COMMUNITY EDUCATION is an opportunity for local citizens and community schools, agencies and institutions to become active partners in addressing education and community concerns.

 

COMMUNITY EDUCATION brings community members together to identify and link community needs and resources in a manner that helps people to help themselves raise the quality of life in their communities.

 

COMMUNITY EDUCATION is a unique education concept that embraces these beliefs:

• Education is a lifelong process;

• Everyone in the community shares responsibility for the mission of educating all members of the community; and

• Citizens have a right and a responsibility to be involved in determining community needs, identifying community resources and linking those needs and resources to improve their community.

 

COMMUNITY EDUCATION is characterized by:

• Citizen involvement in community problem solving and decision making;

• Development and implementation of lifelong learning opportunities for learners of all ages, backgrounds and needs;

• Use of community resources in the schooling/education curriculum;

• Opportunities for parents to become involved in the learning process of their children and the life of the school;

• Optimum use of public education facilities by people of all ages in the community;

• Coordination and collaboration among agencies and institutions to deliver educational, social, economic, recreational and cultural services to all members of the community;

• Partnerships with business, industry and schools to enhance the learning climate; and

• Utilization of volunteers to enhance the delivery of community services.

 

COMMUNITY EDUCATION results in:

• A responsive education system and an improved learning climate in the schools;

• Efficient and cost-effective ways of delivering education and community services;

• Broad-based community support for schools and other community agencies;

• An emphasis on special populations; such as at-risk youth and minorities; and

• Collective action among all educational and community agencies to address quality of life issues.

 

Working together – through COMMUNITY EDUCATION – communities can address concerns and meet community needs.