Learning Communities Catalyst

1. Title: What is/was the initiative?

Hume Global Learning Village

The Hume Global Learning Village (HGLV) is an innovative project facilitated and supported by Hume City Council that links learning and education providers across Hume City.

The Village has nearly 300 members, the members include Hume's 6 public libraries, local schools, neighbourhood houses and learning centres, Kangan Batman TAFE, local business, Victoria University, the Visy Cares Learning Centre (Meadow Heights), other universities, community groups and TAFEs.

The role of the Hume Global Learning Village is to be a catalyst, facilitator, leader and driver of the vision for Hume - as a learning community. The Hume Global Learning Village provides local expertise and advice to Hume City Council in relation to developing a learning culture in Hume.

2. Where is/was it?

Hume City is in the northern suburbs of Melbourne on the urban-rural fringe, 20 kilometres from the centre of Melbourne. It occupies an area of approximately 504 square kilometres and is bounded by the Merri Creek, the Maribyrnong River, Western Ring Road, the Calder and Tullamarine Freeways, and the foothills of the Macedon Ranges.

The diversity of Hume City is recognised as being one of its greatest strengths. The Hume community comprises many cultural, ethnic and social experiences and all these add to the municipality's vibrancy. The population of Hume speaks around 40 languages.

The total population of Hume City by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in the year 2000 was 133,275. While Hume City Council expects the municipality to grow very quickly over the next 15 years to 182,302.

Hume City has a very strong industrial base, comprising motor vehicle manufacture, heavy engineering, freight handling, electronics and communications, paper and food manufacture, and note printing. Its most significant industrial areas are located in Campbellfield, Tullamarine and Somerton. The municipality also has a strong commercial and business base, comprising a mixture of retail, office and institutional development. Melbourne Airport is located within the municipality and is one of the largest employers of the City's residents.

3. When was it?

Hume Global Learning Village is an ongoing project. A Statement of Understanding was signed between the Village members in June 2003.

4. What is/was it about?

The Hume Global Learning Village combines resources to provide a diverse range of formal and informal learning activities for Hume residents and businesses with the aim of empowering the community to embrace learning as a way of life.

The Village's main goal is to bring learning providers together and promote the communication exchange between them through forums and seminars.

5. What type of initiative is/was it?

On-going

6. Who is/was the 'driver' of the initiative?

Hume City Council in partnership with local organisations neighbourhood houses, tertiary education institutions and schools.

7. Which stakeholders are/were involved?

Hume City Council, the Victorian Government, The Age Newspaper, Ford , The Pratt Foundation, Hume City Council's 6 public libraries, local schools, neighbourhood houses and learning centres, Kangan Batman TAFE, local business, Victoria University, the Visy Cares Learning Centre (Meadow Heights), other universities, community groups and TAFEs.

8. How is/was the initiative resourced?

Hume City Council supports and facilitates the Hume Global Learning Village and Village members take on and resource projects from the Village's Learning Together strategy.

9. What did the initiative seek to achieve?

The Hume Global Learning Village seeks to :

• Provide learning opportunities for the community in places and on a scale never before imagined in Hume
• Build on the strengths of its members through sharing, communication and collaboration
• Celebrate learning, encourages individuals, supports groups and enhances businesses
• Ignite a passion for learning and achievement in Hume
<li style="list-style-type: none; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside;"> Reach out to the community and engages people from all cultures, abilities,
• interests, ages and skills in learning activities
• Foster opportunities for community members to share their own interests, expertise and skills with others
• Capitalise on the resources of members to create an accessible and sustainable learning culture
• Identify, address and respond to community needs
• Explore and broker relevant opportunities to benefit the community of Hume

10. How is/was it carried out?

In September 2004, the Hume Global Learning Village produced Learning Together- An Introduction to the Hume Global Learning Village and our Strategy 2004-2008. Learning Together outlines more than 50 strategies to address learning issues, improving access to learning, addressing language, literacy, numeracy and IT skills, and further promotion of the many opportunities available in Hume City.

11. What did it achieve? What could be done differently?

The Hume Global Learning Village initiative is engaging a broad range of people and organisations across the municipality, providing them with support, expertise, new partners and opportunities to promote themselves to a wider audience.

Hume is building a Learning Community through this initiative, and whilst it is a long-term strategy, residents and workers in Hume are already able to access a broader range of learning opportunities than ever before. This is through better facilities, more information being made available, through more programs being brokered into the city and through the collaboration of previously unconnected learning providers.

The development of the Hume Global Learning Centre, Hume City's Council's facility and 'hub' of the Hume Global Learning Village has provided an iconic building in the community and has raised the community's view of themselves as worthy, innovative and being recognised as a leading learning community.

12. What information supports this experience?

The Village's strategic documents, newsletters and project information is available on the Village's website hosted by Hume City Council at www.hume.vic.gov.au.