One day in 1995, while attending two separate training seminars in their two separate countries, they sign up for a UK/South Africa educational twinning project, not knowing what they’re letting themselves in for
they convince their own schools to join in
they set up writing links between their students and teachers and get more people interested; they start a series of videoconferences to help them work more closely together
more schools want to belong to the network
they raise money for resources
they visit each other and share ideas and resources for teaching and learning
they work in each others’ schools and take students with them
they get universities involved in research and in making the collaborative learning more rigorous
they have lots of discussion about what an equal partnership means; sometimes there are quite serious disagreements about this but they all bash on because they have faith in it
the students become leaders and work with creative practitioners: in theatre, film-making, music, visual art, story-telling, poetry
the outcomes of the creative learning are published and shared as resources for further and wider learning
they get support – no money, but plenty of support – from their local education authorities
some organisations and individuals – The British Council, DfID, Creative Partnerships, local companies – provide funding for specific pieces of work
they take their shared work beyond the formal educational settings into community and cultural organisations – libraries, museums, galleries, human rights organisations, refugee support groups, development education centres, HIV/AIDS support groups
they celebrate their achievements
by 2008 there are 18 schools, 3 universities and more than 20 organisations engaged in the partnership
young people learning together are driving it forward
the voluntary organisation that is The Hlanganani Learning Partnership exists to ensure that anyone who has been committed to it in spirit and in action is supported in developing their own work and having it recognised
the projects are as diverse as the people involved in them and the contexts within which they operate; they need an identifiable centre to hold them together and to allow each one its own unique nature and role
About The Hlanganani Learning Partnership
For more detailed information please read the Hlanganani Learning Partnership 2008 Constitution Document