1. Introduction
The Culture Center creates an opportunity to provide a special place for activities related to local cultures and traditions, which exist in the area where the school is located. The Culture Center is also expected to encourage increased community involvement in the school as they will be involved in preparations as well as in the use of the center. The center also enables the students to meet their peers in an open, informal space for study activities, presentations about cultures and traditions and other educational activities outside the classroom as well as leisure time during breaks.
2. Primary Objectives
- Establishment of a meeting place for study, research, and presentation of different cultural topics
- Collection and display of different local arts and crafts
- Conservation and promotion of existing cultures of the different ethnic groups in the community
- Increasing understanding on cross-cultural concepts
- Increase community involvement and strengthen the school-community relationship
3. Target group
20 schools have planned to establish a cultural center with cluster grants from ESCUP. All students in these schools will have easy access to the center.
4. Facilitators
Once the center is established, it will be managed by the Student Association' and/or life skills groups. Students will be supported in this task by the school director and community representatives, who have been selected to facilitate the activity. If the school also implements life skills activities, then members of the life skills committee should also be involved.
5. Information on Implementation
Steps for Implementation
Step 1. Orientation for School and Community
School staff and community representatives meet and discuss about the advantages of the culture center to collect ideas and seek their support.
Step 2. Identification of location, design, materials and development of an implementation plan
After mutual agreement among the stakeholders, a construction committee with representatives from school and community will be established. This committee will take responsibility for construction and conduct fund raising if needed. (Note: it can be considered to use an existing room if available but an open new space near the school is often more welcoming)
Step 3. Responsibilities of focal persons in school.
After completion of construction, the Student Association and/or life skills group should manage the center with support from school director and community representative.
Guidelines for Culture Center Construction
1. Location of the Culture Center
The location of the Culture Center is suggested to be in the school compound. The exact location should be discussed with the different stakeholders which results in a mutual agreement. Criteria for selection of a suitable location include; accessibility, safety (no floods) and location in relation to other school buildings. In certain areas, it can be considered to use existing facilities for the establishment of a culture center, if appropriate.
2. Size for culture center
The size of culture center should be able to accommodate
15 - 20 children. It is suggested that the size should be around 7m x 10m but depends on available space and recourses.
3. The design
It is encouraged to use local materials for the construction of the center as this will represent the use of natural resources locally available in this area. Each school can choose their own design based on the available resources and according to their own preference but in agreement with the Construction Committee. The Culture Center wall should have only lower part around 1.2 meters and upper part open completely or with the middles part as window. It would be good if some space is reserved for keeping more important materials by making a "wall" from bamboo which displays the materials from behind the bamboo. The below photo's give an example of the design of a Culture Center from outside and inside.
6. Resources Needed
- Construction materials - $500 per center
- Cultural artifacts
Culture Center Examples:
