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| [Abstract] [Key Findings] [Recommendations] [Output] |
The Promoting Social Inclusion Through Basic Skills Learning project can be viewed as a reaction to one of the largest challenges in European society today. This challenge is to help create and further develop learning societies and to foster inclusive learning environments for adults, especially those who lack previous formal education and those form disadvantaged and minority backgrounds.
The project was based around a partnership of adult learning organisations from across Europe. As a group this partnership aimed to provide simple but innovative products to basic skills tutors, the leaders of basic skills providers, ethnic minority organisations and decision makers in local authorities. These products have been designed to be adaptable and applicable in various social and cultural contexts as well as being integral to the process of basic skills learning for adults.
With the help of the working tools the target groups should be able to identify and adapt good practices in basic skills training, to evaluate the running of basic skills activities, to conduct surveys relating to the needs of the adult population and to influence policy formation in the sphere of basic skills.
The project partnership aimed to work using a ‘bottom up’ approach; starting at a small regional level (NUTS IV) which in turn could begin to influence basic skills strategies at regional and national levels. This in turn could also provide the means to aid other countries who are yet to develop measures in the field of basic skills learning for adults.
| Working tools developed and evaluated by participants working with partners who supported them. |
| Working tools trialled by participants. |
| We attended 2 partner seminars. |
| Pilot residential training programmes in 5 partner countries. |
| Evaluation tools designed to capture observations and feedback from national training programmes. |
The main conclusions of the project are:
| Delegate evaluations judged the training events to have been very successful. |
| Maintaining the focus on social inclusion was an issue; whilst this term can be translated into Hungarian, it is meaningless for most people. |
| The outcomes of the pilots had been effective in raising awareness of the questions and beginning a debate with key players at local level. |
| It was felt that 5 days training would be required in order to examine all four tools in adequate detail. |
| One way forward suggested was to continue the learning experience through the development of an email network group, enabling people to continue to support each other and share good practice as they utilise their new found skills. |
| Delegates felt there was a need to “sell” the project as both economically and socially necessary but with different approaches for teachers, politicians or business people. |
| To apply for further Grundtvig project, to transfer results from the 5 countries to each other. |
| To produce a synthesis report on the 5 countries’ work. |
| To hold multilateral seminars for key people in the 5 countries. |
| To use the people who have contributed to the surveys in 5 countries as multipliers. |
| A set of criteria of small-scale good practices of basic skills provision applicable at a small regional level and in different social and cultural contexts. |
| Survey guidelines on how to carry out surveys to explore basic skills needs at small regional level. |
| Guidelines on self-evaluation for providers of basic skills to socially disadvantaged adults at small regional level. |
| Guidelines on how to influence policy formation in basic skills at small regional level. |
| Website: www.nepfoiskola.hu/pro-bsl/ |
Funder: European Commission, Socrates Programme
Duration: October 2002 – September 2005
Project Manager: Joyce Black
Email: joyce.black@niace.org.uk
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