Northern Impact Forum Conference Towards a Lifelong Learning Strategy for Northern Ireland

The agenda for the day started in a way that all events discussing policy implications for citizens and adult learners should begin. The event was opened with two learners, Andrew spoke about his entrance to education as someone working with unique learning abilities; and Claire, Leader of the Green Party in Northern Ireland, spoke about her return to education as an adult trying to make a better life for herself and her family.

Following from this, the day moved onto inputs from researchers from the Learning and Work Institute from Wales and England. They spoke about lifelong learning policy and political developments in Wales, England and across Europe regarding lifelong learning.

• In reference to Wales, the conference attendees heard about the political efforts being made at the moment to embed lifelong learning as a legal right. The purpose of creating this right to lifelong learning is to ensure that from cradle to grave, Welsh citizens will have the ability to participate in learning.
• At European level, the conference heard about research done to synthesise adult learning policy from across the EU 28 members states. Adult Learning Policy and Provision in the member States of the EU is available online at this link.

To round out the day’s events, conference participants engaged in table discussions to think about and provide their answers to the following questions which can easily also be asked south of the border:

• Is campaigning for a lifelong learning strategy the best way to secure support for lifelong learning? If yes, who should take responsibility? If not, what alternatives can you identify?
• What can you/your organisation do to secure more support for lifelong learning?
• Wales and the Labour Party are promoting lifelong learning as a right – what do you think of that? Is it an approach we should take in NI?
• What can/should our leading institutions (across all ages and sectors) do to promote and enable better access to lifelong learning?

Based on these discussions the overwhelming sentiment from participants was that with the current lack of a government in Stormont, and with the ongoing uncertainty of Brexit, now is likely not the time to be seeking lifelong learning as a right in the North. Instead, efforts should continue to be made from grassroots to the public service to ensure the good work that is already being done can be implemented in the future.

As AONTAS has members both North and South of the border the conversation was very enlightening and highlighted the need for us to continue our grassroots and political engagement across the island to achieve our organisation vision for all adults to achieve their educational aspirations through an equitable lifelong learning system regardless of the political structures that may be in place today or tomorrow.

For More Information:

To learn more about the work of AONTAS and our advocacy work contact Ben Hendriksen, AONTAS Advocacy Lead at bhendriksen@aontas.com 

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