It's the stories....

I like the idea that we are all ultimately stories. In her 2008 short story collection 'Moral Disorder' Margaret Atwood wrote "In the end, we'll all become stories". In a similar vein, in the opening line of her 1979 collection 'The White Album', Joan Didion wrote "We tell ourselves stories in order to live". Stories are important, we are all story tellers, and we've probably used stories to enrich our lives, to give ourselves meaning, for as long as humans have walked the planet. Our stories connect us, they help us to 'find our tribe' and they help us to build bridges. Sometimes they can also destroy bridges.

Our stories carry our voices through time.  Of course, "You have to listen to the voices" probably isn't something you should say to a stranger sitting next to you on a bus. If you do, the wild eyed reply "like, yeah.. it's the voices, man" is probably one you don't want to hear.  However, in the work of creating and realising a shared vision for the future our stories, our voices, are a powerful way of harnessing the synergy of collective action, of building the future that we want. I've often seen the situation in which, when challenged with change of some sort, professionals are stuck in inaction and will say 'I understand why you want the change, but what would it look like? What would I be doing that would enable this change?' Stories are one means of showing others what change looks like, what they can do to be a part of the change, to feel more in control of their own change journey.

Gathering the voices, curating the stories, are things that Ako Ōtautahi - Learning City Christchurch does as it slowly brings people together to realise its vision of a learning city. In 2024, during the course of its Learning Days celebration, the Trust brought together a range of voices from around the city to consider what a vision of Ōtautahi as a learning city might look like. This year the Trust brought a range of voices together to discuss strategies and actions that might start to make that a reality with a workshop titled 'From vision to visible'.

Some of the participants in the recent 'From vision to visible'

This is important and powerful mahi. The connections that are made, the kōrero that takes place, the realisation that others share things in common with us, are all important antecedents to change.

In a similar vein Ako Ōtautahi has begun to curate and amplify stories of some of the amazing learning opportunities and journeys that already take place in our city. with the 'Ōtautahi in Practice' podcast, hosted by Sam Woolf and Erica Austin. The podcast serves as a platform to "humanise learning" by amplifying the stories of local Learning Champions and Ambassadors. The first ten episodes, concluding with a milestone reflection in Episode 10, explore how curiosity and connection drive the city's evolution. 

There are some key themes coming from the early episodes.

• Curiosity as Practice: Moving beyond passive interest to active, intentional exploration of one's environment and self.
• Systems Change & Futures Thinking: Exploring how individual learning journeys contribute to wider regenerative and inclusive futures for the city.
• Identity & Belonging: The deep connection between understanding one’s own culture or identity and navigating the city’s landscape.
• Collective Wisdom: The "ripple effect" of asking for help and how shared knowledge builds cultural movements. 

Some key examples of specific things you might see in a Learning City, in OUR learning city, that have been highlighted are:

• Tūranga (Central Library): A flagship "living learning space" offering free access to technology, storytelling, and innovation for all ages.
• Tagata Moana Trust: Founded by Nina Oberg-Humphries to empower Pasifika learners through STEAM-based education rooted in identity.
• Community Spaces: Locations like the Richmond Community Garden and the University of Canterbury campus are highlighted as welcoming hubs for pursuing personal passions and creative action.
• Social Enterprise Ecosystem: Collaborative work within the city to support the hearing difference community and other social causes. 

A number of interesting themes have come through in these early podcasts. I love the way that interviewees have urged that we need to normalise failure, because learning is often "messy" and failure is a necessary part of growth. We also have much to learn by way of cultural exchange, as Hana Kininmont describes when looking at the differences between learning in Japan and Aotearoa.

For several decades now formal education has made much of the need to develop personalised learning pathways. Whatever the success of the formal education system, we need to see a shift toward self-directed learning where residents can tailor their experiences based on interests and age. 

Interviewees have also raised some interesting future challenges:

• Systemic Inequities: There is an ongoing need to remove financial and social barriers to ensure learning is truly accessible to everyone.
• Te Tiriti Obligations: We need to continue to navigate this "challenging time" for Te Tiriti o Waitangi, emphasizing the importance of protecting language and culture in education.
• Digital Equity: There is a lot of mahi to be done if we are to bridge the gap in digital access and literacy across the region.
• Actionable Curiosity: It is essential that we move from "pockets of promise" to a fully coordinated city-wide vision where learning is integrated into every facet of life. 

The current by-line for Ako Ōtautahi is 'cultivating courageous curiosity'. Curiosity and creativity go hand in hand, and to truly be a learning city we need to see curiosity and creativity in abundance. There is no cookie cutter answer to what this looks like. Examples of this are as numerous as we humans. These are our individual stories, amplified through our individual voices. Sing it loud and clear!!!! 'Listen to the voices, man'. "We tell ourselves stories in order to live".