http://www.aontas.com/download/pdf/explore_issue_3

Issue No.3 Summer 06

EXPLORE

The quarterly magazine from AONTAS, the National Association of Adult Education

Cover story: Following in the footsteps of Martin Luther King – Berni Brady on citizenship education in the USA Special Focus On… Mature Students Explore interview with Britten Mansson-Wallin, Head of the Swedish National Council of Adult Education Lucy Hearne on adult guidance

Explore

ISSN 1649-8259

Note from the Editor Welcome to Issue 3 of Explore, the quarterly magazine from AONTAS, the National Association of Adult Education. Since the last instalment of Explore, AONTAS has been very busy on a number of fronts. Over the last few months, we have met with the Education Spokespersons in all political parties to put forth our views on the development of adult education, and to outline what we would like to see included in political manifestoes in the run-up to next year's General Election. An immediate result of these meetings was seen in April, in the Dáil, when various opposition party representatives questioned the Minister of State for Adult Education on topics ranging from the future of the National Adult Learning Council to supports for adult learners. Also on the policy front, we recently made a submission to the Department of Finance in relation to the new National Development Plan (NDP), 2007-2013. The new Plan will be drawn up in late 2006 and, over the next few months, AONTAS will continue to work to ensure measures to develop adult education are included in the NDP. In the area of citizenship education, AONTAS hosted a seminar in April on 'Adult Education and Active Citizenship: The Policy Framework'. The keynote speaker at this seminar was Britten Mansson-Wallin, Director of the Swedish National Council of Adult Education. Britten features in this issue's Explore Interview (see pages 20 & 21), and the activities of her National Council are outlined on page 19, as part of the new International section of Explore. Also included in this new International section is Berni Brady's account of her recent trip to the United States, to

participate in an exchange programme on the theme of 'Education and Citizenship'. Berni's trip brought her to Boston and Alabama, where she witnessed first-hand how citizenship education can influence social change, and how the civil rights movement is commemorated in the Deep South. For more on this, see pages 17 & 18. In March of this year, mature student Mick Power made history when he brought the Department of Social and Family Affairs to court, and won. In this issue of Explore, we have a special focus on mature students, with profiles of Mick and two other mature students featured on pages 22-24. In addition to highlighting the obstacles faced by mature students through our work, AONTAS also recently held its first meeting of a Mature Students' Network. This took place as part of a new initiative on establishing learner networks, developed by our Membership Development Officer, Niamh O'Reilly. Turn to page 16 for more on how these networks are taking shape. Also in this issue, we have news from our recent AGM (pages 3 & 27), models of best practice from Kerry and Clare (pages 8 & 12), a profile of a men's community education group in Tallaght (page 25), a look at how to deliver student-centred distance learning (page 14), and an examination of how learners who receive guidance progress through adult education (page 10). As always, we would appreciate feedback, or any suggestions you have for news items or articles for Issue 4. You can contact me at mquinn@aontas.com, or by phone on 014068220 / 087-9110569.

List of Contents Page AONTAS News

Adult Education News

International News

Members' News

Signing Your Way To Success Profile of the Kerry Deaf Learning Programme

Measuring Client Progression in Adult Guidance Provision By Lucy Hearne of WIT

Model of Best Practice: Clare Lifelong Learning Network

Mature Students and Distance Learning By Linda Dowling of UCD

Bringing Learners Together Through 'Learner Networks' By Niamh O'Reilly, Membership Development Officer, AONTAS

Cover Story: Pursuing the Dream Berni Brady on citizenship education in the United States

Liberal Adult Education in Sweden By Frances Killeen, Information Officer, AONTAS

Explore Interview – with Britten Mansson-Wallin, Secretary General of the Swedish National Council of Adult Education

Focus On… Mature Students

Exploring the Myths About Men's Community Education

Until Issue 4! Martina Quinn Communications Officer AONTAS

By the Support, Learning and Action for Men Community Education Group

Update on the new AONTAS Executive Committee

AONTAS News

Explore AONTAS AGM Demands Recall of NALC A motion passed unanimously at the recent AONTAS AGM calls on the Department of Education and Science to recall the National Adult Learning Council (NALC) to enable members of the Council to discuss its review and future direction. The motion, proposed by AONTAS VicePresident Bríd Connolly, was seconded by AONTAS President, John Ryan, and strongly supported by the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI). Seán McCarthy, who represented the TUI at the AGM, and who was a member of NALC before its suspension in 2003, said he found it very strange that, after 20 years of Government promises on adult

education, NALC was suspended almost as soon as it began.“For some reason that was never explained to the members, or to anybody involved in adult education, it was effectively put aside,” he said. Berni Brady, Director of AONTAS, welcomed the unanimous support for the motion on NALC. “This motion received great support from delegates at our AGM,” she said. “It is clear that all those involved in the adult education sector in Ireland feel very let down by the Government. NALC was established in 2002, but suspended the following year, and is supposedly 'under review' by the Department of Education. However, the Department refuses to give us any updates on this review, or on the future of NALC. I think it is clear from the

First Ever Adult Learners' Festival to Take Place Next Year

• Day two: Intercultural learning opportunities

For the first time ever, a nationwide celebration of adult learning will take place in Ireland next year. The AONTAS Adult Learners' Festival will take place from 22-26 January 2007.

• Day four: Work-based learning opportunities

The aim of the Festival will be to celebrate and highlight the achievements of adult learners, and to promote the importance of adult learning to politicians, policy-makers and the general public. The theme of the Festival will be 'Learning Opportunities for All'. Each day of the Festival will focus on a specific aspect of this theme: • Day one: Learning opportunities for early school-leavers

• Day three: Family and community learning opportunities

• Day five: Learning opportunities for the third age. It is envisaged that AONTAS – in partnership with other relevant national organisations – will organise a number of events at national level to mark the Festival. We are also encouraging all our members to mark this event in their own locality, and we will provide various support materials to enable local groups to participate. If you are interested in taking part in the Festival, or want more information, please contact AONTAS on 01-4068220, Email: mail@aontas.com.

John Ryan, President of AONTAS, speaking at the AGM

response to our motion that the adult education sector will not rest until the Government proceeds with NALC.”

New Exhibition to Highlight Further Ed Options AONTAS is pleased to announce its support for a new exhibition, due to take place later this year. The Freshstart Expo will take place in the RDS, Dublin on Saturday, 30 September, and Sunday, 1 October 2006. One of the key themes of the Expo is Further Education, and AONTAS will be contributing to this aspect of the event. Comprehensive information will be available on further education opportunities, and the Expo will also host exhibition stands on Changing Your Career, and Starting Your Own Business. Seminars on various topics relating to adult education will also take place over the two days of the event. Further information on the Freshstart Expo is available from www.myfreshstart.ie.

New Citizenship Resources Available Now! AONTAS, the National Association of Adult Education, has recently produced two useful new resources for citizenship education. The Citizen Learner Report and DVD were produced in the aftermath of the AONTAS 'Citizen Learner' Conference, held in Dundalk in May 2005. Both the DVD and Conference Report are available, free of charge, from AONTAS, while stocks last. Email mail@aontas.com or phone 01-4068220 to get your copies now!

Adult Education News

Explore NALA Launches New ESOL Resources

Student Support Services Booklet Launched

NALA, the National Adult Literacy Agency, launched new ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) resources at the beginning of May.

Guidelines to improve the organisation and effectiveness of Student Support Services in all Irish universities were launched in April.

