The Australian Learning Communities Network National Conference: Connecting Faces, Places and Spaces

Highlights include Keynote presentations by Peter Kearns OAM, Director Global Learning Services, Angus McFarland, President, National Union of Students, and Klynton Wanganeen, Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement, as well as an International perspective from Sung-Hwa Jung, CEO, ForBliss Inc, Seoul Korea.

With the theme being "Connecting Faces, Places and Spaces", the conference will explore the development of human, social and economic capital within local communities, as well as discussing best practice models of learning communities, both internationally and nationally.  An outline of the themes is listed below:

• FACES
  The building of human capital (The individual)
  Learning brings significant benefit to the individual in a community by: encouraging participation; valuing diversity; increasing health and well-being; developing employability skills; inspiring civic participation; engaging persons from all walks of life and transforming lives.

• PLACES
  The building of social capital (The community)
  The benefits of learning in the community include improving access and equity, creating cultural benefits, fostering engagement, encouraging social cohesion, investing in volunteering, promoting healing and reconciliation and creating localised solutions

• SPACES
  The building of economic capital (The organisation)
  Organisations with a learning culture contribute to the attainment of social, economic, environmental and cultural benefits by: achieving sustainability, investing in innovation, developing skills and competencies; building capacity; respecting the environment; investing in organisational learning; increasing organisational vitality, and supporting workforce development.