Specialties
The Learnary is a shop and workshop space dedicated to curiosity based learning and all ages doing stuff together. We serve the residents of our neighbourhood, folks & families who like to learn together, educators, as well as home/unschoolers.
In addition to the retail shop, we host in our storefront a variety of workshops, discussion groups, and drop in activities. We also host learning events around town.
History
Established in 2018.
The Learnary was first co-created by Helen Hughes and Surya Govender. It has now grown into a non-profit society co-managed by Surya Govender and Sam Mills, and Helen has joined the board. We are all educators, of one kind or another, with a strong streak of curiosity, a love of the creative, and a high tolerance for chaos.
Meet the Manager: Sam Mills and Surya Govender ..
Surya:
I am an educator, writer, and maker of things. As an artist, as in life, I love to play with textiles, colour, and, of course, learning new things all the time.
I am also the parent of two small children and the co-manager of a tiny homestead in the middle of the city (aka my house). I hail from Vancouver, and am so excited to be offering a new way for our beautiful city to find connections and grow community.
Sam: I am an educator and an unschooler. I have a master's degree in Educational Studies, with a focus on democratic education and co-created pedagogy. My favourite thing to do is to work with people to co-create spaces, systems and activities that allow people to support themselves and each other. The Learnary holds so many of the threads that I value in one lovely space within my East Vancouver home: inter-generational, curiosity based, hospitality, nourishment, play, creation, and doing good work together.