The resources are contained in NALA's literacy learning and tuition website, www.literacytools.ie, and were launched at a recent conference on ESOL, entitled 'Building Skills'. The conference took place at the Sheldon Park Hotel, Dublin on 4 May, and explored tuition methods and materials for improved ESOL practice. It also highlighted the wider issues of ESOL, such as lack of investment to meet continuously increasing demand for the service. Keynote speakers at the event were Marina Spiegel, from the Language and Literacy Unit of London Southbank University, Aristogena Gjini, a Leaving Certificate student at Pearse College, and Kieran Harrington, an ESOL trainer and Acting Adult Literacy Organiser with Co. Clare VEC.

The guidelines come in the form of a booklet entitled National Guidelines of Good Practice in the Organisation of Student Support Services in Irish Universities, and were published by the Irish Universities Quality Board (IUQB). The booklet aims to establish current practice, identify good practice, and prepare a national code of good practice. It came about as the

Taskforce on Active Citizenship The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern TD, announced the membership and terms of reference of the new Taskforce on Active Citizenship in April. The Chairperson of the new Taskforce is Mary Davis, Chief Executive of Special Olympics Ireland. Representatives from trade unions, Government Departments, religious bodies, and community and voluntary organisations are also included in the Taskforce. The Taskforce's terms of reference include reviewing current trends in citizen participation in Ireland, and recommending measures that could be taken as part of public policy to encourage a greater degree of active citizenship. Announcing the membership of the Taskforce, the Taoiseach said Ireland had a deep tradition of active engagement by citizens in every aspect of national life and cul-

Call for Papers for The Adult Learner 2007 The Adult Learner is the journal of adult and community education in Ireland, founded in the mid 1980s.

result of inter-university projects, conducted by the IUQB in collaboration with the universities. It is now intended that each university will take the booklet's agreed statements of good practice into consideration when planning improvements to its own Student Support Services. This is one of a series of booklets from the IUQB, whose mission is to play a lead role in developing a culture of quality in all activities of Irish universities, in line with the highest international standards. Further information on the IUQB and the new booklet is available from Joan Fogarty, IUQB Research and Communications Officer, Tel: 01-6449774. ture. “We need to identify and understand how public policy helps and hinders active engagement,” he said. “We need to identify practical steps to encourage more of our people to become involved, and to stay involved, in the life of their own community.” While the establishment of the Taskforce has been broadly welcomed, some community and voluntary organisations feel that its membership does not accurately reflect Irish society. The Community Workers' Cooperative has expressed concern about the lack of involvement from excluded communities, and the apparent lack of recognition of the changing nature of Irish society. AONTAS also expressed disappointment that no direct representative of the adult education sector was included in the Taskforce. Further information on the Taskforce on Active Citizenship is available from www.taoiseach.gov.ie.

three kinds of papers: 1. Fully refereed papers of about 5,000 words that engage in debates about the ideas, concepts, theories and practices of the field.

Its primary aim is to serve the needs of the adult education community in Ireland by providing a forum for critical reflection on the practices of teaching and learning.

2. Papers and case studies of about 2,000 to 3,000 words that address the need to share examples of good practice and exchange ideas about what works well in various programmes, innovations and contexts.

The journal encourages papers from the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and overseas that may be of interest in Ireland. The journal invites

3. Resource reviews of about 600 to 1000 words that provide a review of books, materials and resources that help identify and evaluate a wide

variety of teaching and learning resources. Papers for consideration should be sent before 8 September 2006 to Editor, The Adult Learner, AONTAS, 2nd Floor, 83-87 Main Street, Ranelagh, Dublin 6, or by email to adultlearner@aontas.com. If sending a paper by post, an electronic copy will also be required on disc. Further information and style guidelines are available from AONTAS, Tel: 01-4068220, Website: www.aontas.com.

International News

Explore Inequalities Biggest Worry for EU's Education System

a major problem throughout the EU.

Inequalities in access to learning are the biggest worry for the education system in the EU, according to an independent report published recently.

“Europeans from difficult socio-economic backgrounds don't receive the same educational opportunities as children from rich and middle-class families,” the report states. “… In many countries, European schools reinforce existing socioeconomic inequities.”

The report was written by Andreas Schleicher, an education expert with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). It argues that a lack of openness of the education system to students from all social backgrounds is

The report cites the example of Germany, where children in white-collar families are four times more likely to go on to higher education than those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In contrast, Shcleicher praises Finland for the equity

UK's Largest Festival of Learning The UK's National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) held its annual festival of learning at the end of May.

The NIACE Adult Learners' Week took place from 20-26 May, and featured thousands of events in colleges, local shops, supermarkets, factories, businesses, libraries, museums, community centres, and adult education colleges. Events were designed

inherent in its education system, and names it, together with Canada and Japan, as having the world's most successful education systems. For the past two years, Finland has been the top performer in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a study that compares students' performances in OECD countries. While some countries refuse even to publish the PISA study's evidence on social inequality between schools, Finland has less than five per cent variation in student performance between all schools.

to give adults the opportunity to get a taste of learning at a time, a pace, and a place that suited their needs. The NIACE Adult Learners' Week is the largest annual celebration of adult learning in the UK. This year, it included a Cultural Diversity Day, a

policy conference on 'Adult Skills in the Global Economy', a parliamentary reception at the House of Commons, and a Learning at Work Day. Further information on the events that took place during the Week is available at www.niace.org.uk.

Attention AONTAS Members! A media training session, available free of charge to all AONTAS members, will take place in the Carmichael Centre, Dublin, on Friday 30 June 2006. The training will cover basic media skills, and is aimed at people actively involved in publicising their organisation, or in raising awareness about adult education activities. 15 places are available on this training session, and these will be allocated on a firstcome, first-served basis. Participation is limited to three employees per organisation. To book a place on the training session, please contact Martina Quinn, Tel: 01-4068220, Email: mquinn@aontas.com. Please note that further training sessions will take place throughout the country later in the year.

AONTAS National Association of Adult Education 2nd Floor, 83 – 87 Main Street, Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Tel: 01 406 8220/1 Fax: 01 406 8227 Email: mail@aontas.com Website: www.aontas.com

Members’ News

Explore

The Plan sets out an ambitious threeyear work schedule for communitybased learning and support services that are local, friendly, and free, and that support people in local areas to build confidence and develop skills and talents that benefit themselves, their families, and the local community.

CLVEC – outlines why an integrated approach to the VEC's community-based programmes is so important: “As we move into the new knowledge society of the 21st century, the successful track record and the sound structures that have been established in the area of community education and learning over the past 25 years are going to be critical to Limerick's ongoing development as a dynamic, inclusive and prosperous city.”

In her foreword to the Plan, Mary Hamilton – Adult Education Officer with

Further information on the Plan is available from www.learnlocal.ie.

Changes to Membership Fees and Categories

associate member category will be made to cater for overseas members – all rights will be afforded to these members, apart from voting.

AONTAS remains accessible to all organisations and individuals. Further information on these changes will be provided to all members in the coming weeks.

Proposals to amend the AONTAS Constitution in relation to membership categories and fees were unanimously passed at the AONTAS AGM in May.

Membership fees have also remained unchanged for over 15 years and, with the ever-increasing cost of servicing members (€75 for each member to cover postage and stationery alone), a revised fee structure was called for.

