Jayne Stuart is the Director of Learning Link Scotland, the national intermediary for the voluntary adult learning sector.
In over 20 years of working in adult education, I have never felt that the need for a broad range of education for people of all ages has been greater.
News stories are full of the immense challenges we currently face as a nation, with the impact of the economic downturn being felt deeply on personal and social levels. Deficit reduction measures and reduced public spending offers the hard reality of extremely tightened budgets. The challenge is to respond positively and innovatively as individuals, organisations and communities to the conflicting demands of reduced resources and increased demand and need for valued services.
Too often the massive injustices and expanding equality gaps in our society are being underlined with stories of greed, lack of corporate responsibility and mediocrity. People dissatisfied generally with the state of play are responding through protest, campaigns and making their voices heard. Others, perhaps feeling a lack of power to effect change, or with no clearly articulated message, or through not being heard, are demonstrating their frustration.
Let’s consider the potential power adult education has to turn things around and make a difference in people’s lives. In doing so, we start to see that adult education is a key part of the solution to our tough realities.
Adult education gets people into sustained employment, and helps them to take steps out of poverty and disadvantage. Adult education contributes towards improved health and wellbeing. It enables people to invest time, resource and thought in their children and their family’s future, supporting positive cycles for future generations. Adult education improves the chances of being successful and responsible, and returns contributions to community and society in a meaningful way.
Adult education is also about developing thinking, confidence, motivation and enthusiasm to take action that will make a real difference in the world. Adult education will empower people, help them determine their own future, create new visions, generate innovation and enterprise. Adult education can help people successfully mobilise themselves, champion causes and find their voice and place in the world. Adult education gives us social justice, democracy and a future in which we want to be.
The way in which adult education is led over the coming years will determine whether it fulfils its potential. Strong leadership will deliver adult education, and take us into a new future shaped by wise decisions made now.
What will that future look like if those decisions are made without thought? Or if that thought is formed without conversation, consideration or investigation?
What role do we each play in this? We can have the conversations, and share our thoughts, views and experiences. We can challenge decisions and find the opportunities to influence the direction we travel. We can be the authors, architects and educators leading us to a better future.
If we care about adult education in Scotland, then it’s time to speak up!
Alternatively, we can take no part in influencing, and accept decisions made about the future. We can consent to tough choices being made without our voice being heard, and possibly condoned by our silence. That silence however, gives permission to close the doors to the many thousands of people who prosper from the opportunities and chances adult education provides.
If we don’t play our part in leading education into the future, are we confident that it will shape up to be all it can be, or all that we need it to be?
Join the conversation now! The Best Education Campaign has been launched to gain support for better adult education in Scotland.
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2 Comment/s
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I am proud of a multi-agency delivery of computer classes for Older People. The Library offered use of their pc suite on their usually closed afternoon. First Click from BBC delivered through Adult Literacies and the WEA. No budget was stretched for this : people simply doing their jobs made it happen. It's not all about MONEY, it's about COOPERATION!
~ Kate Maclean Thu Nov 24 14:58:37 GMT 2011 -
I'm totally with Kate that cooperation is absolutely key! The power of collaboration is significant - particularly when people with vision, purpose, passion and a positive mindset come together to achieve change.
We can't lose sight of the fact that voluntary organisations like the WEA have to generate income to have their very skilled workers in post, and to continue to do their excellent jobs. Whether through grants, contracts or social enterprise, it is increasingly challenging to find enough to maintain current levels of input, particularly when adult education isn't necessarily the investment choice of many funders. Equally local authorities and college budgets align to strategic priorities, and if those strategic priorities don't give sufficient focus to adult education, then what might the future hold?
Yes cooperation, and doing better together - but with a strategic focus and priority given to adult education. Otherwise there may not be many people left to cooperate with.
~ Jayne Stuart Mon Nov 28 12:55:29 GMT 2011
