SOME BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER (CLC)

Building a Community Learning Center (CLC) around neighborhoods can be something great for children to gain the hands-on skills they need to survive in their country. In fact, it is a great resource that can offer education, support, and enrichment for people of all ages in a community. The so-called CLC plays a vital role in providing functional literacy, vocational skills, and work-related skills to marginalized youth and children in the community, notably for those who can no longer afford to continue studying in the formal education system. After all, the Community Learning Center stands as a focal place for Lifelong Learning opportunity for people from every walk of life.

To begin with, establishing the so-called CLC in underprivileged neighborhoods holds an immense potential for children empowerment with the hands-on skills needed that are necessary for future success. Unfortunately, many of these children in India for example, are still deprived of education access due to several reasons such as poverty, lack of guidance and counseling, learning disabilities, violence, and so forth. Similarly, it is reported that the recent changes in school curriculums and textbooks driven by new bills and laws which dismantle affirmative action and limit critical race theory discussion in the United States have left gaps in the education system. Because of this, such repercussions of not having a proper education or getting a limited access to learning opportunities ultimately resulted in a failure of those children's lives, regardless of their potentials to bring changes in the world.

Perhaps, one of the key benefits of the community learning centers’ establishment lies within their ability to offer an alternative perspective on history and social issues. While politicians of any nations may seek to limit certain narratives, such community learning centers can provide a safer room for exploring diverse viewpoints and fostering critical thinking. By embracing a more comprehensive approach to education, this will ensure our children to receive a well-rounded understanding of the world and its complex history.

Aside from nurturing critical thinking, the community learning centers can also serve as a hub of knowledge and enrichment not only for children, but also for the entire community. For example, such community learning centers can offer resources ranging from libraries, workshops to vocational training programs that will help bridging the opportunity gap in underprivileged neighborhoods. By empowering individuals of all ages with valuable skills and information, this in turn will uplift the entire community and enhance its socioeconomic prospects.

Last but not least, establishing a community learning center can protect children from misbehaviors. According to studies, it is said that youths whose age between 12 and 17 are more prone to commit violent acts or crimes. This actually can be resolved if they spend more time in the community learning centers. When children are under adult supervision, they will have no space to behave unethically and even indulge themselves in any wrong means. Instead, academic activities will keep them engaged in productive things day long so that their mind will be in the right place.