modes of working
What are the basic kinds of work that informal educators undertake?
Informal
educators undertake six basic kinds of work. These can be labelled as follows.
Being about involves activities such as walking
round the area, visiting local drinking places and going into the school at
break times. In centres 'being about' translates into the time spent sitting
round the bar, and coffee lounge. The aim, generally, is to be seen, to make and
maintain contact with people, and then to undertake work as it arises.
Being there involves informal educators setting time
aside for responding to situations and crises. 'Being there' is a holding
operation. It can involve some element of practical assistance. It might mean,
for example, going with someone to a rights project. The other key aspect is
being a 'shoulder to cry on' in times of crisis.
- Working with individuals and groups describes more
'formal' encounters. It is linked into ideas about the depth of work undertaken.
It entails moving beyond the making and maintenance of contact, or the holding
operation that often takes place when 'being there'. 'Working with' involves
building an environment in which people can entertain feelings, reflect on their
experiences, think about things and make plans. It entails working to deepen
conversation and to further democracy. With groups, for example, our task is, on
the one hand, to work for democratic mutual aid.
On the other hand, it is to help people to realize their purpose.
- Doing projects varies from one-off pieces of work;
through regular sessions over a three month or 10 month period, for instance,
with a girls group; to activities like residentials or study visits. It may
involve short courses, for example, for carers or around childcare. Frequently,
it takes the form of a particular activity such as developing a newsletter. Such
projects are planned in advance; time-limited; focused on learning; and largely
arise out of the work, rather than being imported as 'good ideas'. Whilst
'working with' is conversation-based, projects tend to have a curriculum or
output focus.
- Doing 'admin' and research. Informal educators usually
have various administrative tasks to complete. These can range from simple
returns dealing with pay and attendance through ordering and accounts to longer
term planning and fund raising. We may also have to do small research tasks.
These can be to do with the places and neighbourhoods in which we work, and the
problems and issues we encounter.
- Reflecting on practice allows us to develop as workers,
and to work for the best interests of clients and the community. Recording our
work is a key element here - as is exploring practice with others. As a team we
may talk about what happened in a session, as individuals we may sit down with a
supervisor or colleague and examine what happened and our feelings about it.
Successful practice depends on there being a good mix of these ways of
working. A measure of confidence in doing them is essential for all informal
educators. None are optional extras because each feeds off the other. The figure
tries to show how these come together.
|
 Taken from Tony
Jeffs and Mark K. Smith (2005) Informal Education. Conversation, democracy and
learning, Nottingham: Educational Heretics Press. |
© Tony Jeffs and Mark K. Smith
First published November 1999. Last update:
May 29, 2012