CLVEC's 'Learn Local' Plan City of Limerick Vocational Education Committee (CLVEC) recently launched its first ever 'Learn Local' Plan. This is a plan for CLVEC community-based programmes and services, and covers the period 2006-2009. The plan is the result of extensive work by learners, staff, and partners of the VEC's adult education service. Its purpose is to develop one coherent plan of action for the five CLVEC community-based programmes: the Adult Learner Support Service (Literacy), the Community Education Programme, the

The categories of membership in current use in AONTAS have remained unchanged since 1983. However, they do not accurately reflect the range of members today. To rectify this situation, it was proposed that a change to the Constitution would be made with regard to the categories. The corporate voluntary and corporate statutory categories will be combined to simply give 'organisational members', so as to allow for members that do not strictly fall into either category. The individual member category will be unchanged, and the introduction of an

Derek Fitzpatrick: Tribute Derek Fitzpatrick died suddenly at his home on 13 February 2006. Derek was a member of AONTAS, and an active contributor to the work of the organisation. Only in January, he took part in the consultation seminar at Chief O'Neills in Dublin, where the setting up of a new research association for adult education was discussed. His input on

Back To Education Initiative, the Drugs Prevention Strategy, and the Adult Educational Guidance Service.

The fee structure proposed is based on the income of the member organisation, and fees will differ accordingly. The individual membership fee will increase, but not for the unwaged. The new category of associate members will incur a standard fee, regardless of whether it is an organisation or an individual, as the cost to service both is identical. Whilst we are mindful of the implications of a fee increase to our members, we feel that the new fees are necessary, justifiable, and designed to ensure that

the day was enthusiastic and energetic as ever, and he was keen to support the project in whatever way he could. Derek was a regular voice at AONTAS conferences and events, including last year's 'Citizen Learner' conference in Dundalk. Many of you will remember Derek, who worked with Dublin City Development Board, from the work he did in recent years with the Learning Cities Project, bringing all the education partners in Dublin together to make learning opportunities available to everyone.

Berny Brady, Director of AONTAS, speaking at the recent AGM

Apart from his work with the City Council, Derek was a well-known community activist in the Ballymun area where he lived. A vivacious, outgoing man, he was also a keen musician and entertainer. He was a real people person, and will be sorely missed. Our sincere sympathies are with Derek's wife, family and friends and all those who worked closely with him in the Ballymun community and in Dublin City Council.

Members

Explore

Signing Your Way To Educational Success The Kerry Deaf Learning Programme is a collaboration between Kerry Education Service (the Vocational Education Committee in Kerry) and Kerry Deaf Resource Centre. The Programme is funded under the Education Equality Initiative (EEI), and supported by Léargas. Here, Michelle Anne Houlihan, Community Education Facilitator with Kerry Education Service, outlines how the Programme came about, and what exactly is involved.

Initial Consultation In January 2003, I commenced employment with Kerry Education Service (KES) as the Community Education Facilitator. Following an initial induction period, I began a consultation process with the existing community-based learning groups in Kerry. As part of this process, I initiated a meeting with Willie White, Manager of Kerry Deaf Resource Centre (KDRC). Prior to the commencement of the EEI Programme, the Deaf Centre had sourced specialised equipment and resources that, in turn, enabled and empowered deaf Irish Sign Language (ISL) users to participate in local education courses, albeit in an ad-hoc and occasional manner.

EEI Application It was, in fact, the ad-hoc manner of deaf adults' participation in adult and further education that resulted in a more indepth analysis and, subsequently, an application for support under the Education Equality Initiative. Pertinent to the application was that the education programme would be deaf-led, would include deafrelated curriculum, and would employ – where possible – deaf tutors.

“Educational opportunities must be extended to the entire deaf community so that a 'Deaf Culture' is represented at all levels of education provision” to the Kerry Deaf Resource Centre, and have requested appropriate educational opportunities to be provided locally. The 18 participants have at least a primary level education.

Teaching Methodologies and Course Content Irish Sign Language is used as the medium of communication throughout all modules and training. Utilisation of technical aids such as videoconferencing,

The successful application to EEI resulted in the setting up of a Management Committee, with representation from KDRC, KES, deaf learners and IT Tralee. The role of this Management Committee is to manage, advise, evaluate, guide, and support the project. A full-time coordinator was employed to implement the objectives outlined in the three-year plan. The target group for this project are 18 deaf adults who, at present, are affiliated 8

Some of the participants and management in the Kerry Deaf Adult Learning Programme

video/DVD, and other suitable information technology aids are integral to the process. The project has developed deafrelated resources, including: Irish Deaf Community, Culture, Irish Sign Language, and Linguistics of Irish Sign Language, module descriptors, lecture notes, articles, and other reference materials. This project is a specific application of the resources necessary to implement culturally appropriate educational material to deaf adults who use ISL as their first language. In fact, the Management Committee is bilingual, with ISL as the first language, and an interpreter is employed for meetings to translate for non-ISL users. A number of the modules are based on the British model, developed by the Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People (CACDP). CACDP is a UK awarding body, accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), offering a wide range of qualifications (from basic to advanced levels) in communication methods commonly used by deaf, deafened, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind people, and in Deaf Awareness (this includes awards in Irish Sign Language). The UK model is being used as a blueprint, as there is currently no accredited culturally appropriate curriculum in the Republic of Ireland. The Programme timetable also includes workshops and courses that lead to a greater awareness of equality and empowerment issues – for individuals, and for the learners as a deaf group. All course content was decided through consultation carried out by the Programme coordinator.

Members

Explore Progress To Date Since the commencement of the Programme, the students have participated in the following modules and workshops: • Level 1 Certificate in Deaf Awareness • Level 1 Certificate Awareness

Deaf-Blind

• Level 1 Certificate in Communication Tactics with Deaf People • Level 1 Certificate in Deaf Community and Culture • Level 1 Certificate in Irish Sign Language • Level 2 Certificate in Irish Sign Language • Information Technology • ISL Linguistics • Study Techniques • Research Skills • Curriculum Planning • Developing Materials and Resources for Deaf Learners • Communications FETAC Level 4

note-takers, etc. we are only doing so for individual learners – educational opportunities must be extended to the entire deaf community so that a “Deaf Culture” is represented at all levels of education provision in Kerry. It has also highlighted the need to have KDRC and deaf students at the centre of the planning stage, to develop deaf-related curriculum, and to develop accredited training that has clear progression paths for deaf adult learners. KES and KDRC recognised the necessity for a partnership approach, if developing the capacity of deaf adults to participate in an education programme was to become a reality. This included the exploration of existing deaf-related modules, exploring accreditation options, developing the capacity and confidence of the deaf learners, and creating a realistic opportunity to influence local and national policy on adult education provision for deaf students.

• Committee Skills • Introduction to Social Policy • Lectures on the Irish Education System • Start your Own Business • Health-Related Workshops The British modules are adapted by the Programme coordinator to suit the Irish culture and community context.

Why did KDRC and KES apply for EEI funding? The short answer to this question is “to develop a local model of good practice for deaf education provision which could be used nationally”. However, this project has achieved so much more. The EEI funding has provided us with an opportunity to create the space, the flexibility, the time, and the cultural appropriateness to develop a model of education that is deaf-led. The students have participated in lectures, workshops and education courses that are delivered (where possible) by deaf tutors.This, in itself, has been an inspiration to all. The Project has highlighted to the VEC that, when we think we are being inclusive to deaf learners by providing interpreters,

“The EEI funding has provided us with an opportunity to create the space, the flexibility, the time, and the cultural appropriateness to develop a model of education that is deaf-led”

Outcomes At this stage, we are in the final phase of the Programme. The coordinator, learners, and Management Committee are busy participating in an externallyappointed evaluation process, and organising a conference for October 2006. This is additional to the continuation of the day-to-day work involved in implementing the education programme, not to mention the hype and nerves as the learners are preparing to take more exams over the next few months! While the final draft of the evaluation has not been presented to the Management Committee, it is clear that the project has been an invaluable expe-

rience for all involved. With hand on heart, I can honestly say that, at all times, the learners were, and are, central to the process. The Education Programme is voluntary. Childcare support enables learners to participate in the programme, but no other allowances are paid. The learners' attendance was close to 100%, and indicative that the philosophy of this project was inclusive. With the end in sight, I feel strongly that the lessons learned and the outcomes of our evaluation report and conference should not be “done because we got the funding”, but should be considered in developing deaf educational policy. This Programme is community-based, and community education has been identified as an essential element in a plan to alleviate educational disadvantage.

What Next? The Kerry Deaf Education Programme has taken this opportunity to explore the value of adult and community education, the model has been developed, and the lessons learned have been recorded. The fear for us all is: “What next”? If we have proved that this model works for us, does that mean that we can continue on the path to inclusion? The learners need more time; their thirst for learning has not been quenched. Ideally, the Programme would exist to progress the learners to Level 5 on the National Framework for Qualifications in Ireland, and to ultimately progress to third level education. We have had fun on this journey, and it has been hard work! But it has included people who genuinely sought success. The dedication of the Project coordinator and Management Committee has been crucial to the process. At the end of the day, it has been the learners who truly shone for, without the learners, there would be no Programme. For further details on the Kerry Deaf Learning Project, please contact Catherine White, Project Coordinator, Kerry Deaf Resource Centre, Tel: 0667120399, TEXT Mobile: 087-9064230, Email: kerrydeaflearn@eircom.net, Website: www.kerrydeaf.com.

Learners

Explore

Measuring Client Progression in Adult Guidance Provision Lucy Hearne was a Guidance Counsellor with the Regional Educational Guidance Service for Adults from 2001 to 2005, during which time she conducted a research study on evaluating the benefits of guidance for adult learners. She is currently studying for her MA in Adult Guidance in Waterford Institute of Technology, for which she has been awarded the Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences scholarship. Here, she outlines the importance of adult guidance, and details the findings from her research.

Guidance Initiative The need for education and career guidance for adults was acknowledged by the Department of Education and Science in its White Paper on Adult Education, Learning for Life, in 2000. As a result, 35 services have been established under the Adult Educational Guidance Initiative, providing guidance to adults progressing to education and employment. It is anticipated that, by the end of this year, a comprehensive guidance service will be in place nationwide under the National Development Plan. A recent publication by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Career Guidance: A Handbook for Policy Makers (2004), states that: “well planned and organised career guidance services are increasingly important. Countries in the OECD and the European Union are implementing lifelong learning strategies, as well as policies to encourage the development of their citizens' employability”. To implement these strategies and policies, citizens will be required to develop skills to manage their own education and employment. Therefore, continuous access to appropriate information, advice, and guidance about education, training, and employment will be a necessity in the future.

Gaps in Career Guidance Provision However, the OECD publication also confirms that there are gaps in the regularity and systematic evaluation of the quality of career guidance services in 10

gression and inform future best practice for adult guidance provision in Ireland.

Research Study

Lucy Hearne

most countries. It states that: “standards for the quality of services do not exist, or are present in some sectors but not in others. Where quality standards exist, they tend to be voluntary rather than mandatory. Inspection of services against these quality standards is the exception rather than the rule”. As the AEGIs have only been in operation since 2000, much of the current activity of evaluation has been on an adhoc basis at local level, in the style of customer satisfaction surveys and feedback forms for service development and quality assurance. To date, there have been no national guidelines on the longitudinal tracking of clients to determine pro-

“Clients see guidance as an empowering process, allowing them to develop self-awareness and plan for the future”

One of the key recommendations of the research study I carried out for the Regional Educational Guidance Service for Adults (REGSA) in 2005 proposes that: “further research is needed on the topic of tracking systems to measure client progression for the future development of quality assurance systems at a national level”. The outcome of the research study was a report entitled Opening a Door: Evaluating the Benefits of Guidance for the Adult Client. Its purpose was to evaluate the benefits of guidance for the adult clients accessing the guidance service. The focus of the research was on the client's direct experiences of receiving information, advice and guidance, and the tracking of his/her progression to determine outcomes. It is evident from the findings that clients have benefited enormously from guidance provision, not only in terms of education and training experiences, but also career progression and personal fulfilment. The research also highlighted the importance of lifelong learning for adults, and the barriers they face in accessing education and training opportunities.

Benefits for Clients The key benefits experienced by the clients have been in the areas of personal development, access to professional expertise, information provision, signposting of options, and appropriate refer-

Learners

Explore ral. Clients see guidance as an empowering process, allowing them to develop self-awareness and plan for the future. Many clients described the experience in the following terms: 'increased motivation, realisation of potential, it challenged existing ways of thinking' and 'one-to-one guidance helped with confidence building and decision-making skills'. Having access to a trained professional who was 'non-judgmental and impartial' was extremely important for clients, and it gave one client the space to 'verbalise a problem in a confidential setting'. Another benefit was having access to relevant and up-to-date information, as prior to engaging with the service, clients were 'unaware of what is available'. Clarity of information is vital for adults who need to know what direction to take, and the opening up of new options has allowed many clients to explore areas they would never have considered before.

Progression After Guidance The primary aim of my research was to determine outcomes for the clients in terms of making changes, and to track their progression after accessing guidance. 74.2 per cent of clients had experienced change, and 56.5 per cent responded that 'changes were a direct result of help received from the service'. The two key outcomes identified by the clients were accessing education and career progression. 53 per cent of all respondents were in some form of education, and 64 per cent were in some form of employment. These statistical outcomes would support the current continuous increase in numbers of adults in education at all levels. The White Paper defines adult education as the “systematic learning undertaken by adults who return to learning, having concluded initial education or training”. The concept is intended to include a broad spectrum of access and re-entry into education, including the further education sector, higher education, community education, continuing professional development and training, and other systematic and deliberate

“The main barrier to progression is still financial, and even though funding supports are available to the majority of full-time students in higher education, they may be inadequate” learning options.

Barriers to Progression However, it is evident from the Opening a Door research findings that adults are still experiencing barriers to access and progression, as is evident in the Table below; Barriers to Change Financial Family Commitments Timing Inappropriate Lack of Childcare Ineligible for course uptake Low self-confidence Other

% 11.1 8.1 8.1 4.5 4.0 2.5 9.1

The main barrier to progression is still financial, and even though funding supports are available to the majority of fulltime students in higher education, they may be inadequate. This would concur with the argument that inequalities continue to exist within our current education system for adult learners. These are propounded by the lack of research of mature student progression within colleges where there are no systems to track students beyond their first year. As a result, there are difficulties about the recording and identifying of inequalities, and the implementation of supports needed for adult learners to enable their progression.

