A learner facilitator, and an established collaborator share their experiences of the current learning culture of Otautahi Christchurch. Jennifer and Shaugn highlight the connections between place and people, and the importance of having fun as an Adult Learner.

The second episode of the Festival of Adult Learning taking place this week!

A big thanks to ACE Aotearoa and the local network that have made this special series a reality.

The first collaboration series between Otautahi in Practice and the ACE Network, and the first of three episodes as part of the Adult Learners Week He Tangata Mātauranga. This year's theme is "Finding Our Voice | Ko toku reo, ko toku ohooho". This part of a country wide celebration with over 100 events taking place. Inga and Nicola join us to discuss their observations and experiences being an active learner and learning facilitator.

Kate uses her experience in the waste industry, both in NZ and the US to challenge waste norms and drive sustainable solutions through Without Waste. Kate speaks with us as a student and teacher of waste and circular systems, sharing how her journey with Without Waste has grown her, Otautahi, and beyond through the life cycle of products we use on a daily basis.

From a stream lined creative to a multi-disciplined local, Ōtautahi Christchurch Ambassador Centuri shares how his learning journey has shaped his own understanding of himself in relation to the wider city and local communities he navigates. Join us as we trace the complexities of an ever changing city with Centuri Chan.

As someone who has moved to Otautahi almost 10 years ago from Chile, Nico shares his experience of connecting and celebrating with his cultural background and meeting others with diverse backgrounds in Otautahi Christchurch. Through this intentional journey, he has deepened his understanding and knowledge of the wider Latino cultures and learnt more about Aotearoa New Zealand and the world through his curiosity.

Elle Archer takes us for a journey through her multiverse. We learn how she's become aware of how she thinks and views the world, and, the strategies she uses to function at a high level across all the spaces where she has a connection. This way of moving with life prompts more meta thinking and discussion on 'intentional intentionality'. We thoroughly enjoyed having a conversation with Elle and hearing how these ways of being contribute to an Ōtautahi in Practice.

Anita Yarwood shares about her ongoing learning journey supporting learners in learning centered designs in an urban environment. She fully embraces the ethos of everyone is a learner and everyone is a teacher. Where five year old's and parents each have an opportunity to facilitate learning spaces for others. Anita teases a few of the many threads that her large and hugely interconnected learning endeavor holds and invites us to view our city through another lens.

Shannon Ball discusses how her current opportunities creating space for connection and resource sharing with the sustainability community have developed and continue to lead her into unexpected places of learning. Through our time together we are reminded of the power of collectives coming together, that we operate better when we have the time to connect with others as people, and are equipped to tackle wicked problems when we have spaces that encourage curiosity.

James Bishop takes an opportunity to join us amongst a busy schedule filled with family, friends, and work while visiting Aotearoa. He discusses his international connections and what continues to ground him, and how these practices connect opportunities with his work and the people around him. As citizen of Aotearoa and having lived in Hong Kong for 25 years, he provides a vignette of the culture shift and noticings that his connection to Ōtautahi enables.

Recapping the last 10 episodes, discussing the noticings from each guest and how their stories weave amongst stories other guests have shared. This conversation looks at the emerging patterns across the episodes so far and how this relates to the work Ako Ōtautahi is doing through and alongside the show.

Heather shares how embracing the senses through being inquisitive with the people and places around us creates long lasting learning. Where this process of opening up to the stories around us creates long lasting emotive memories that increase our depth of knowledge and understanding.

Ben Alder shares his journey of ego detachment, practicing how he shows up in spaces and with people he hasn't met before, and how curiosity is practiced through this process. Ben talks about his personal experience being a modern man in today's society and what this looks like, and shares his vision of a near future. Join us as we hear a story of Ōtautahi in Practice.

Natasha brings her knowledge and experience about slowness, how this is needed for us as individuals and for society, and the many ways we can practice this in our day-to-day. We hear how she balances traditional learning with being guided by intuition, and the tension between the two. We also hear about Unchatter, and how collective responsibility while recognizing the individual is held in spaces that Unchatter holds.

Atarau takes us through his experience of navigating leadership roles, governance, and a startup company in Ai. He shares what this means for him, and how he's found himself in these roles and what they mean for the future of Ōtautahi and beyond.

