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New Learning for Older People
Exploring Curriculum for Later Life in 21st Century UK
| Date: | Thursday, 7 July 2005 |
| Venue: | University of Luton, Park Square, Luton LU1 3JU |
| Ref: | C12-46/07/05 |
| Fee*: | £95.00 (includes lunch, tea/coffee) |
[Background & Aims] [Audience] [Programme]
Background & Aims
In March 2005 the Government launched its older people strategy Opportunity Age: Meeting the challenges of ageing in the 21st Century. The report spoke of the need to develop educational opportunities for older people: “We will actively seek ways of opening up more opportunities for older people to learn.” The strategy refers to the need for education and training for employability as well as the need to safeguard education for ‘leisure, personal interest and community development purposes’.
This paper recognises the demographic changes taking place in our society which will mean more older people and fewer younger people, and considers what policy developments will be required to assist older people live longer, more active and engaged lives. NIACE believes that curriculum issues are as important as funding and accessibility in bringing about the changes desired to increase and change the profile of older learners.
NIACE has been working on a range of curriculum issues for several years exploring their relevance to and for older people in the 21st century. With funding from the Learning and Skills Council we have been exploring the curriculum options available and needed for older people to better respond to the range of opportunities available for them to comment on and influence service provision. With the Department for Education and Skills we have been developing a ‘Curriculum for Later Life’, to see what new curriculum areas could have been developed and in what way existing curriculum areas could be adapted. In recent weeks we have been advocating the concept of a ‘New Opportunity for Older People’ access course modelled on the principles behind New Opportunities for Women courses.
This conference presents an opportunity to:
 | learn more about these initiatives from the practitioners who have been working on the various strands. |
| to consider the concept of a New Opportunities in Later Life course. |
| to consider feasibility and to work with colleagues on the outlines of programmes delegates may wish to develop in their own localities. |
| to explore their increasing relevance in today’s climate of demographic change and Government interest in older people. |
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Audience
The event is relevant for all educational funders, policy makers and providers in all sectors working with older learners. It is of equal significance to older learners who may wish to comment on the value of their learning experience and what they feel to be appropriate curriculum developments. The conference will be of interest to staff from:
| Learning and Skills Councils. |
| FE Colleges. |
| Sector Skills Councils. |
| Training Organisations. |
| Regional Development Agencies. |
| Businesses and Employers. |
| Local Educational Authorities. |
| Universities. |
| Higher Education Funding Council. |
| Training Providers. |
| Trade Unions. |
| Connexions. |
| Small Business Service. |
| Employment Service. |
| Jobcentre Plus. |
| Education Business Links. |
| CBI Offices. |
| Chambers of Commerce. |
| Business Support Organisations. |
| Government Departments with responsibilities for education, skills and economic development. |
| QCA and Awarding Bodies. |
| Professional associations. |
| Probation Service. |
| Learning Partnerships. |
| Ufi/Learndirect. |
| Voluntary Groups. |
| Community Groups. |
| Education Consultants. |
| Organisations supporting equality of opportunity and social inclusion. |
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Programme
| 10:00 | Arrival and Registration (Tea/Coffee available) |
| 10:30 | Ministerial Address |
| 11:00 | New and Changing Curriculum for Older People Jim Soulsby, Development Officer – Older & Bolder Programme, NIACE |
| 11:25 | Workshops: morning session Please indicate your choices on the application form 1) Empower Curriculum Pauline Swanton, Senior Manager, Leicester Adult Education College Jan Brinkley, Lifetime Project Co-ordinator, Age Concern, Northampton and County Dave Crossan, Community Education Tutor, Coventry Community Education Service 2) Curriculum for Later Life Doreen Barlow, Widening Participation Co-ordinator, Surrey Adult Education Service Heather Pollard, Key Skills Manager, Surrey Adult Education Service 3) New Opportunities in Later Life Jim Soulsby, Development Officer – Older & Bolder Programme, NIACE Eirwen Malin, Project Officer – Older & Bolder Programme, NIACE Dysgu Cymru |
| 12:30 | Lunch |
| 13:15 | Workshops: afternoon session (repeated) |
| 14:15 | Working Groups Putting it together. Working in different working groups to begin to structure programmes applicable to delegates’ particular circumstances and utilising the experiences of any older learners present |
| 15:05 | Plenary Session Questions to the panel Pauline Swanton, Dave Crossan, Jan Brinkley, Eirwen Malin |
| 15:45 | Close of Conference (Tea/Coffee available) |
This programme is correct at the time of going to press. The organisers reserve the right to make changes to the published programme in the event of one or more of the advertised speakers being unable to attend. Delegates will have no claim against NIACE in respect of such changes.
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