ALC accompanies the Barcelona Provincial Council in three Collective Sensemaking sessions for the development of strategic education plans
The week of the 3rd of June, Agirre Lehendakaria Center (ALC) accompanied the Barcelona Provincial Council in three collective sensemaking sessions in the municipalities of Sant Andreu de la Barca and La Garriga. Through the social innovation approach, ALC continues with the Developmental Evaluation of the process of developing local education plans, which began at the beginning of 2023. This approach makes it possible to map existing agents and initiatives in the ecosystem, identify and foster connections between them, identify challenges and opportunities in educational and social matters in the local context through in-depth listening processes and co-create axes, strategic lines and local educational objectives that are materialized in long- and medium-term programs or actions.
ALC collaborates with the Barcelona Provincial Council and city councils to achieve two key objectives: on the one hand, to support city councils in the development of a local education plan in a participatory and collaborative way, actively involving the entire educational community; and, on the other, to install the capacities of the social innovation approach (mapping, listening, collective sensemaking, co-creation and co-design) in the municipalities, allowing the technicians involved to actively participate in the development process and ensuring its sustainability in the future.
Collective sensemaking, one of the fundamental pillars of the Developmental Evaluation process, is based on the contrast of the information extracted during the mapping and deep listening process. To collect this information and learn about the perceptions of the agents in this ecosystem, the city councils of the two municipalities, together with the Barcelona Provincial Council and the ALC team, have created various spaces for listening and conversation in primary schools, institutes and art schools; collecting the voices of students, teachers, administrative and maintenance staff, monitors and canteen staff, as well as the AMPA-AFAs (student families’ associations), among others.
Development of a local education plan in Sant Andreu de la Barca
The first collective sensemaking session took place on June 4 in the municipality of Sant Andreu de la Barca. This was attended by students, teaching staff, management positions of different educational centers, members of the associations of families and students (AFAs), educators and technicians of the City Council of Sant Andreu de la Barca, among others. In the session, the ethnographic profiles or patterns and the narratives identified in the listening process were contrasted. These profiles represent patterns of the narratives that are repeated and operate in the territory (perceptions, behavior, thinking).
Likewise, this space served to discuss various issues that interest and concern the community: school dropout, the expansion of the offer of training cycles, the maintenance of educational centers, the participation of families, the NESE (Necessitats Específiques de Suport Educatiu - specific needs for educational support) and collaborative and networking work.
Development of a local education plan in La Garriga
On the morning of 6 June, a working session was held with the technicians of the City Council of La Garriga, with the aim of contrasting the profiles and narratives collected during the listening process and identifying the challenges and opportunities of each area, the proposals for improving current services and how cross-cutting work can be reinforced.
On the afternoon of June 6, the second collective sensemaking session with the educational community was held, this time in the municipality of La Garriga. The session was attended by approximately 40 people, from various educational centers and entities, students of the Infants' Council and members of the associations of families and students (AFAs) and families, among others.
In addition to contrasting profiles and narratives, the participants addressed various issues that concern the educational community. The cultural capital and power dynamics in La Garriga were discussed, and how these can be harnessed to help the neediest families, who often remain invisible. Likewise, the importance of the participation of families and the shared responsibility between them and the educational center was highlighted, as well as the NESE (specific educational support needs) and the improvement of guidance and accompaniment programs. In addition, the children shared their perceptions about the premature use of screens and mobile phones, and how this can negatively influence their childhood.
