, Youth, Adults and Seniors, and recognises that within these Life Stages there are a range of needs and priorities.  The implementation of the Learning Community Strategy 2018-2023 is aligned with Wyndham’s Family Friendly Charter principles and will assist in strengthening Wyndham’s Family Friendly status.

The Strategy outlines a strong commitment to ensuring the benefits of learning are available to all Wyndham residents and promotes a learning community culture where equity and inclusion are the drivers of planning, engagement and delivery.  It highlights the need to be agile, with place-based resources directed locally towards emerging challenges and opportunities as Wyndham’s population continues to grow and further diversify.

New and emerging work, rapidly growing local communities, changing social opportunities and the importance of personal resilience and wellbeing underpin identified priority skills. These skills are:

• Learning Agility – the ability to learn how to learn in new ways and to adapt learning to rapidly changing environments.
• Literacy, Numeracy and Language – foundation skills for learning and creating vocational and social pathways.
• Digital Fundamentals and New Media –engaging in digital fundamentals for everyday life, embracing new media and facilitating Wyndham as a smart community for business, work, living and learning.
• Civics Learning & Engagement – understanding and utilising Australian systems to fully participate in civic society.
• Intercultural Learning – celebrating Wyndham’s diverse communities and cultures in learning, work and social interactions.
• Employability, Vocational & Professional Skills – skilling for todays and tomorrows work and continuously seeking best and next practice.
• Leadership, Personal Growth & Cultural Expression – facilitating local leadership development and investing in personal growth.

The Wyndham Learning Community Strategy 2018 – 2023 fosters the development of these priority skills with a range of strategic actions that are focussed on:

• CELEBRATING living and learning in Wyndham, with the Learning Festival as the signature event.
• ADVOCATING for equity and quality in service provision.
• FACILITATING partnerships and collaboration across sectors to create new learning models and deliver outcomes for all.
• INNOVATING learning and fostering new entrepreneurial spirit through integration with, and promotion of, Wyndham’s Smart City Agenda.

The 18 identified actions support Learning Across Life in Wyndham by:

• Responding to localised and place based need;
• Ensuring equity and inclusion;
• Promoting civic and social participation;
• Fostering futures thinking and innovation;
• Connecting Wyndham globally;
• Leveraging from success and promoting Lifelong and Life-wide learning.

Council’s role in implementing the Learning Community Strategy over the next five years will vary.  With some actions Council will be the Advocate for new services or for a more equitable share of learning related resources.  There will be other actions where Council is the Facilitator of partnerships and collaborations that will unlock local resources to deliver more effective outcomes.  Council may be the Explorer, the organisation best positioned to determine needs, commission research and discover potentially new ways to develop a learning community. There will be actions where Council will initiate and lead, and there will be areas where Council will engage in direct delivery of services.

The new Learning Community Strategy will also provide an opportunity to align Wyndham’s Strategy with the ACELG’s (Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government) national “Learning Community Framework and Measuring Impact Toolkit” and incorporate UNESCO’s Key Features of Learning Cities, an overall framework of Learning Cities and comprehensive checklist of action points to enhance and measure the progress of Learning Cities.  Alignment with relevant UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals will also be a priority of the new Strategy (particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing for People; SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities).

The new Learning Community Strategy will align Wyndham with international best practice and standards and actively contribute to realizing Wyndham’s 2040 Vision - A Place for People.

Recommendation

That Council endorses the Wyndham Learning Community Strategy 2018-2023.

Motion

Crs Josh Gilligan / Aaron An

That Council endorses the Wyndham Learning Community Strategy 2018-2023.

(CARRIED)