From Local to National: Perspectives from a Community Stewardship Approach

This paper explores how a place-based learning programme was scaled-up from a local to national context, identifying the steps required for this to be effectively accomplished. The Heritage Keepers programme is a national place-based learning programme piloted in 2022 as part of a partnership between Burrenbeo Trust (located in County Galway in the West of Ireland) and the Heritage Council of Ireland. This paper provides details on the programme’s background, evaluation and outcomes; in addition to discussing the findings regarding the scaling-up of a community stewardship approach more generally. In outlining key considerations to scaling-up a place-based learning initiative from a local to a national context, we reflect, in particular, on the relevance of the experience for other initiatives looking to do similar. In considering stewardship outcomes, the conditions through which actions were supported have particular significance. The supports provided resulted in the completion of action projects clearly displaying active stewardship practices amongst participants.