Swansea: Where community and education meet.

More Than a Classroom: 3 Surprising Truths About How Swansea Builds Its Community Through Learning.

When most of us think about adult education, we picture practical, goal-oriented activities: signing up for a course to get a new job, learning a language for a trip, or picking up a new skill as a hobby. These are valuable pursuits that empower individuals. But what if a city treated lifelong learning as something much bigger—not just a service it offers, but the very foundation of its identity and a fundamental human right?

In Swansea, Wales, this is exactly the case. The city’s approach to adult learning is deeply woven into its civic fabric, going far beyond simple skills training. It’s a model built on a powerful combination of sanctuary, human rights, and radical inclusivity. Here are three surprising truths that reveal how Swansea is turning lifelong learning into a transformative force for its entire community.

1. It’s a City Built on Learning, Sanctuary, and Human Rights

In Swansea, the commitment to learning isn't just a program—it's foundational to the city's identity. This is powerfully demonstrated by three unique designations that place education at the heart of its community values. Each one was a first for the region, signaling a deep and pioneering commitment.

• UNESCO Learning City: In 2015, Swansea became the first city in the UK to receive this award, recognizing its outstanding commitment to making lifelong learning a reality for all.

• Human Rights City: As Wales' first city of this kind, Swansea explicitly recognizes the right to education under the European Convention of Human Rights, specifically Protocol 1, Article 2.

• City of Sanctuary: Swansea is also Wales' first City of Sanctuary, a status that reflects its promise to welcome those fleeing persecution and offer them opportunities for growth, including lifelong learning.

This isn't just a collection of impressive titles; it's a cohesive civic strategy. These commitments are intentionally linked to the Swansea Public Services Board Wellbeing Objectives, where learning is seen as a critical thread running through all efforts to improve the lives of its citizens. This elevates education from a personal ambition to a core community value and a formal plan for building a more equitable and resilient city.

2. Inclusivity is More Than Just an Open Door

The Adult Learning Partnership Swansea (ALPS) demonstrates that true inclusivity is about more than just welcoming everyone; it's about creating a profound sense of belonging through concrete, intentional actions. The diversity of the community is not just acknowledged but celebrated and actively supported.

The city's ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes are a perfect example, with learners enrolled from over 25 different countries. Beyond language, there is a deep dedication to cultural heritage. The partnership actively supports the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 strategy to achieve a million Welsh speakers. To turn this goal into reality, they have established a Bilingual Steering Group to drive the agenda forward. This commitment is captured by the core value of Inclusivity, which is defined by the Welsh principle of 'perthyn' (belonging). The goal is to ensure every learning space is safe, welcoming, and a place where people can forge genuine connections.

3. Learning is a Tool for Well-being and Community Strength

In Swansea, the curriculum extends far beyond traditional academic subjects or skills for employment. This holistic approach is driven by a groundbreaking national policy, the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. The partnership views education as a powerful tool for implementing this act and tackling some of the most significant challenges facing its citizens.

The programs are designed to address a wide spectrum of real-world issues, including:

• Physical and emotional health and wellbeing

• Community resilience and social cohesion

• The impacts of poverty and the Cost of Living crisis

This philosophy is perfectly captured in the partnership's mission statement, which clarifies that the ultimate objective is not just to transfer knowledge, but to empower people to build better lives and stronger communities.

Our goal is to inspire our learners to become lifelong learners and active citizens who make positive contributions to their communities and the world around them.

This approach treats learning as a vital instrument for empowering both the individual and the collective, fostering the community transformation and sustainability needed to build a more resilient society.

Conclusion: A Final Thought

Swansea’s model provides a powerful blueprint for what adult education can be. By strategically intertwining learning with its identity as a city of sanctuary and human rights, it has created a framework that doesn't just educate individuals—it strengthens the entire community. It proves that when learning is embraced as a shared value, it becomes a transformative force for everyone.

What could our communities achieve if learning was embraced not just as a skill, but as a shared value and a fundamental human right?

Are you interested? Would you like to do something similar for your community? Explore and learn how to do it; we have prepared learning materials for you.

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