Improving policy for older people’s learning Thursday, March 25, 2010 - 16:40

Older People's Learning - What Next? will explore the policy and practice issues in the four key areas concerning older people's learning - extending working life, wellbeing and the quality of life, learning and care, informal learning - by building on the finding's of the NIACE policy paper, Older People's Learning: an action plan.

Policymakers and providers concerned with older people's learning in education, the workplace and other settings - including health and social care services - will hear presentations from national experts and will have the chance to attend a number of workshops.

The conference - held in London, today - is being chaired by Professor Stephen McNair, NIACE Associate Director (Older Learners) and other speakers include:

• Chris Humphries, Chief Executive, UKCES - Older people, learning and work;
• Councillor David Rogers, Chair, Local Government Association Wellbeing Board - Older people, learning, wellbeing and community cohesion;
• Charlotte Potter, Programme Manager, Public Services, Age UK - Older people, learning and care; and
• John Gibson, Senior Policy Adviser, BIS - Older people. The contribution of informal learning.

Professor Stephen McNair, NIACE Associate Director (Older Learners), said:

"In the next ten years an unprecedentedly large group of people will retire. Compared to their parents, most will be healthier, better educated and with longer life expectancy, and will have higher expectations of the twenty or more years of active retirement they can expect. Today's conference will look at how learning can help them flourish by enabling them to stay longer in work (as many want to do), improving the quality of their active retirement and helping them managing the final stages of life with dignity and wellbeing."

Conference delegates can chose from a number of workshops, including:

• Curriculum - what would an adequate 'curriculum' for older people look like, and how might it be delivered?;
• Informal learning - what have we learned from the Transformation Fund project programme about what works for older people?;
• Learning in care settings - what have we learned from the NIACE project ‘Enhancing Informal Adult Learning for Older People in Care Settings'; and
• Learning and work - what have we learned from NIACE's Learning and Work in Later Life project for the Nuffield Foundation?