I spent most of my working life in higher education. For many years, I was the Rank Foundation Research Fellow and Tutor at the YMCA George Williams College, London. My focus was on the development of practice within youth work, social work, community education/learning, and informal education and social pedagogy. This led, thirty years ago, to the establishment of infed.org – and what became, and remains, the online encyclopaedia of pedagogy and informal education. For a time, I was also a visiting professor at the University of Strathclyde.
Educated at the Cavendish School, Hemel Hempstead and Lancaster University (Furness College), I undertook my doctorate at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Since 2019, I have lived in a cottage close to the ferry and pier in St Margaret’s Hope, South Ronaldsay. The island is on the other side of the Pentland Firth from John O’Groats and is part of Orkney.
As can be seen from the photograph, the cottage is on a farm. After lambing, the sheep are keen to inspect what is happening in the kitchen (previously this part of the building was a smithy/smiddy).
Unfortunately, I am no farmer and an even poorer gardener, so I have nothing to offer them. Thankfully, the real farmers live next door.
Educational and developmental projects
I have worked in careers advice, youth and community work, and on education programmes. The first of the latter was a Department of Education and Science, England (DES) funded developmental project focused on political education. It was based at the National Association of Youth Clubs (1978-81).
A second DES developmental project (1981-85) took me to the YMCA College, London. The team’s task was to develop and run a new distance-learning programme focused on the professional training of youth and community workers and community educators. I left the College 32 years later (in 2013). Major reductions in government support for community learning and development, as well as for work with young people, meant the programme and the College were slowly headed for closure. [It finally shut its doors in 2025]. Over 1,500 practitioners had passed through and graduated from the distance learning programme.
The third Department for Education (and Big Lottery Fund) project involved a critical evaluation, undertaken with Jean Spence, of the myplace initiative (completed in 2011).
Finally, I worked for Developing Learning (2013-21), a small consultancy and development company, that, among other things, contributed to the development of study units for the YMCA George Williams College (another organisation now uses the Developing Learning brand).
Other activities have included chairing the Two Towers tenants’ cooperative in Bermondsey (which managed the tower blocks pictured above) and the Community and Youth Worker’s Union (now part of Unite). I also served on the editorial board of Youth and Policy and was a Resident Friend at Westminster Quaker Meeting House.
Publications
Among my books are Creators not Consumers (1980, 1982), Developing Youth Work (1988), Local Education (1994), Informal Education (1996, 1999, 2005 with Tony Jeffs), The Art of Helping Others (2008, with Heather Smith), Youth Work Practice (2010, edited with Tony Jeffs), Journeying Together (2011, edited with Alan Rogers) and Youth Work and Faith (2015, edited with Naomi Stanton and Tom Wylie). [Click for a full listing].
Current projects
Currently, I am working with Tony Jeffs on a book that explores the need to reimagine education, and also continuing the daily round of updating infed.org.
While South Ronaldsay is somewhat different to, and 700 miles from, London, we do share some similar challenges, such as fuel poverty and major housing shortages. One of the projects I am involved in is seeking to establish a community-led, affordable, fully rental cohousing initiative (Hope Cohousing). I am also a trustee of the Cromarty Hall, which has been a centre for community activities since 1878.
St Margaret’s Hope, like Stromness to the west, is a magical gateway to the Orkney Islands. A new project, Exploring South Ronaldsay, focuses on the history and the lived experience of South Ronaldsay and Burray over the last 13,000 years or so (starting in Palaeolithic times). Designed for both Orkney residents and visitors to the islands, it features various archaeological sites, churches, schools, listed buildings, and walks and other activities to enjoy. Look out in particular for the listening walks and a new page on the history of Burray and South Ronaldsay, which now covers 1472-1799. This was when Orkney became part of Scotland (rather than being Norse or, before that, Pictish).
Opening image: Printing blocks by Amador Loureiro on Unsplash.