GULL - Global University for Lifelong Learning (GULL)

GULL is a nonprofit public benefit corporation incorporated in California, USA. GULL is recognized by the Government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) and endorsed by other Governments, Leaders & Institutions. GULL's aim is to equip everyone, particularly the disadvantaged and dislocated, to acquire practical knowledge and skills through lifelong learning. This approach to personal and professional development is designed to give access to practical education to people who would not normally be able to access formal education.

GULL - Enabling YOU to Make a Difference in OUR World

I was privileged to launch "Lifelong Action Learning for Community Development" with one of the co-authors, Richard Teare (Founder of GULL). The book develops the paradigm of Lifelong Action Learning and then discusses Richard's work in Jamaica, South Sudan, PNG, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Tanzania, East Timor, Cambodia and Logan, Brisbane.

I discuss the book and its launch in a blog post on my business website:

Book Launch: Lifelong Action Learning

A more detailed review of the book is available here:

Lifelong Action Learning for Community Development: A Book Review

If you are If you are looking for a book that is at once inspiring and practical, visionary and grounded, conceptual and instructional, you have come to the right place.

The book can be purchased through these outlets:

Sense Publications

Amazon

Book Depository

Here Richard Teare talks about the power of recognition to build the sense of self-worth and belief of community volunteers. He explains GULL's role in providing recognition.

The GULL approach is highly flexible and adaptable to conditions as diverse as the jungles of Papua New Guinea and the desolated environment of Haiti. GULL employs action learning to empower individuals, communities and organizations to sustain learning and apply the outcomes to create a better world. A particular focus is developing and recognizing the capacity of community workers to contribute to their community. A GULL award is recognition of real learning-in-context and contribution to a local community or workplace. These young people are working way outside their comfort zone to make a community contribution.

While the make-up of the various degree awards (bachelor, master and doctorate) varies with the situation, the key components are listed below and demonstrate that the learning is embedded in the role and context of the participant and measured in terms of personal, organizational and community outcomes.

• Personal Learning Statement - completed at the outset with the aid of a mentor and focuses on self-assessment, learning goals and desired outcomes (for self, community and organization).
• Daily Reflection Report - a diary that builds reflective practice and focuses on what went well and not so well (and why) and what the participant would do differently (and how)
• Outputs Report - focuses on primary learning outcomes (for self, organization & community), community outcomes and recommendations for further action.
• External Review Interview/Presentation - the focus here is on explanation, validation and assessment of the quality of the in-context learning and community outcomes.
• Action Learning Set - providing supportive challenge and engagement in a learning group focused on asking fresh questions, exploring assumptions and collaboratively identifying /overcoming learning barriers.

The Global University for Lifelong Learning (GULL) and World Vision International (WVI) have launched an education program in Haiti. This is the first time GULL has offered their education programs in a post-disaster setting. The Vision-GULL Program will give Haitians the opportunity to complete a professional degree (at a bachelor, master or doctorate level) through a unique community education approach built on action learning and measurable personal and community outcomes.

The GULL program in Haiti brings together GULL's unique approach to personal and community capacity building with World Vision's initiative titled. "Early Childhood Development Learning Space". The following characteristics of this FREE Program highlight its cascading effects for the Haitian community.

• The primary outcome focus is on providing relevant learning for young (often traumatized) children (under 8 years of age) who live in the dense, tent camps without access to education because of the destruction of their schools and/or lack of money.
• 500 volunteer educators (aged 17-25) are working as pre-school teachers for the children. They are unable to access high school or university because of the earthquake destruction. The educators will able to achieve a Bachelor of Professional Studies (Community Education) through GULL by engagement in, and reflection on, their work with the children.
• World Vision staff in Haiti who will act as coaches and mentors for the volunteer educators will be able to enter a pathway to a Master of Professional Studies (Community Education) degree. The GULL action learning approach will be supplemented by training inputs from World Vision. The WVI staff will be awarded their degree on the basis of proof of the outcomes they achieve for the volunteer educators and documentation of their personal learning and growth in professional skills.

The Global University for Lifelong Learning (GULL) is a nonprofit public benefit corporation, registered in California, USA on 18 July 2007. GULL is recognized in perpetuity by the State and Government of Papua New Guinea & endorsed by other Governments, Leaders & Institutions.

GULL seeks government endorsement wherever it supports lifelong learning. In this way, GULL's global recognition is localized to provide regional and national identity in the form of letters of support from government ministers, deputy ministers and other agencies. The endorsement formats include: official letters, videographs, speeches and testimonials and items from journals, magazines and newspapers.

Videos:

The Concept of GULL,

GULL in the Community,

GULL in the Workplace,

China Launch 28/12/2012,

Personal Viability,

The Grassroots University of Life

Recognition and certification for those creating change in the community

GULL develops practical professionalism by recognizing and certifying the effort and outcomes of people in the local community who are creating change for a better world. In discussing practical professionalism, Dr. Sarone Ole Sena had this to say about GULL's approach in Africa:

"professionalism is a process that is developed ‘by doing’ reflecting and refining over many years".

This statement resonates with Donald Schon's classic work, "The Reflective Practitioner", where he discusses the true nature of professionalism.

GULL's approach to developing practical professionalism may relate to community facilitation, farming, education or any of the other change-related activities in the community.

In Kenya, GULL through its holistic action learning approach has been developing the confidence and commitment of community facilitators. In this endeavor, they have worked closely with World Vision International, Tearfund, Compassion International.and other organisations.

Gull's broad-based education approach enables people to learn through living and growing as individuals in the context of creating positive change for their communities. It brings education to the people, not people to education.

Richard Teare on the virtual university, organizational learning and the hospitality industry. Also, "The Life and Times of Sir Howard Cooke".