The Adult Learning Continuum, Skills and the Big Society

[Background] [What the research tells us] [The local authority role] [Reinvigorating adult and community learning] [Aims] [Audience] [Provisional Programme] [Event Information] [Application Conditions] [Application Form]

‘I do hope you agree that adult learning is a continuum...'
John Hayes, July 2010

Top of Page

_______________________________

Background

The Coalition Government has put on record its commitment to lifelong learning. “Adult learning has a really important role to play in encouraging active citizenship. … We know that adult learning doesn’t just help people find work – it can also have benefits for people’s health and even for reducing crime.” David Cameron, May 2010.

“We will work to ensure that adult learning plays its part in developing the Big Society and creating progression opportunities for people who are disadvantaged and have had little access to learning in the past”. John Hayes, December 2010.

“Education for education’s sake – learning how to learn – benefits the economy in the long term. Philistinism is bad economics. It is also fundamentally unacceptable.” Vince Cable, June 2010.

Top of Page

_______________________________

What the research tells us

The transformative power of lifelong learning and its ability to enhance the quality of life of individuals and communities is well established. There is a significant body of evidence which demonstrates that:

• People with more education and who continue to learn are more likely to be healthy
• Many adults use community learning provision to boost their job-related skills
• Adult learning has a direct effect on individual wellbeing
• Investment in learning for older people can reduce the costs of medical and social care and improve the quality of life for older people, their families and communities
• A ‘learning family’ where adults and children are enthused and involved in their own and each others’ learning has positive effects for both children and adults and is often a gateway to other forms of civic engagement
• Participation in adult learning contributes to positive changes in social and political attitudes and contributes to increases in civic and political participation.

Top of Page

_______________________________

The local authority role

“Our vision is that every young person and adult will be able to access the learning they need at all stages of life to develop skills, improve employment prospects and pursue their interests. Locally provision needs to appear joined up from the citizen’s point of view in order that there is a clear pathway available to keep learning and for everyone to achieve their goal”. Mike Hill OBE, KCC Cabinet Member for Communities.

The recent track record of local authority adult learning services demonstrates that modest sums of public funding, with public sector providers and community groups working together, can improve the lives of disadvantaged people and the communities of which they are a part. In this way lifelong learning can be more than a public service but can become a powerful instrument of cultural change - providing a bridge between public, private and voluntary sectors.

Local authorities can ensure that lifelong learning plays a strong role in local strategies for raising workforce skills, community cohesion, active citizenship, health and well-being. There are examples where councils have taken a lead role to support a continuum of learning for all citizens and there is potential for all local authorities to contribute to Government ambitions for learning and skills. This could include:

• Bringing Colleges and learning providers together to identify the progression pathways that exist in local areas and promote the whole spectrum of adult learning opportunity
• Influencing Local Enterprise Partnerships to ensure that the contribution of learning and skills to growth and economic success is recognised
• Developing a culture of learning in deprived families
• Responding to demographic changes in the community by helping older people to keep mentally and physically active through learning
• Promoting learning as a means of supporting communities through the after-effects of the recession
• Targeting activities to engage people in local democratic processes
• Engaging people in digital technologies
• Learning for a green future. 

The key to success will be that individuals are able to identify and access the learning they need and that local provision supports a range of social and economic priorities of elected councils.

Top of Page

_______________________________

Reinvigorating adult and community learning

In November 2010 the Government published ‘Skills for Sustainable Growth’ which they describe as a ‘new vision for skills’. The document sets out both strategy and investment plans for learning and skills in England.

In the foreword Vince Cable and John Hayes state that their objective is to ‘build a skills system able to respond to the needs of individuals, communities and an increasingly dynamic economy. It is a vision shaped by our shared belief in the value of learning’.

The vision recognises the value of all kinds of adult learning and sets out a commitment to develop the role of adult and community learning to support the development of the Big Society, engage disadvantaged people and create progression routes from informal learning to formal learning and employment.

As part of this vision Government wishes to see strengthening of the relationships between colleges, local authorities, charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises by encouraging local leadership.

This review of informal and community learning is under way with proposals expected in June 2011.

Top of Page

_______________________________

Aims

This event will:

• Explore the Learning Continuum idea: how the mix of vocational, adult and community learning and other informal learning can be used by individuals to meet their needs - especially skills for employment - at various stages in life’s journey
• Consider the role for adult learning in realising the Big Society: how learners can be ‘in the driving seat’; the wider benefits of adult learning in relation to health,well-being, social cohesion and civic engagement
• Identify how adult and community learning acts as a ‘golden thread’ linking across local authority priorities and how adult and community learning can play a strong role in local strategies including those for economic growth, community cohesion, active citizenship and health and well-being
• Celebrate developments in adult and community learning and showcase innovative practice.

Top of Page

_______________________________

Audience

• Leadmembers and portfolio holders in local authorities
• Leaders of local authority adult learning services, Colleges of Further Education, third sector organisations, and museums, libraries and archives
• Public sector organisations working in health, care, community cohesion, services for older people, and children’s services
• Workplace learning providers and support agencies, trade unions and employers.

Top of Page

_______________________________

Provisional Programme

09:30 Arrival and registration
10:00 Morning session

• Welcome and Introduction
• BIS Policy
• LGA perspectiveA
• Local Authority View
• Adult Learning Continuum
• Witnesses - 2 learners describe their journey
• Panel Q&A

12:35 Lunch and stalls / networking
13:30 Afternoon session

• Learning and The Big Society
• Partnerships in practice
• Table tasks - discussion groups
• Key points feedback & plenary discussion
• Summary & Close

15:30 Close of event

Top of Page

_______________________________

Event Information

• Arrival and registration is at 9:30am for a 10:00am start. The event will end at 3:30pm
• Attendance is free to delegates from all the English regions
• Places will be allocated in order of receipt of completed application forms (one form per person)
• Places can be reserved online via: www niace.org.uk/events Alternatively completed and signed application forms can be faxed or posted to NIACE by the closing date. Reservations by telephone cannot be accepted
• Application forms are individually acknowledged by e-mail. Joining instructions, including map and directions, will be e-mailed out one week before the event
• Participants should be prepared to take their own notes as there will not be handouts for all sessions.
• If you have not received an e-mail confirming your attendance and joining instructions 4 working days before the event please contact: NIACE Events Team Tel: 0116 204 2833 Fax: 0116 285 9670 Minicom: 0116 255 6049 E-mail: events@niace.org.uk

Top of Page

_______________________________

Application Conditions

• Event: Tuesday 1 March 2011
  Closing Date: Thursday 17 February 2011
• Substitutions are to be advised 5 working days prior to the event
• A 10 working days notice period is required for provision of electronic note-takers, sign language interpreters and transcription to Braille
• Places will be normally limited to 2 representatives from each organisation except in the case of local authorities
• NIACE reserves the right to reject applicants who are not from the target audience list.

Top of Page

_______________________________

Application Form

(For people not using the online reservation system above)