Learning City Framework
The City of Canning's Learning City Framework seeks to create lifelong learning opportunities for all and empower the community to reach its full potential.
Vision
The City of Canning is a community where everyone can learn, grow, and thrive. We support people of all ages and backgrounds to adapt to change, embrace new opportunities and face challenges with confidence. Through strong partnerships, inclusive learning, and celebration of our diversity, we build a more connected, resilient, and future-ready city.
What it means to be a Learning City
The City of Canning is a proud member of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities – a global alliance of cities committed to lifelong learning as a driver of inclusion, resilience, and sustainability.
As a Learning City, Canning creates inclusive, connected, and future-focused learning environments that empower individuals, families, workplaces, and communities to thrive. We promote access to learning at all life stages, support innovation and digital inclusion, and foster a culture of continuous learning across sectors.
Through this work, Canning contributes to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly:✨ SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. ✨ SDG 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainab |
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Nationally, the City of Canning is a member of the Australian Learning Communities Network Inc (ALCN), the national peak body for learning cities and communities. ALCN is a collective of leading-edge practitioners committed to building sustainable communities, using learning as the key element.
Priority Outcome Areas
🤝 Resilient and adaptable communities. |
📖 Lifelong learning for everyone. |
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| Our community is equipped to respond to change, adapt with agility, overcome challenges, and make the most of new opportunities. | People in Canning are supported to grow, develop new skills and embrace learning at all stages of life. | |
⚡ A connected and welcoming community. |
💡 A hub for creativity and innovation. |
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| Everyone feels welcome in Canning, people are included, feel a strong sense of belonging, and have opportunities to connect with others. | Canning is a place where people come together to explore new ideas, express creativity, and drive innovation through collaboration. | |
Principles
The following principles guide our approach as a Learning City and underpin the design and delivery of inclusive, impactful and future-focused learning opportunities across Canning.
Learning at all stages of life, in all settings.
The City of Canning supports learning at every stage of life, from early childhood to older adulthood and across all settings, including formal, non-formal and informal environments. We embed learning opportunities in everyday life, recognising that learning is continuous, diverse and accessible to all.
Reducing barriers to ensure everyone can participate.
We are committed to creating fair and inclusive learning environments. This means actively identifying and reducing barriers, physical, cultural, social or economic to ensure that every member of our community feels welcome and is able to participate fully in lifelong learning.
This commitment aligns with the City’s Access and Inclusion Policy (AD.08) and the Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2023–2028, which guide our work to reduce barriers and foster full participation across all aspects of community life.
Honouring First Nations' culture and knowledge.
We honour the enduring connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to land, culture and community. We commit to supporting community-led truth-telling, cultural learning and meaningful partnerships that advance reconciliation. First Nations knowledge systems and ways of learning are valued as vital to our collective growth.
These commitments align with the City’s Reconciliation Strategy 2024–2028, which guides our ongoing work to build respectful relationships and create meaningful change.
Working with partners to create shared value.
We build and sustain strong partnerships that create shared value for our community. By working with local organisations, education providers, government agencies, businesses, community groups and sports clubs, we amplify impact and co-create learning opportunities that respond to local needs and aspirations.
Promoting digital skills and creative problem-solving.
Digital skills and access are essential for full participation in modern life. We promote digital inclusion by supporting access to technology and enhancing digital confidence. We also foster innovation by encouraging exploration, creative problem-solving and engagement with emerging technologies.
Creating opportunities to connect and feel included.
Social connection enhances wellbeing, resilience and learning. We create opportunities for people to come together, share experiences, build relationships and feel a sense of belonging. Our spaces and programs are designed to support inclusive, welcoming and culturally responsive communities.
Building knowledge for a sustainable future.
We support the integration of sustainability, climate awareness and intergenerational equity into our learning initiatives. By building knowledge, skills and values that promote environmental, social and economic responsibility, we help prepare our community to respond to the challenges and opportunities of a changing world.
This aligns with the City’s Sustainability Policy (CM194), which guides our efforts to embed environmental, social and economic sustainability across programs and services.
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