Community Learning Centre Staff

Bronwyn,
In response to your comment I think the Community Learning Centre Staff have become a team (or Community if you like) working together to achieve the same goals; within Otago Polytechnic's Vision.

We in Central Otago felt isolated from the Dunedin staff because we were managed by Central Otago Campus and did not have much interaction with Dunedin CLCs. All CLCs are now managed by one group and all CLC staff have regular meetings (usually by video conference) so we all know what is going on & what is expected of us.

Our Manager asks for input and advice. I think the CLC staff are starting to form a successful community ( it could be an online community as most of our contact is via e-mail, skype or video conference).

A Community does not happen instantly: it takes time to get to know the other people in the group & to respect their opinions, and learn about them: their likes and dislikes, their backgrounds. An important part of forming a Community is to be supportive of all members in the group & not be judgemental.

A Community is a group of people who get together initially because they have one common interest. As they get to know each other better they find other interests & become a group of friends: A Community.

Think about all the Communities we are part of & we probably don't even realise. All the people we know well in life are part of separate Communities we are members of: our families, our friends from school, work etc. After a while all the separate communities one person is part of become one Community with the common interest being that person initially.

Online Communities are no different: it is just the form of communication which is different.