Event to involve more adults in politics Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - 16:11

With the general election only weeks away, the Learning for Active Citizenship - held in Birmingham on Thursday, 18 March 2010 - helped adult learning providers to develop new skills and educational approaches to engage their learners in the political process. The WEA and NIACE-organised event was funded through the Transformation Fund.

Learning for Active Citizenship showcased the six-month Transformation Fund Active Citizenship Educational Project (ACEP), run by WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region. ACEP builds on the vast experience of learning for active citizenship developed in the Yorkshire region, to develop new courses to get council staff in learning about parliament and the new local government duties.

Speakers at the event included Bob Fryer, Chair of the Campaign for Learning and Richard Bolsin, WEA General Secretary. The day offered five workshops inspired by the ACEP project, entitled:

• Get Heard! Exploring how to get your message over - Creative
  Approaches;
• Does Politics Need Parliament and Why Vote?;
• Democracy;
• Food, Fashion, Famine, Fear (global issues); and
• Building the Base - Active Citizens, Active Educators (training the trainers project).

Jol Miskin, Project Manager at the WEA, said:

"ACEP and the active citizenship learning it has provided, highlights that there are plenty of people interested in politics and wanting to play a part in bringing about social progress and change. The WEA strongly believes that whatever the outcome of the coming election, Government should recognise the fundamental importance of what could be called ‘practical political education'. As with basic skills, this should be seen as an entitlement for all adults."

Jan Novitzky, Programme Director at NIACE, said:

"In Britain fewer people are voting in elections, the membership of major political parties is in decline and there is an increasing dissatisfaction with politicians. Many people are disillusioned with the current political structures which don't seem to address everyday concerns and fail to serve the public interest. However, this is not the same as saying that people aren't interested in politics and today's event will help those working directly and in-directly with adult learners, to engage them in political processes in a positive and constructive way."

Learning for Active Citizenship helped delegates by:

• sharing materials, experience, skills and methods;
• identifying, developing and increasing opportunities and resources for learning for active citizenship; and
• building a national network of active citizenship educators/ facilitators.