We are delighted to announce an exciting new project which aims to support activists and educators across Europe in their struggles for social and climate justice.
The activity of progressive social movements has shaped adult and community education in profound ways. Meaningful active citizenship requires strong social movements supported by innovative and critical forms of adult education. It is now widely understood that fostering active citizenship a necessary response to the “business as usual” of climate crisis and rising authoritarianism, deepening inequalities and democratic deficits.
But how can active citizenship develop beyond isolated and fragmented experiments and develop coherent long-term responses to the challenges of our time? Dr Fergal Finnegan (Maynooth Adult and Community Education) and Dr Laurence Cox (Maynooth Sociology) have been working on these issues for many years. They are now joining forces with three experienced training networks: the Ulex Project, European Alternatives and the European Community Organizing Network in the Erasmus+ funded “Movement learning catalyst” project.
The project is developing a training to support adult educators and social movement activists across Europe. This will focus on making connections across different movement issues and communities, translocally and transnationally, and on strategic thinking for social transformation and active citizenship. Grounded in research led by Fergal and Laurence, the project will develop curricular, pedagogical and theoretical resources for supporting active training which will be freely available to activists and educators.
A first glimpse of the project can be found here.
Erasmus+ Grant Agreement 2021-1-FR01-KA220-ADU-000033600