“Clients have benefited enormously from guidance provision, not only in terms of education and training experiences, but also career progression and personal fulfilment”

EU Policy on Guidance In the 2005 CEDEFOP report Improving Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems, six EU policy goals to which lifelong guidance contributes are prioritised. These are: 1. Efficient investment in education and training, 2. Labour market efficiency, 3. Lifelong learning, 4. Social inclusion, 5. Social equity, and 6. Economic development. In order to improve policy, develop common European indicators, and benchmark best practice, its expert group on lifelong guidance has developed a number of European reference tools. These include common reference points for quality assurance systems for guidance, especially from a citizen/user perspective. It recommends that, in order to ensure quality of provision for citizens, guidance services need to have a culture of continuous improvement involving regular 'citizen' feedback.

Ongoing Research My 2005 REGSA study was client focused in terms of design, implementation and analysis. Although it was primarily quantitative, service users did get the opportunity to give qualitative feedback on their experiences of accessing guidance, education and employment. This has given rise to the debate on the development of longitudinal tracking systems for quality assurance purposes, and the benchmarking of future best practice in adult guidance provision in Ireland. This is the current research topic I am exploring through case study analysis of service users in my MA in Adult Guidance in Waterford Institute of Technology. REGSA is based in Waterford Institute of Technology, and is the longest established adult guidance service operating within the Adult Educational Guidance Initiative. It is the only AEGI guidance service located in an Institute of Technology (since 1998). Copies of the REGSA report, Opening a Door: Evaluating the Benefits of Guidance for the Adult Client, are available at www.regsa.org. For further information, contact Lucy Hearne at lhearne@wit.ie.

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Model of Best Practice: Clare Lifelong Learning Network Ann Knox, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Coordinator with the Clare Lifelong Learning Network, explains how adult education groups in Co. Clare are using the most up-to-date technology to improve services for adult learners and course providers.

Background Clare Lifelong Learning Network (CLLN) is a network of more than 80 organisations from Co. Clare all involved in further, adult, or community education. The network is the brainchild of Clare Vocational Education Committee's Community Education Facilitator. Its aim is to establish an innovative lifelong learning system within Co. Clare through the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to develop alternative modes of programme delivery. The bottom line, however, is: Are the lifelong learning opportunities and services improved for the learner? CLLN was established in 2003, and in 2005 it received funding for three years under the EQUAL II Initiative (a community initiative, co-financed by the European Union). This facilitated the hiring of four staff members to promote the network, and to develop the four themes that underpin its work: partnership, equality and access, curriculum, and ICT. This article gives an account of work on two of these themes: partnership and ICT. CLLN activity can be tracked in full through the website, www.clarelearningnetwork.org.

“The aim of the network is to establish an innovative lifelong learning system within Co. Clare through the use of Information and Communications Technology” specific brief to work in partnership; less still reported on partnership activities; and very few had guidelines or training in how to work in partnership. To address this, CLLN – in consultation with its members – is designing a six-day training session on partnership. Members' feedback on what the training should address can be accessed under the title ‘Issues to be Considered in Partnership Training’, in the partnership category on the resources page of the CLLN website. The training will be delivered in two-day sessions over the course of a year. We believe the outcomes of the training will be: • A pro-forma Memo of Understanding between the partner groups, identifying the important elements of the shared work and who is responsible for what.

Developing Partnership

• Clarity about the role, authority and autonomy of organisation representatives to the partnership.

Partnership – or, more accurately, effective partnership – is being promoted at national and local level as the key to excellent service provision. In a recent survey undertaken by CLLN – among the programme coordinators, managers, and development workers of its members – most organisations aspired to work in partnership. However, less than half of respondents were aware of having a

• An evaluation template to assess how

“The ICT strand focuses on the use of ICT to support communications, learning, and management activities of network members”

well organisations work together and what impact the joint work has for learners. • Pro-Forma Service Agreements that create safety for organisations and groups to work together covering issues such as joint funding proposals, the sharing of resources, joint curriculum development and programme delivery, joint administration and planning ensuring progression for students, the development of lobbying positions, and joint evaluation. The Partnership Toolkit, which will be developed, will be available on the CLLN website by late 2006.

Clare Learning Network Website The ICT strand of CLLN focuses on the use of ICT to support communications, learning, and management activities of network members. The CLLN website is the main communications tool. On the website, a calendar lists activities or events that may be of interest to members.These events are archived, and documents (such as meeting minutes or application forms) attached to events can be accessed by all. The website is accessible to the highest levels and provides up-to-date information on the courses available in the county. The courses can be searched by content or by location. In addition, each network member has its own page describing the organisation's remit and contact details. Network members can log on to their pages and edit details or post new course details.

Learners' Forum A Learners' Forum provides online space

Learners

Explore for adult learners to communicate with each other and with the network members. The forum supports the work of the Equality and Managing Diversity strand of CLLN. A six-session module to explore the area of active citizenship is currently being developed.This module,which will be piloted by the Youthreach, VTOS [Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme] and BTEI [Back To Education Initiative] programmes, incorporates use of the forum as a vehicle through which learners may have a voice in the planning of lifelong learning provision in the county. The module descriptor and resources to support its delivery will be available in the Resources page of the website by the end of 2006. The Tutors' Forum provides a similar space for tutors. Access to the tutors' forum is through login and password. The Resources page provides access to learning, planning and management resources for the network members. Resources are provided by the members, and may be web links or Microsoft Word or Excel documents.

“Effective partnership is being promoted at national and local level as the key to excellent service provision”

Clare Learning Network Database The existing adult education provision in Co. Clare is provided by a number of different agencies – more than 40 in all. Records of these providers are kept in a variety of ways: database, paper-based, spreadsheets, etc. Funding is from a number of different sources and, as a result, reporting is undertaken under a number of different headings. The improvement in quality resulting from a Management Information System (MIS) database can be summarised as follows: the CLLN MIS facilitates collaboration in learning provision between network members and the provision of progression opportunities for adult learning in Co. Clare through its design and implementation. The database:

A meeting of the North Clare section of the Lifelong Learning Network

• Is used to register learners and track their progression • Is capable of providing information for reporting to various funding agencies for each individual provider and, in some cases, to more than one agency • Provides data that facilitates progression of learners • Provides data to facilitate county-wide education provision planning • Provides data for examination registration purposes. Staff members from various programmes have been trained in the use of the database. At the moment, the database is being piloted by Community Education, BTEI and Clare Adult Basic Education Service programmes.

Community-Based eLearning Facilities The establishment of eLearning facilities in rural situations, in line with the objectives outlined in Sustaining Progress (the 2003 agreement between the Government and the social partners), seeks to align learning opportunities more closely across urban and rural communities “… to maximise the impact, coherence and effectiveness of these programmes, support community development and delivery of a fair and inclusive society”. A previous community-based eLearning project, based in Miltown Malbay, received an excellence in public service award in 2004. This model has been expanded to three other rural areas, and is innovative in that it utilises

existing facilities on a promoter collaborative basis. The three new communitybased eLearning facilities are as follows:

“A Learners' Forum provides online space for adult learners to communicate with each other and with the network members” 1. South Clare: Newmarket-on-Fergus (Facilities provided by Pobal-funded Obair, facilitation provided by Clare VEC) 2. West Clare: Kilkee (Facilities provided by Pobal-funded Eirí Corca Baiscinn, facilitation provided by Clare VEC) 3. East Clare (Facilities provided by Clare VEC, facilitation provided by East Clare Community Co-op through a grant from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs). These three new centres complement the existing two centres, which are based in Ennis and North Clare (Miltown Malbay), thus providing coverage in each of the five network areas. Training in integrating ICT in learning has been provided for Adult Education tutors and a manual to support eLearning in Adult Education is presently being prepared. Further information on the Clare Lifelong Learning Network is available at www.clarelearningnetwork.org.

