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13 Local Learning Centers and 3 Hub Centers to Enjoy "2021 Neighborhood Learning Centers Within One Step"... Forming a Community Growing Together Through Learning and Practice for All Generations Nearby

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will officially operate the '2021 Neighborhood Learning Center Within One Step' project.

The 'Neighborhood Learning Center' is a project promoted to realize a sustainable local lifelong learning community through ‘learning-practice-sharing’ within a living area accessible on foot by any resident.

This year, the district will expand by a total of 3 locations compared to last year, operating 13 Neighborhood Learning Centers and 3 hub centers with a total of 74 programs and 26 learning-practice projects.

The ‘Neighborhood Learning Center,’ which aims for nearby lifelong learning, takes place in idle spaces such as welfare centers, senior citizen centers, cafes, and workshops located throughout the region.

This year’s lectures show notable changes due to COVID-19. For example, the Gyeongchun Forest Neighborhood Learning Center is conducting courses that plan and practice projects under the theme ‘Eco-friendly Living Zero Waste in the City.’ The Gongneung Dream Village Neighborhood Learning Center also reflects interest in climate change through activities such as recycling sock yarn and making eco-friendly household products. Various healing courses, including healing horticulture at Madeul Alley Learning Center to comfort minds tired from COVID-19, are also being prepared.

The Yeongchuksan Neighborhood Learning Center’s ‘Dad Humanities’ program for fathers is also noteworthy. The class, consisting of 8 lectures such as ‘The Meaning of Everyday Life Through Poetry’ and ‘The Meaning of Aging,’ will be an opportunity to meet the lost self who once dreamed of being a literary boy.

In addition, various courses are prepared where participants can discover hidden talents, including baking, woodworking, leather crafting, rattan crafting, calligraphy, and ocarina.

Since Neighborhood Learning Centers operate in small groups of fewer than 10 people, the bonds between students are especially close. Most classes also conduct sharing activities together after the program ends, providing learners with opportunities to broaden their perspectives on life by expanding learning beyond the individual realm to the social community through practice.

Recruitment schedules, number of participants, and tuition fees vary by class. Information about Neighborhood Learning Centers and class applications can be accessed through the Nowon-gu Neighborhood Learning Center website or by searching ‘Nowon Neighborhood Learning Center’ on Naver or Daum.

All classes are conducted both face-to-face and online in accordance with COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.

Meanwhile, to create a lifelong learning environment for residents, the district signed MOUs with seven local universities (Kwangwoon University, Samyook University, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul Women’s University, Korea Military Academy, Induk University, Korea Bible University) since February and is operating the 'Nowon Lifelong Citizen University.'

Each university offers 57 diverse programs tailored to their characteristics, such as Korean archery, coding, tennis, and craft beer brewing, to residents.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “In a rapidly changing society and the era of 100-year lifespans, lifelong learning is no longer a choice but a necessity,” adding, “We will continue to build Nowon as a lifelong learning city through expanding Neighborhood Learning Centers, lifelong education facilities, and active cooperation between the public and private sectors.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.