CTX157_FINAL_150dpi

C O N T E X T 1 5 7 : N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 8 25 character, evident in the architecture, the customs, the dialect and the people, which continues to evolve today as communities shift and new influences arrive. The approach embraced the town’s demogra- phy, including recent immigration, recognising that international collaboration, knowledge shar- ing, exchange visits, cross-border training and engagement through international partnerships can foster greater learning and transferable skills. The concept is simple. Partnerships are estab- lished with organisations, NGOs, universities and groups from countries such as Bulgaria, Estonia and Taiwan. The partners share similar issues with Great Yarmouth, including low skill levels, or are connected by communities or historic trade links.The driving motivation of all the partners is cooperation to share knowledge and provide meaningful opportunities for people to develop skills which can be used for the preservation of heritage. Young people from GreatYarmouth join other nationalities from partnering organisations to work on projects both here and abroad. The process of learning, sharing and exchange pro- vides the basic memorandum of understanding as teams of students and trainees travel to work on projects in other partners’ countries. A key element in the strategy is a historic farmhouse and barns on the Devetaki Plateau in Bulgaria, which was purchased in 2015 with funding from the Headley Trust. The plateau, situated in one of the poorest regions in the European Union, suffers from a range of issues, most pertinently emigration, depopulation and skills shortages. This has had a devasting effect and contributed to the erosion of the region’s historic built environment. Workshops are held at the farmhouse three times a year, covering surveying, recording and the repair of the historic fabric. The process of repair and conservation is used as training initiative, enabling local people and students from across Europe and Asia to learn traditional skills. Young people, trainees and volunteers work side by side on projects, increasing their skills and learning from each other.The learning process extends beyond traditional skills and conservation, facilitating an understanding of other cultures, languages and lifestyles. Through the core activities of survey and repair, international teams gain a fundamen- tal knowledge of the buildings and materials used. Construction techniques are explored and relearned. These include unfired earth, dry-stone walling and timber framing. Handling the materials and working them helps to give the students a growing confidence, and an understanding of how they function, their uses and means of decay. An important aspect of the strategy is the provision of continuing opportunities through apprenticeships with contractors, paid intern- ships or direct employment through a social enterprise companyGreatYarmouth Preservation Trust has established.This company employs six people, all trained on preservation trust and international projects since 2012. Darren Barker is principal conservation officer at Great Yarmouth Borough Council and managing director of Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust. Workshops in Karpachevo, Bulgaria Checking levels at a workshop in Douliu, Taiwan