Action learning with impact together with neighbourhood partners from Utrecht

I get energy from working with students; just thinking and brainstorming together opens something up.

Neighbourhood partners often find it interesting to work with students and teachers because of the fresh perspective brought in from outside. This often gives them a different perspective on an issue they have been dealing with for some time.

What did the collaboration entail?

Over a period of 10 weeks, 10 to 35 students and teachers work together with neighbourhood partners from Utrecht such as welfare organisations, social enterprises and neighbourhood initiatives on questions submitted by the neighbourhood partners.

Examples of issues worked on in the past include:

• strengthening the neighbourhood theatre's cultural and social role in neighbourhood-oriented social innovations,
• improving library services,
• increasing the literacy of residents in cooperation with Het Leesoffensief Utrecht,
• improving quality assurance of language cafes for newcomers,
• working on the continuity of swimming lessons for newcomers,
• discussing discrimination of internship students in cooperation with Article 1,
• connecting schools and community centres

In co-creation with the neighbourhood partner, students try to bring about sustainable change. Work takes the form of participatory action research, in which interventions alternate with phases of reflection, research and contemplation.

Goal of collaboration in education

The aim of collaboration between students, teachers and district partners is for all to learn from and with each other. There is reciprocity and mutual benefit. An important part of this learning is dealing with the discomfort of uncertainty and ambiguity and valuing experiential expertise.

It was very nice that, as a student, you were given so much freedom to structure your own learning. There was a lot of room for reflection, which provided enrichment.

(Intended) result

Students and teachers work together with local neighbourhood partners to create sustainable solutions to a problem or opportunity perceived by a local organisation and/or residents. Together, they work on a concrete change that, however small, aims to make the neighbourhood a little nicer. 

Neighbourhood partners often find it interesting to work with students and teachers because of the fresh perspective brought in from outside. This often gives them a different perspective on an issue they have been dealing with for some time. Working with students also provides partners with a focus on the issue and thus speed up the change process. The fact that everyone is in a learning position and everyone learns from each other energises everyone.

Students often find it inspiring to be of significance to society by actually bringing about change in it.In this course, students get the chance to actually act in the social force field and experience how complex it can be. They become more aware of underlying implicit assumptions of their actions, and learn to question these more in themselves and others.