Our vision paper
In a time of rapid change, we need to build capability where people are
Some of the learning we need will happen through formal education. Some through new digital formats. But these systems alone cannot reach enough people with the ideas, skills and practical know-how required for change. The innovation we need is in how learning reaches the people who need it.
Our vision paper makes the case – not just that Open and Place-based Learning are essential tools – but that this innovation is already happening.
Our story
First Hand is a collaborative venture by Forth, a Community Interest Company with a mission to connect people to the ideas and skills they need in a changing world. For more than a decade we’ve helped public bodies, developers, networks and educators reach people in ways they remember. We started this project as part of LEVERS (Horizon Europe, 2023-2026) and as one of a family of nine ‘learning ecosystems’ being created all across Europe. LEVERS may have finished in February 2026 but First Hand is nowhere near done yet…
What our partners think
In a world shaped by deep interdependence and turbulent change, our ability to learn, unlearn, and reimagine together will determine our collective future.
– Olli-Pekka Heinonen, Director General of the International Baccalaureate
Case studies
We’ve tested these ideas through an extensive programme of prototypes and experiments, delivering live learning events in heritage industrial sites and recycling plants, community infrastructure projects and surplus food hubs. Catch some of our stories from the field here.
