History
The first Adult Learners’ Week took place in 1992. Since then the basic premise, that adults who themselves have experienced the benefits of learning are best placed to inspire others to give learning a go, has been so successful that the idea is replicated in over 50 countries worldwide.
In England, colleagues in colleges, libraries, museums, businesses, voluntary and a range of other sectors hold thousands of events to inspire adults to try their hand at something new. Up to 100,000 people take part with many more reached through the hundreds of press articles, radio and TV features or the half-million pieces of publicity distributed by national and local organisers. Twenty thousands enquiries to learndirect and routinely around 2,000 press articles appearing in national, regional and local press testify to the success of the campaign.
Adult Learners’ Week provides a chance to celebrate adult learning with new and in some cases unusual partners, including regional and national arts boards, public transport authorities, football clubs, cafes, in doctors’ surgeries or on housing estates.
The main impact has been to encourage people across the UK to sign up for a course, as surveys year after year have confirmed. Typically, in 2006, 52% of respondents declared their intention to enrol, and of these 44% had already done so. This was the year that a record 70,000 contacted the national helpline to request course information.
If there is one single feature of Adult Learners’ Week that has endeared it to its supporters, it is its absolute commitment to place learners at the heart of its national and regional activities. Through its reflection on learners’ achievements, giving value to them, and offering space to learners to talk for themselves, Adult Learners’ Week has provided a great service to adult and community learning. The Week has managed to capture the imagination, enthusiasm and support of learners.
There are no better advocates than people who have experienced learning for themselves. These people have gained a personal fulfilment and shown, often in spite of personal difficulty, that learning really is something achievable by anyone. It’s that ‘making a difference’ element that is so important to putting across the notion of adult learning as a gateway, not only to vocational skills and employment, but to culture and social exploration.
The yearly round of publicity for NIACE awards invites individual learners, groups, projects that reach out to non-traditional learners and tutors to apply. Awards are made at national and regional ceremonies during Adult Learners’ Week and during a sister campaign that takes place every September, Sign Up Now. We publicise the awards through press releases, newsletters, the NIACE website and often by word of mouth. Around 1,700 applications are received every year.
Adult Learner’s Week has always enjoyed the support of broadcasters, both at a regional and national level and TV in particular has been adept in bringing to life the extraordinary achievements of ordinary people. Strong human interest stories relevant to local audiences have been central to the media success of Adult Learners’ Week, and continue to do so.
Since February 1998 nearly 4 million calls from individuals seeking information on learning have been made to the National Learning Advice Line learndirect. A major factor in its success has been the use by Adult Learners’ Week and its sister campaign Sign Up Now of the national helpline number, 0800 100 900, in all publications.
“From early on in my days of working in basic skills for adults I was aware of the power of adult learning,” says Mary Clarke, an event organiser from the West Midlands. “Whether it was in a formal and informal setting, used as a means of community capacity building or as learning for its own sake; whether learning for better health or greater wealth - I always saw evidence of learning as a force to change lives.
“Adult Learners’ Week provided both the platform to shout loud about this power and the opportunity to celebrate learners and learning. It was a reminder of how a thriving Adult Education Service helped in meeting goals of regeneration and empowerment of the community.”