The City of Learners, which is part of a worldwide movement to promote social development through lifelong learning, began as a City of Edmonton community initiative. EPL jumped on the opportunity to become the 'home' for the City of Learners to expand the ways in which we realize lifelong learning as a core element of our Business Plan. #3SkillsYEG offers an opportunity to work innovatively and collaboratively within the community by animating lifelong learning spaces in collaboration with formal and informal learning organizations, and bringing awareness to EPL’s role in contributing to lifelong learning in Edmonton.

#3SkillsYEG asked Edmontonians to challenge themselves to learn three new things from February to April 2016, and to share that learning with others on social media and peer-to-peer learning opportunities. #3SkillsYEG worked with 20 community mentors and teachers to provide hands-on learning experiences at our kick-off event and 17 unique learning workshops throughout the initiative. We also engaged 12 learning champions who publicly chronicled their learning journeys. We developed new relationships with community organizations and reached new audiences, including non-library users. We promoted EPL resources in unique ways including a ‘Learning @ EPL’ page on the City of Learners website.

Over 800 Edmontonians participated in programmed #3SkillsYEG learning opportunities. Many more undertook the challenge. #3SkillsYEG had a social media reach of over 45,692 with 125,562 total impressions, raising awareness of the City of Learners. Many community members participated in #3SkillsYEG in their own ways and shared #3SkillsYEG within and outside the library. For example, a local teacher followed the initiative and posted pictures of his grade 6 class ‘doing’ and ‘learning’ new things for #3SkillsYEG. We will grow #3skillsYEG to become an annual event and develop it so community organizations can take it up in their own unique ways.