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Mature Students and Distance Learning: A Student-Centred Approach to Measuring Success Linda Dowling, of the Centre for Distance Learning in the School of Business at University College Dublin (UCD), reflects on mature students studying at a distance from the University, and outlines some lessons for course providers on how to achieve success.

Blended Learning One of the challenges currently facing third-level institutions in Ireland is the widening of access to mature students who are not in a position to return to full-time education due to family, work, and other commitments. To widen access for these non-traditional learners, education providers are having to consider flexible and innovative approaches to the provision of programmes of blended learning, where home study can be combined with occasional attendance on campus. The Centre for Distance Learning at UCD's School of Business offers a Diploma and Degree in Business for mature students. These programmes were introduced to provide mature students with an opportunity to study for a formal qualification, while also fulfilling their work, family, and other commitments. The key features of these programmes include: ° A programme of blended learning, where home study is combined with occasional weekend attendance on campus ° The inclusion of study and learning skills development modules as part of the formal syllabus

non-traditional students. How innovative, and how flexible, varies between programmes, and is determined by the type of student participating on the programmes, and the particular blend of classroom attendance and distance learning built into the programme. This core dimension of the programme - type of student and blend of learning - should be the starting point in assessing the achievements and success of any non-traditional programme, and it drives the four measures of success outlined in the following questions: 1. What is the level of connectedness achieved between student and institution? 2. How satisfactory are the study materials, and study guidance provided? 3. How satisfactory is the assistance students receive in developing their learning competencies, and in maintaining progress in their studies? 4. How well do the academic assessment and administrative procedures “fit” with the needs of the non-traditional student? This model for assessing the success of programmes of blended learning and student support designed for non-traditional students is graphically represented below.

° The support of a personal tutor who offers a 'one-stop-shop' providing academic and administrative support

Student/Institution Connectedness • Institution - Student & Student Student • Personal Tutor Support • Study Groups

° Distance learning supported by weekly study plans and specially designed study guides ° Tutors with experience and understanding of the needs of mature students ° Regular correspondence with students via telephone, mail and email ° Online support provided ° Regular feedback to participants on study progress and performance

Assessing Programme Success By their nature, programmes of blended learning are innovative and flexible in design, so as to meet the special needs of 14

Assessing Programme Success: A Student Centred Approach

Study Materials • ‘Route Map’ Guides • Learning Outcomes Identified by Topic • Weekly Study Planners

Learning Competencies and Student Performance • Study, Learning, Writing &Exam Skills • Feedback on Course Assessment • Monitoring of Student Progress

Institutional Policies • Student-Centred • ‘One size does not fit all’ • Systems Flexibility

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Explore Student/Institution Connectedness One of the perceived disadvantages of studying at a distance is the geographical distance between the students and the institution, and the isolation that can be felt by students as a result. Developing a sense of connectedness between the students and the institution is a critical success factor for all distance learning programmes. Best practice in this area highlights the need to build a rapport with students, and develop the 'emotional' connection of the student to the institution. This rapport can be developed through the establishment of a personal tutor system that provides one point of contact through which all queries are channelled. The maintenance of regular contact with distance learners is essential to ensure steady study progress. This regular contact with students can help to develop a sense of connectedness with the institution, enhance student retention levels, and identify difficulties students might be encountering in their studies and which can be addressed by the institution. One invaluable support for mature students studying at a distance is that of geographically organised study groups. It is recommended that institutions proactively assist students in forming study groups. These groups provide students with an opportunity to debate course material and to discuss possible approaches to course projects and written assignments. Being a member of a study group can help those studying at a distance feel less isolated and more connected to the institution.

Study Materials The provision of home study guides is a well-established practice of distance learning providers. These study guides are usually accompanied by a textbook, and should include a detailed discussion of each course topic and its learning outcomes, the course assignment specification, samples of past examination papers, recommended course readings, and self-assessment questions to test understanding throughout each topic. Mature students studying on a part-time distance learning basis need to be provided with guidance on how to plan their study. This can be done through the inclusion in the study materials of 'route-maps' through a course, and weekly study planners.

Learning Competencies and Student Performance A comprehensive range of study skills development workshops are important to assist mature students returning to education. As far as possible, these workshops or modules should

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Developing a sense of connectedness between the students and the institution is a critical success factor for all distance learning programmesâ&#x20AC;?

Linda Dowling

be built into the main programme syllabus. Particular emphasis should be placed on planning and organising study, developing note-taking, reading, and memory techniques, and also on developing academic writing skills and examination techniques. Regular feedback from the tutor to mature students is important. Mature students tend to find two types of written feedback on assessment to be beneficial: (i) individual feedback to each student, and (ii) general assignment feedback to a class, outlining the main strengths and weaknesses of assignments.

The 'Fit' of Blended Learning to Academic Structures Institutional policies for programmes for part-time mature students must be sufficiently sensitive to, and capable of, adapting to the needs of these students. For instance, programmes customised for part-time mature students may require a longer semester, compared to full-time programmes, in order to allow for adequate absorption of course material. There must be some room for flexibility in assignment submission deadlines where a student is not in a position to meet the deadline due to unforeseen events at home or at work. Procedures for matters such as registration and submission of assignments must be tailored for these students who are not on campus on a regular basis

Conclusion It is widely acknowledged that mature students studying at a distance have very different needs to those of traditional full-time students, and that, if programmes are to be successful, they must be capable of meeting these needs. The first step in designing programmes to meet the needs of non-traditional students is to identify the characteristics of the student body and the model of blended learning that will most closely meet their needs. The next step is to design and implement appropriate systems and procedures around each of the four main elements identified in the earlier model for assessing programme success.

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Bringing Learners Together Through 'Learner Networks' As part of her work, Niamh O'Reilly, Membership Development Officer with AONTAS, is organising meetings with the aim of enabling adult learners to network with each other, and to influence the work of AONTAS. Here, she explains the idea behind these meetings, and how she hopes these 'Learner Networks' will develop in the future. As our mission statement asserts, AONTAS is dedicated to promoting and developing a learning society through the provision of a quality and comprehensive system of adult education that is accessible to, and inclusive of, all. Hearing and responding to the voice of the learner is imperative in achieving this.

Establishing Networks In order to better respond to the needs of the learner, AONTAS has recently developed its communication with adult learners by establishing learner networks. The networks will cater for all aspects of adult education, for example Traveller groups, men's and women's community education groups, asylum seekers and refugees, basic adult education participants, further education learners, and third level students. These networks have commenced since March of this year, and are taking shape through meetings that cater exclusively for learners. The aim of the meetings is to give learners a chance to meet each other and share experiences, and for AONTAS to provide information on developments at national level. They will also be used to feed into the policy work of AONTAS and the member organisation involved, so as to ensure we are responsive to the needs of adult learners.

