New research from AONTAS shows 64% of people surveyed gained more self-confidence through engaging in adult learning in Ireland in the last year.
58% gained a more positive outlook on the future, while 31% had an increased sense of belonging, and better health and well-being.
This week, we launched the new "Learner Voices Across Ireland" report for research carried out in 2023-2024. These research findings are timely, as they come during Mental Health Month.
The “Learner Voices Across Ireland” report draws on over 1,716 contributions from adult learners who have engaged in Further Education and Training (FET) courses or programmes across Ireland in the past academic year.
These learners have come together at events around the country as part of AONTAS’ ongoing large-scale learner voice project, the National FET Learner Forum.
According to the Department of Health, Mental Health Month provides opportunities to raise awareness of mental health and promote the services and supports available to people in communities across the country.
Our research reveals that adult learning promotes well-being and supports people to develop a more positive outlook on the future.
As one adult learner quoted in the report stated: “It’s meeting people, it’s interaction, it’s forming friendships. For me, it’s very social. For a lot of us, it’s our main outlet.”
Speaking at the launch of the report in Athlone this week, adult learner Blessing Ebeledike said:
“Adult education for me has been a window that has opened loads of closed doors in my life. When I first started, I was a closed person and couldn’t communicate very well, but at the ETB they were very welcoming to me. I now see that I have a purpose in life and lots of opportunities.”
The report draws on learners' expressed views, needs, and proposals to outline a series of recommendations to improve Further Education and Training.
Two key proposals related to furthering the positive impact of FET for adult learners are:
1) To enhance buildings and facilities to ensure accessibility for all learners and to ensure provision of canteen facilities and social spaces
2) To increase the provision of social and community-building events outside of class time
Speaking at the launch, our Head of Research Dr Thomas Murray said:
"Learners consistently reported strong demand for their centres to offer canteens and social spaces as well as social events outside of class hours. We believe that these important measures will support friendships, peer learning and cultural exchange in the short-term, and wider community-building and social cohesion over time".
The report finds that 90% of participants expressed satisfaction with guidance and advice when first contacting an Education and Training Board (ETB) or FET centre, and that 95% of learners said they felt respected by tutors and centre staff.
The availability of public transport was the lowest area of satisfaction recorded among learners (37%).
As many learners consistently reported to the forum, transport options to attend their course are too often unavailable, unreliable, or unaffordable
One learner quoted in the report states: “The buses are really unreliable. If you miss the bus, there is not another bus for three hours or four hours.”
Another area for improvement is accommodation, with 24% stating that their living situation affects their ability to learn.
This rises to 51% for people in Direct Provision and 45% for people with a long-term illness or disability.
One learner stated: “We’re in one of the biggest housing crises Ireland’s ever seen. There’s students that were sleeping in their cars in the car parks at the colleges. It’s truly awful… There’s not enough accommodation for students in every course… It’s a very distressing issue.”
You can read an Executive Summary with the main findings here.
Read the full Learners Voices Across Ireland Report here.