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Latest News: June 2003

Meeting learning targets with pleasure, not pressure

Falling adult enrolments in education may be a result of planners and funders over-emphasising learning for competitiveness and productivity while neglecting its contribution to our quality of life, according to NIACE.

Commenting on recent figures suggesting a 73,000 drop in adults learning since 1998, NIACE points to its own participation survey (A Sharp Reverse, May 2003) which suggests that there has been no drop on the previous year’s figures regarding future intentions to learn (steady at 41%).

“Current public service agreements between the Treasury and the Department for Education have too often been interpreted as meaning that only education contributing directly to economic productivity gets prioritized and that learning for pleasure is forgotten” says NIACE director Alan Tuckett.

NIACE has argued to Government that 3% of the total Learning and Skills Council budget should be ring-fenced to secure educational opportunities focused on increasing levels of adult participation in learning for wider purposes – including the learning aspirations of older people and of those in the poorest communities.

“Because it’s harder to measure, the planners and funders neglect education that builds communities and active citizens and which enriches culture” went on Alan Tuckett. “It takes falling numbers like these to remind them that they need to value all kinds of education – because adults’ learning pathways are not simple and linear like those of young people.”

“All too often, administrators caricature it as "underwater basket weaving" - the foppish pursuits of the already privileged. Despite the clear commitment of the first-term Labour government to life-wide as well as lifelong learning, and current Ministers’ recognition of the dangers, there is still a risk that the forthcoming skills strategy may not give a strong enough steer” he finished.

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Undemanding partners?

Voluntary and community organisations may be in demand as partners in adult learning, but what are statutory bodies doing to ensure they feel wanted?

NIACE is hosting a conference on 2 July at Aston University to examine the relationship between local authorities and other statutory bodies and the voluntary sector in their common goal to widen participation in learning.

“Government policy recognises the importance of involving voluntary and community organisations to help achieve objectives such as basic skills targets and neighbourhood renewal,” said NIACE director Alan Tuckett. “At the same time there’s an unprecedented focus on how statutory bodies can improve their working relationships with the voluntary sector.”

The issues of funding, contracting and communication will be among those discussed.

The conference, held at Aston University’s Lakeside Conference Centre, will be of particular interest to voluntary and community bodies and helpful to those within local authorities, local strategic partnerships, local Learning and Skills Councils and other bodies responsible for developing partnerships with the voluntary and community centre.

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A better future through learning

Education has a role in helping us aim for a better future for all, leading adult learners’ body NIACE will say at a conference later this month.

The conference, at Derby College, Mackworth, on Thursday 19 June, will feature a number of local projects which show how learning helps citizens shape their own future and contribute to the development of their community.

Integral to the conference will be the role of the Further Education Partnership for Sustainability (FEPS), which aims to develop a model for sustainability appropriate to local need.

“Further and higher education is uniquely placed to make a sustainable future a reality,” said NIACE director Alan Tuckett.

The conference is targeted at further education colleges and strategic bodies such as local learning and Skills Councils and Regional Development Agencies, but will also be of interest to informal practitioners, and the voluntary and community sectors.

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Self-esteem and adult learning

NIACE is to hold the first-ever conference on the role of self-esteem and adult learning on June 24 at the Voluntary Sector Resource Centre in London.

Speaking at the conference will be Sir Christopher Ball, Chancellor of Derby University, and author and educator Titus Alexander. Papers will be presented in workshops from learners, practitioners and researchers on different aspects of work relating to self-esteem and adult learning.

Research has shown that confidence is one of the main reasons for not participating in adult learning, but it is also the highest reported outcome of participation in adult and community learning fund projects. Furthermore, in a survey 92.5% of tutors in FE colleges agreed or strongly agreed that “through their learning my students on the whole experience improved self-esteem”.

Yet little research has been done into how self-esteem in adults affects participation in learning, what effect low self-esteem might have on choice of learning opportunity and whether different types of learning have varying impacts on self-esteem levels.

A definition of self-esteem in relation to adult learning might help us to measure whether, and how much, an individual’s self-esteem is raised through participation in learning, and what benefits to the individual and society result from this.

The conference aims to explore what we already know about self-esteem and adult learning and what else needs to be done to promote self-esteem through participation in adult learning.

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Tackling homelessness – more than about putting rooves over heads

A NIACE conference on 5 June, will say that tackling homelessness is more than putting a roof over people’s heads.

The conference, held at the London Voluntary Resource Centre,  aims to enhance collaboration and partnership-working between the education and homelessness sectors.

“Learning can play a crucial part in encouraging participation in society,” said Alan Tuckett, director of NIACE. “But how often do homeless people get the necessary support to access learning opportunities?”

The conference will offer keynote addresses by the Director of Services of Centrepoint and by the Learning and Skills Council. Key questions will include how the homelessness and adult education sectors can work together more effectively, what are the gaps and overlaps in provision and ‘who does what best’.

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Consultation to form a Lifelong Learning Sector Skills Council

National Training Organisations (NTOs) are being replaced by Sector Skills Councils (SSCs). The development of a Lifelong Learning Sector Skills Council has received considerable support, particularly from the Secretary of State, Charles Clarke. This model of change is to increase the quality and productivity of the UK wide workforce, sector by sector.

