Call for evidence: Lifelong learning, citizenship and belonging

There is a long and proud history of adult learning to promote active citizenship and social justice. Changes in the meaning and nature of active citizenship however, has stimulated a widespread public debate over what it means to belong in modern Britain. In view of this, the Inquiry into the Future for Lifelong Learning, sponsored by NIACE, is putting out a public call for evidence on lifelong learning, citizenship and belonging. Interested individuals and organisations were invited to submit written evidence to the Inquiry by 22nd May 2008.

With a Board of Commissioners chaired by Sir David Watson, the Inquiry was launched in September 2007 and will report in June 2009. Experts from government, business, academia, trade unions, public service, providers and the voluntary and community sector, as well as learners, are brought together to identify a broad consensus for the future direction of adult learning policy in the UK.

The Inquiry looks at the critical issues that face our society in coming decades, and identifies how adult learning can equip us to meet these challenges. A number of specific themes provide a focus for the work, around which we are issuing calls for evidence. At present we are calling for evidence on lifelong learning, citizenship and belonging.

One of the Commissioners, Professor John Field, said, “There is a long and proud history of adult learning to promote active citizenship and social justice. This tradition underlies the radical and innovative work that was undertaken in areas such as women's education, community education and workers' education. Yet there have been changes in people's engagement with political processes, as well as major shifts in membership of voluntary organisations of all kinds, and there are important questions about people's sense of belonging to the wider community. Some writers, like Robert Putnam, have warned of an impending collapse of community. Others take a more optimistic view, arguing that newer generations are adopting new ways of getting engaged and new ways of forging bonds with other people. But all are agreed that there have been changes in the meaning and nature of active citizenship, and there is widespread public debate over what it means to belong in modern Britain. Changes in the organisation and focus of adult learning mirror these wider changes in social connections and civic engagement.”

In particular, the Inquiry invites submissions that address the following questions:

Written evidence

This is a public call for evidence. Recipients of this notice are encouraged to draw it to the attention of others who may wish to submit evidence to the Inquiry.

At this stage we take a broad view of what constitutes evidence. It might include:

It would be helpful, however, if you could indicate what sort of evidence you are submitting.

Evidence submitted become the property of the Inquiry, and may be printed or circulated at any stage. Personal contact details supplied to the Inquiry will, however , be removed before publication. If you do not wish for your submission to be made public, please state this clearly at the start of your submission.

Witnesses may publicise their written evidence themselves, but in doing so should indicate that it was prepared for the Inquiry.

Submissions by email are preferred (as attachments in Word) and should be emailed to lifelonglearninginquiry@niace.org.uk  Unless submissions are short, they should be accompanied by a summary outlining the key points.

Please ensure that you include your relevant contact details. Evidence should be attributed and dated, with a note of your name and position, and should state whether it is submitted on an individual or corporate basis. Please indicate clearly that the evidence is being submitted in response to the call for evidence around lifelong learning, citizenship and belonging.

(We continue to welcome evidence on any area relevant to the work of the Inquiry. This evidence can be submitted at any stage, but please indicate that it is not linked to a particular call.)

Evidence should be submitted to:

Hanya Gordon
Inquiry into the Future for Lifelong Learning
NIACE
21 De Montfort Street
Leicester LE1 7GE
Email: lifelonglearninginquiry@niace.org.uk

Further information about the Commission of Inquiry is available from www.lifelonglearninginquiry.org.uk

For more information about the Inquiry, please contact:
Hanya Gordon, 0116 204 4237 Email: lifelonglearninginquiry@niace.org.uk

For further information, the media contact is:
Ed Melia, 0116 223 0050/07795 358870
Email: Ed.Melia@niace.org.uk

Commission Membership

The Chair of the Commission is Professor Sir David Watson, historian and Professor of higher education management at the Institute of Education, University of London and a member of the Board of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

The Commission members are:

The Director of the Inquiry is Tom Schuller.