Men's Community Education The first learner network meeting was held solely for men involved in community education in the Dublin area. The AONTAS members involved were Ballymun Men's Centre and Dublin Men's Coalition. Over 20 male learners attended the event, which took place in

All Hallow's College, Dublin on 29 March. The morning consisted of a number of inputs from learners and AONTAS staff. Two learners spoke of their experience of community education, and a strong recommendation was made for the course 'Men on the Go', to be used as a starting point for men returning to learning. Maureen Kavanagh, National Coordinator of the Community Education Facilitator's Programme, spoke of the initial development of community education in Ireland, and the importance of the practice and direction for the future. As Membership Development Officer, I made an input on the reasons for having the meetings, what we hope to achieve, and how we can maintain contact on an ongoing basis. Group discussions regarding issues important to learners explored topics such as the type of activities needed for men's community education; the learner supports needed; attitudes and barriers to returning to learning; and the recommended processes that foster good community education practice.

Mature Students The second learner network meeting was aimed at mature students in third level (full-time or part-time), and was held at the Teachers' Club, Dublin on 3 May. Over 20 learners attended from a number of AONTAS member organisations, including educational institutions and community groups involved in outreach courses. The day was planned in conjunction with NIMSO (the Network of Irish Mature Student Officers), and was designed to give students the opportunity to meet each other and share expe-

riences, and to feed into the policy work of AONTAS and NIMSO. Inputs at the meeting were provided by Mรกire Garvey (Mater Dei, DCU and NIMSO member), Finola McDonnell, AONTAS Policy Officer, and from a mature student, Stephen Stewart. Discussion groups were created on the basis of issues raised by the participants and topics covered included financial implications for mature students, institutional supports, and the application process. It is envisaged that matters raised will be revisited in the autumn, so as to ensure that all participants will continue to work towards resolution of the issues through lobbying activities.

Feedback From the feedback we have obtained so far, learners have expressed the view that the networks provide an important mechanism for improving the adult education service by ensuring that those who use it, i.e. the learners, are heard. They have also expressed their enthusiasm for opportunities that facilitate discussion with other learners, and participants said they found the learner network experience to be positive and motivational. The next AONTAS learner network meeting takes place in Waterford on 16 June, and is aimed at men's community education groups. If you are interested in being a part of an AONTAS learner network, please contact Niamh O'Reilly on 01-4068220 or email noreilly@aontas.com. Please note that the networks are run on a needs basis, so if you feel your area of adult education requires a space for learners to meet, please don't hesitate to contact us.

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Pursuing the Dream In January 2006, Berni Brady, Director of AONTAS, was selected to participate in a 10day exchange programme in the United States on the theme of 'Education and Citizenship'. Here, she recounts her experiences during the exchange, and describes some of the active citizenship programmes she witnessed in the US. The exchange programme, in which I was lucky enough to participate, was sponsored by the Irish Institute at the Centre for Irish Programmes, Boston College, and the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The exchange featured academic seminars as well as meetings with education policy-makers, educators, students, and nongovernment organisations that promote active citizenship and civil society in the US. Our group for the exchange consisted of 13 participants from a range of institutions involved in promoting civic engagement among young people and adults throughout Ireland. The trip took us to Boston and Alabama on an activity-packed tour of schools, projects and centres engaged in promoting citizenship through learning.

Active Citizenship in Boston We spent the first week of our exchange in Boston, where we had the opportunity to visit a number of interesting projects and schools that focus on education for democracy. We also heard some captivating inputs on the American political and educational systems from Dr. Irwin Blumer and Professor Mark Landy of Boston College. Some of the educational institutions we visited, such as the Boston Community Leadership Academy, gave a fascinating insight into what is possible if opportunities are grasped and risks taken. This school, which caters for 850 young people, was about to be shut down as a failing school, but has now been turned into a pilot school whose ethos and emphasis is on collaborative learning. The energy of the principal and her staff, as they support and encourage young people not just to work through the curriculum but also to work in their communities as volunteers, was palpable. Sitting in on some of the classes - where students sat in circular groups and interacted with the teachers - felt very similar to working with adult edu-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is hard to believe that less than 50 years ago, in the USA, an apartheid system kept people in poverty and excluded them from citizenship in their own countryâ&#x20AC;?

The Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, Alabama

cation groups, and the young people obviously enjoyed their experience of learning.

A Participatory Approach At other visits, such as that to the Hudson Public Schools and the Citizen Schools, we had some very interesting discussions with young people who were involved in decision-making about their own futures, and were living and learning active citizenship through practising governance in schools and participating actively in organising and volunteering in programmes outside of school. As an adult educator, I was very struck by the methodology used in the organisation of projects, which is essentially a participatory approach focused on the needs of the learner - much as we have been using in the adult and community education sector for many years. Adult development models are also at the core of practice in programmes run by a project called 'Facing History and Ourselves', which is designed to support teachers who are working with people facing difficult history, in countries where conflicts have divided people and where civil society is being rebuilt, for example in South Africa, Rwanda, Bosnia, etc.

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International

The North/South Contrasts While Boston was extremely interesting, the highlight of the trip for me was the visit to Alabama. Apart from the surreal feeling of leaving blizzards one day and basking in what might be early summer sunshine and blue skies the next, the North/South contrasts were fascinating. Having grown up in the 1950s in Northern Ireland, and just started as a student in Queen's University Belfast at the height of the Civil Rights movement in the North, the whole history and struggles of the black civil rights movement in America struck a chord that stirred many emotions for me. Standing in front of the church on Dexter Street in Montgomery, Alabama, where Dr. Martin Luther King began his career as a young preacher, was almost a surreal experience. A visit to the Southern Poverty Law Centre provided us with a shocking and moving account of the struggle for equal rights and freedom for black Americans. Watching a video of events in the late 1980s - 20 years after President Johnson had signed the Civil Rights Bill - brought home the pain of this struggle and the courage of those who led it. The Centre challenges discrimination by legal means, and also supports a programme for schools entitled 'Teaching Tolerance'. The visit provided a forum for one of the best discussions of the trip, and certainly served to remind us how much we take our rights for granted and how fragile democracy is if it is not nurtured.

Witnessing the Struggle for Civil Rights Our visit the following day to Birmingham, Alabama, where people lost their lives in the struggle for civil rights, took us to the American Centre for Law and Civic Education, and later to the Civil Rights Institute. The Institute is an educational facility with a memorial exhibition centre and a beautiful collection of African American Art. The exhibition centre traces the history of the civil rights movement with lots of fascinating film footage, including Martin Luther King's powerful 'I have a dream' speech. It also exhibits some artefacts of the 1950s,such as the separate drinking fountains and the 'Whites Only' signs that defined a person's place in the world. Our visit provided an opportunity to listen to a number of speakers, including Ms Janice Kelsey, who described her involvement as a child in the marches for freedom. Listening to someone who was directly involved in the marches brought the experience

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some of the educational institutions we visited gave a fascinating insight into what is possible if opportunities are grasped and risks takenâ&#x20AC;?

Berni Brady at a Martin Luther King memorial in Alabama

of the struggle to life, and provided a fascinating insight into what it was like to live as a second-class citizen. The final day of our trip took us to rural Alabama to visit Butler County Education District and the Butler County Schools, which provide education for children and young people from kindergarten to high school. The superintendent of the schools, Mike Looney, explained to us how they were trying to create incentives for their young people to go to college. The population of this rural area is mostly African-American and, traditionally, very few of the young people go into higher education. The schools create an extremely supportive environment for children and their parents, and the superintendent was hopeful that this year, for the first time, some of their students will go on to college. The final part of the day took us back to Montgomery, and a visit to the Rosa Parks Museum. This facility is dedicated to the Montgomery bus boycott triggered in 1950 by the refusal of Rosa Parks to give up her seat on the bus to a white person. The boycott began a movement that was to result in equal rights for people of colour 15 years later. The story of the boycott is told through an interactive visual presentation, based in an actual Montgomery bus complete with its 'Whites Only' sign delineating where people should sit. It brings home, in a stark way, the reality of life for black Americans in the 1950s.

