When it comes to adult learning, different factors and conditions make it more or less likely for a person to stay involved. Last month, our CEO Dearbháil was in Brussels at the Lifelong Learning Conference with two members, Claire and Christina, from adult learning group The Liberties Weavers.
Dearbháil spoke about the impact of structural inequalities on people looking to return to education as adults, the stigmatisation of working-class people, and the exclusion of older people from learning.
Collectively, they shared about how learning should be accessible for everyone, regardless of their age or where they are coming from. And learning can take many forms.
The Liberties Weavers recognises this well. They are an adult education project “honouring a thousand years of textile and weaving heritage” from the Liberties area of Dublin. Their aim is to “breathe new life into the 1000 years of history, weaving, and textile production in the Liberties.” The group, who won a STAR Award last year, organises weaving classes, community-based workshops, exhibitions, and historical lectures for local residents and visitors to the area.
The conference in Brussels, run through the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, focussed on the personal factors related to “success” in education. It looked at ideas around personal motivation to learn, and the barriers to education that people face.
However, without the right conditions for success in education, including equality of access to learning (regardless of people’s financial circumstances), personal motivation will not determine if a person continues with their learning.
Dearbháil, who is Vice-President of the EAEA (the European Association for the Education of Adults), also talked about the importance of Learner Voice and the need to include learners in all levels of programme design and decision-making.
In Ireland and across Europe, we at AONTAS are known as leaders in Learner Voice. We are often asked to speak about it among our EU colleagues in adult learning. We know from our research that people are more likely to stay engaged in their learning if they feel their perspective is taken seriously and their opinions are heard and valued. If learning options are created to suit people, they are more likely to continue with their course.
We will continue to work together with educators, policymakers, and learners from across Europe to make adult learning more accessible and equal for all.
Take a look back at the conference here.