PAULO, the NTO for community-based learning and development, is holding a consultation of all interested employers organisations and other key stakeholders in the lifelong learning sector. 

The consultation will take place from 2nd - 27th June 2003.

This is a unique opportunity for sector employers to take strategic control of the development of the lifelong learning workforce and to build on the achievements of the former NTOs and respond to the need of employers in other business sectors across the UK.

NIACE would like to encourage all its networks to respond to this consultation, particularly those in the voluntary and community sectors.

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Enjoying Ministerial Support

Outstanding adult learners have been celebrating their achievements at national award ceremonies as part of Adult Learners’ Week 10-16 May 2003, co-ordinated by NIACE.

Charles Clarke, Secretary of State for Education and Skills launched Adult Learners’ Week on 12 May saying:

“Education is a massive element of our civilisation. The Individual and Group winners all give the same message – that lifelong learning can only succeed if people are engaged in it.”

Winners of Adult Learners’ Week Awards travelled from all over Britain to accept their awards and included senior learners over the age of fifty, groups of adults who learn collectively, families and family learning providers, projects that offer new and interesting ways to learn and individual learners.

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Deadline extended for Tutors Awards

The deadline for the Adult Tutors awards has been extended by a week to Friday 20 June 2003.

Other Awards with closing dates in June include:

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Adult learning in minority ethnic communities – study shows differences

A recent study has shown that among adults aged 16 and over, participation among minority ethnic communities is slightly higher than that of the adult population in general, although this masks marked differences between different minority ethnic groups.

Analysis of the 2001/2002 English Local Labour Force Survey (ELLFS) shows that while African communities and those with mixed ethnic origins outperform the national average for participation, Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities are under-represented. Only 45% of Bangladeshis aged 16 and over took part in learning in 2001/2002, compared with 82% of Africans and the national average of 68% (76% for the 16-69 age range).

Overall, 69% of all minority ethnic groups took part in adult learning in the period 2001/2002.

The analysis was carried out by the NIACE for the Department for Education and Skills. Alan Tuckett, NIACE director, said:

 “This report shows there is an absolute need to focus on those groups who are under-represented in learning...Currently the system is dramatically more effective at serving the learning needs of some communities over others.”

Other differences occur in the workplace. Among people in employment, a higher level of participation in job-related training and education was reported among Africans (62%) and Chinese (59%) compared with Bangladeshis (40%) and people of Caribbean origin (51%).

Within minority ethnic communities more men than women participate in learning, particularly among Bangladeshis and Pakistanis. In contrast Caribbean and Chinese women are more likely to be learners than their male counterparts.

“Reaching under-participating groups is at the heart of the Government’s widening participation strategies,” added Alan Tuckett. “Initiative after initiative shows we know how to be successful in reaching and serving the needs of people whose early experience of education was not positive. But they also show that such knowledge is not shared widely enough across providers.”

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Scheme under way to help asylum seekers get jobs

A £250,000 project unique to the East Midlands that will help asylum seekers in Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, Northampton and Nottingham play a bigger part in the regional economy kicks off its second year.

With the support of East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA), which has put nearly £60,000 into year two of the scheme, it will identify the skills, qualifications and experience of asylum seekers and line up tailor-made work placements for them, find volunteering opportunities or provide support to get them on the right training courses. NIACE will undertake the work.

Alex Slater, skills development manager at EMDA, said:

"The majority of asylum seekers living in the East Midlands who gain permission to stay here will be looking for employment in the region so this project will help prepare them and their potential employers for the opportunities.

"It's a case of capturing the often under estimated talents of these people - research shows that asylum seekers have a higher level of qualifications than the general population and also that migrants are more likely to be self employed than those born in the UK. The project will also look to help those entrepreneurial asylum seekers who want to develop the skills and knowledge to set up and manage their own businesses."

During the project's first 12 months it helped arrange work and learning placements for 200 asylum seekers, building extensive contacts with them, refugee and community organisations, education providers and voluntary agencies.

Masood Ahmed is a highly skilled Pakistani asylum seeker with a background in sales who's been in the region for 19 months. Thanks to the project though he's on a work placement in the finance department of NIACE in Leicester and plans to start studying to become an accountant this July. He said:

"This work placement should ensure that I have references to offer a future employer if my claim for asylum is successful and I get permission to work in the country. I already have an MBA in marketing and finance from home which gives me exemptions from part of the professional accountancy qualifications so it's a great chance for me to improve my long term career prospects."

In year two, NIACE will carry out skills audits with 500 asylum seekers living in the five regional towns and cities that are part of the scheme with plans to set up work orientations, volunteering and learning placements with at least 100 of those people. The project will also involve developing ways of using the skills audits with employers.

Research highlights the major barriers facing asylum seekers when searching for work once permission has been granted. These are:

This is the second year of a three-year project that will run until May 2005 and is supported at a national level by the Home Office where EMDA is the only Regional Development Agency involved. Other funders include European funding programme, EQUAL and the Learning and Skills Councils in Derbyshire. Leicestershire, Lincolnshire & Rutland and Nottinghamshire as well as University College, Nene.

Award ceremonies will be held in each of the five areas during Refugee Week (16 -22 June) to recognise achievements of asylum seekers and partner organisations with the project to date.

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