Lottie talks about her experience with Kung Fu, her upbringing, and the collaborations that she's involved in that have ripple effects across the city. Lottie is in a unique position of working with the CWEA which provides opportunities for lifelong learning to be practiced, through this, Lottie has a finger on the pulse of the ways in which curiosity is encouraged in the everyday.

Jenna describes here learning experience and the intentional steps she's made to expand her perspectives; whether this is through studying at University of Canterbury, or volunteering at Richmond Community Garden. She has a variety of spaces, places and experiences she has come to know by learning how to step outside her comfort zone.

Tarryn's journey in Ōtautahi shows how asking for help and guidance from others has positive and cultural impacts that extend far beyond the initial question and act. We hear how through seeking out knowledge and experience from others changes perspectives, creates and strengthens cultural movements, and uplifts the people place around us.

Kai shares a learning journey that delves into belonging, connectedness, and the power of people and place. We learn how a nomadic lifestyle shifts to intentionally deepening ties to Ōtautahi and the challenges and opportunities this has presented.

Nina talks with us about her experience founding Tagata Moana and the learning that took place prior to this in order for a STEAM organization that works with Pacifica to provide learning for others. We hear how Nina views herself and the spaces she's passionate about, the future of our city as led by the knowledge and experience that she holds. As we come into the new year, we finish with a challenge for listeners.

Join Erica & Sam every ten episodes to take some time to reflect upon the learning experience of beginning a podcast show, the themes guests have raised, the Ako Ōtautahi perspective, and how we are encouraging curiosity to flourish.

Alice Dimond brings a wealth of knowledge regarding systemic change and futures thinking. We discuss how learning takes place for her, the intricacies of Aotearoa cultural landscape and how we are able to facilitate curiosity in ourselves and each other. Diving deep, and going big picture in the course of this conversation, we celebrate Ōtautahi and the breadth of experience we hold and catch glimpses of the future of our city together.

We share a conversation and reflective moment with Stephanie Defregger, who is on a mission to transform profile images of strong wahine, one by one. She is working on an exhibition "women of impact". Learning, that authenticity is essential and not a luxury in a world that tells us to be like everyone else. Through this experience, Stephanie shares how she makes space for learning and how this stems from her childhood experiences.

Zoë brings a truly unique and essential perspective, combining lived personal and family experience within the hearing difference community with clinical and academic expertise. She is a passionate driver of positive change within the Ōtautahi social enterprise ecosystem.

This conversation offers insights for anyone committed to collaboration, inclusion, and creating a more equitable community.

Hana is a somewhat recent addition to Ōtautahi Christchurch and she shares her perspective of the cultural differences and approaches that are taken to learning, both in her personal life and in the position she holds at NZ Study Careers. We discuss how learning takes place in her studies at Ara and through her endeavor to understand what it means to have grown up in Japan and now live in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Caroline brings a wealth of knowledge regarding sustainability and through her business acumen (Sustainability 360) has been learning how to navigate what it means to run her own business. Charing anecdotes of learning through being a mother, businesswoman, and early education, the picture that Caroline provides is varied and dynamic.

Idoia shares her learning experience working with the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) and how this has opened up pathways of working with her sons school to facilitate creativity in a business context.

Idoia's empathy and passion for encouraging curiosity is highlighted through her story of learning in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Thomas discusses the impacts of growing up in a recovering city and his experiences post earthquakes that have informed his interests in community development and advocacy.

Join us as we get a glimpse of our city through a young persons lens who is interested in policy and how that's implemented through design.

Pia Titus from PlainsMedia discusses how her past learning experiences with facilitating activity based learning has shaped her approach and ethos when in a people centred environment. We were lucky to be trained by Pia for this podcast show and have her on the show as a guest before she left PlainsMedia, to travel for a couple of months and begin the next chapter of her life.

Amy Knudsen (she/her) brings us on her own learning journey, how this has shaped her and her views and approaches to life. Amy's story shows how the people in her life through different stages, events and experiences have been crucial to the work and way of being she holds now. And that the love that Amy holds for people extends to future generations through the work she does with Tokona te Raki.

In this pilot episode, cohosts Sam Woolf and Erica Austin introduce the kaupapa behind the podcast and share their own learning stories.

Together, they unpack why learning matters, how curiosity shapes their work, and why they’re choosing to amplify the voices of everyday Learning Champions and Ambassadors across our city.