Volunteering and adult learning in the countryside: how to begin
Volunteering and adult learning in the countryside are two ways to contribute to your local area and pick up new skills along the way. Many people who live outside towns assume that adult classes are only available in larger towns and cities. In England, though, organisations have spent more than a century showing that education can reach people where they live. How can you benefit, and where can you begin in your own community? This guide explores the history of one such movement, the places where classes are held, and the first steps you can take today.
What is adult education in England?
Adult education in England has a long tradition, and the Workers' Educational Association, or WEA, is an important part of that history. Albert Mansbridge and his wife Frances founded the organisation in 1903, and it adopted its present name in 1905. Its aim was to offer higher education to working people who had previously been overlooked by the mechanics' institutes and the university extension movement.
The idea quickly caught on. By 1914 the WEA had 179 branches, more than 2,500 affiliated organisations, 953 of them trade unions, and 11,500 individual members. These figures show how keen adults were to learn when opportunities were available close to where they lived. That lesson still holds today: adult learning in the countryside is more likely to thrive when people can attend classes near home.
The village hall as a place for classes and meetings
For people in small communities, a key question is where classes can be held. According to ACRE, England has about 10,000 village and community halls, which often provide space for classes, meetings and volunteering. A village hall is usually a space shared by the local community, with room for a course, a workshop or a meeting of people who share an interest.
The same approach can work where you live. If your village has a hall, a community centre or another room run by the parish council or a local association, ask about the arrangements for using it. This could be your first venue for learning together, without anyone having to travel into town. It can also be a convenient meeting place for local volunteers, where you can get together to agree who can help and when. ACRE's data show that halls like these are used both for classes and for volunteering.
Local volunteering: how to get involved close to home
Local volunteering often starts with a small idea. One example is Langold Country Park in Nottinghamshire, where at least seven species of bat have been recorded. The North Nottinghamshire Bat Group, which is active in Nottinghamshire, surveys the site, and the park is regarded as one of the county's more important places for bats.
This is an example of a local nature activity that may appeal to people interested in volunteering. We are not presenting it as an advertised volunteering opportunity, so you should check with the organisers about whether and how you can take part. The same applies to any initiative in your area: find out who runs it and how you can get involved. Volunteering and adult learning in the countryside can go hand in hand, as both begin by getting to know people in your neighbourhood.
How to start where you live
The simplest first step is to find out what is already happening in your area. Ask your parish or district council, your library or a local association about adult classes and groups looking for volunteers. It is also worth checking with organisations that work across the county. They often run programmes of their own and know where an extra pair of hands would be welcome.
The opportunities available, dates and requirements vary from place to place, so it is best to check the details directly with the organisers. When you speak to them, ask where meetings are held, how much time you would need to commit and whether you need to prepare anything beforehand. This will help you decide whether volunteering or a class would fit into your week.
If you cannot find anything that suits you, try talking to your neighbours. A few people with a shared interest and a room to meet in are enough to get a first group started. The history of the WEA shows how widely adult education could reach: by 1914, the organisation already had 179 branches. In time, the same room can become a place for learning, holding meetings and organising help for people in the neighbourhood.
Summary
Volunteering and adult learning in the countryside depend on having somewhere to meet, people to join in and a willingness to get started. Take a look at what is available in your own parish and through organisations working in your region. Then take a first step, perhaps by asking about a room you could use or a group that is looking for volunteers.