GEM Conference 2009 - Overview
Tuesday 8 September to Friday 11 September 2009
Birmingham
Engaging Diverse Communities
What is community engagement? Why engage communities and how best can the
heritage sector develop mutually-beneficial relationships?
This conference will help heritage learning professionals develop ideas,
strategies and practices to help them make a valuable intervention in
community engagement, and cultural and social diversity.
The 2009 conference will be practical and relevant – both in terms of the issues that define our society and the needs and interests of heritage sector professionals.
The final day is an opportunity to find out more about Learning Outside the
Classroom.
The experiences and opportunities offered will engage and inspire
professionals from career-entry to senior management level.
Wednesday 9 September
What do we mean by ‘engaging diverse communities’ and
why should the heritage sector be involved?
This day will focus on the political, professional and
social imperatives for engaging more explicitly with people and communities,
and what this means for the heritage sector. The day will also look at how
practice needs to develop for communities to be at the heart of learning
programmes.
Thursday 10 September
How can heritage learning bring sites,
collections and
diverse communities closer together?
Recognising, evaluating, sharing and sustaining good
practice in engaging diverse communities in heritage learning programmes, the
day will focus on
practice and how to embed diverse communities into your
organisational ethos and learning programmes with case studies and realistic
examples.
Friday
11 September
Learning Outside the Classroom -
Quality Badge
The aim of this additional training day is to improve
awareness and understanding of the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge,
and to improve your organisation’s chances of making a successful application.
Alternatively, delegates may like to spend the day visiting
the major heritage attractions in the city to which they will have free access.
Lakeside Centre
Conference is based at
Aston University’s Lakeside conference centre which is situated at the heart
of cosmopolitan Birmingham on a green and tranquil campus just minutes from
Junction 6 of the M6. Mainline rail links including New Street and Snow Hill
are just 15 minutes walk. Birmingham international airport is nine miles
away. The conference facilities are just a few minutes walk away.
All Lakeside rooms have en suite shower facilities.