Lessons for Ireland The whole trip was fascinating, exhausting and stimulating, and provided much food for thought, not just about American society, but also about the importance of promoting active citizenship at home. While Ireland has, for the last 10 years, been at its most prosperous, there are still huge pockets of disadvantage and inequality and we face many challenges as we strive to become a multicultural society. The recent establishment of the Taskforce on Active Citizenship provides a hopeful sign that the issue of active citizenship will finally be given some attention, and that resources will be provided to support programmes that promote it.

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Liberal Adult Education in Sweden It might be better known for saunas and Vikings, but Sweden deserves another claim to fame – its non-formal, or liberal, adult education system is one of the best in the world. Here, Frances Killeen, Information Officer with AONTAS, describes the liberal adult education sector and highlights some of the features that make it such a success. In Sweden, Government-supported liberal adult education is provided in two forms – Study Associations and Folk High Schools. The underlying principles of Swedish liberal adult education are the encouragement of democratic dialogue and the tolerance of different opinions. Liberal adult education first began in Sweden in the nineteenth century, with people coming together locally to study, attend lectures, and participate in cultural activities. The first Folk High School was set up in 1868, and the establishment of the first Study Associations took place in the early twentieth century.

Study Associations There are currently 10 Study Associations, with a total of more than 250 member organisations, throughout Sweden. The main activity of these Study Associations is the organisation of study circles, offering subjects according to the needs and wishes of the participants. Subjects covered in study circles include behavioural sciences, arts, maths, natural science, aesthetic subjects, civics and information. Approximately 320,000 study circles are organised on an annual basis throughout Sweden. Study Associations also provide cultural programmes throughout the country, and have cooperation agreements with more than 80 organisations, with whom they organise joint events.

Folk High Schools Folk High Schools offer both long and short-term courses and cultural activities. There are currently 148 Folk High Schools in Sweden, catering for those aged 18 years or older, with priority being

“Today, the Swedish Government invests €287 million in liberal adult education” given to applicants with little schooling. Folk High Schools are free to shape their courses according to the special interests and profile of each individual school, thereby allowing students to influence their direction and course content. The Folk High Schools provide courses at different levels and with different aims. These courses last anything from one semester to several years, and are available free of charge. Today, in Sweden, liberal adult education is extremely popular, with almost 25 per cent of the country's population participating in study circles on an annual basis, and over 75 per cent of the population having participated in Study Association or Folk High School activities at some stage in their lives. Swedish liberal adult education is largely financed by the state, counties and municipalities. Today, the Swedish Government invests €287 million in liberal adult education, with Government grants to Study Associations and Folk

High Schools being distributed by the Swedish National Council of Adult Education. This Council was established as a result of the 1991 Decree on Government Subsidy for Liberal Adult Education, which resulted in Government-supported liberal adult education becoming defined by objectives instead of by rules.

The Work of the Council The Swedish National Council of Adult Education is a non-profit organisation with three members: The National Federation of Study Associations, the Federation of County Councils, and the Interest Organisation for Popular Movement Folk High Schools. The Swedish Government entrusts the Council with the distribution of grants to the Study Associations and Folk High Schools, and the Council is required to submit budgets and fiscal reports in conjunction with conducting follow-up activities and carrying out evaluations of popular education activities. The Council is also responsible for providing its members with the following services: • Monitoring liberal adult education policies • Provision of information • Coordination of international contacts

“The underlying principles of Swedish liberal adult education are the encouragement of democratic dialogue and the tolerance of different opinions”

• Administration of the liberal adult education net – a European ICT (Information and Communication Technology) adult education network project. More information on the Swedish National Adult Education Council and liberal adult education in Sweden is available at www.folkbildning.se.

Interview

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Learning from Sweden's Success Britten Mansson-Wallin has been the Secretary General of the Swedish National Council of Adult Education since its establishment in 1994. She was in Dublin recently for the AONTAS seminar – 'Adult Education and Active Citizenship'. Here, she talks to Frances Killeen about her experiences of adult education in Sweden and how the sector there compares with the situation in Ireland. When you first meet Britten ManssonWallin, one of the things that instantly strikes you is her ability to size up a situation. Her powers of perception are immediately obvious when she shares her observations of the non-formal adult education system in Ireland.

Need for an Umbrella Body “On a local level it's just like Sweden,” she says. “You have a lot happening at local level, which provides a very important base. There are a lot of volunteers and a lot of cultural, social and educational activities. In Ireland, though, you never know exactly what is going on because a lot happens through networking, and there are a lot of different actors in the sector. The structure of the sector is not very clear and, while there is a marvellous variety in Ireland, to get

“It is not enough to have lots of activities – you need to have some kind of infrastructure for adult education, and the Government must pay for this infrastructure so that you can shape adult education in Ireland” 20

Britten Mansson-Wallin with Betty Watson of St. Andrew's Resource Centre, which Britten visited during her recent trip to Ireland.

political recognition you need to have some kind of umbrella policy body and you don't seem to have that.” Britten highlights the crucial role that her own umbrella organisation, the Swedish National Council of Adult Education, has to play in shaping adult education. “My Council, as an overall umbrella organisation for adult learning, is a way to insist that in the future you will have the opportunity to work in adult learning or to be an adult learner,” she says. “Without that, I think it becomes much easier to involve the non-formal system in the formalised system, and also it becomes much easier to put pressure on the non-formal methods to become more formalised.”

Data and Information One of the key roles of the Swedish National Council of Adult Education is to

administer subsidies to non-formal adult education organisations on behalf of the Swedish Government. Through this role, the Council is able to collect data and information on the sector as a whole – a gaping absence in the Irish adult education sector, and something that Britten identifies as a weakness for adult education in Ireland. “When I ask you for figures on participation or teaching hours in adult education in Ireland, you have approximate figures but you don't know exactly. To get some kind of recognition for the sector, you need to have these figures and you need to have some type of body to collect these figures. It is not enough to have lots of activities – you need to have some kind of infrastructure for adult education, and the Government must pay for this infrastructure so that you can shape adult education in Ireland.”

Interview

Explore Professional Background Having being involved in non-formal adult education since the age of 18, this lady knows what she is talking about. A mother of grown-up children, Britten first became involved in non-formal adult learning through a study circle in the small Swedish village where she was born, teaching parents the new maths curriculum that she herself had just completed in upper secondary school. Through teaching the new curriculum to parents in the locality, it was hoped that they, in turn, could help their children with this new course of study. Britten graduated from university with a

“The best way of adult learning is if you can combine an adult's own history and knowledge with new knowledge – this combination is extraordinary” degree in pedagogy, sociology and statistics, before taking up a position with the Swedish National Sports Confederation, working with professional leaders and sports teachers from higher education in study circles. From the Sports Confederation, Britten went on to become involved with the Swedish National Adult Learning Council, first through a member organisation, then serving as a board member, then finally taking up the role of Secretary General in 1994. She speaks of her role and her experience of working in adult education with great enthusiasm. “I think it's the most exciting area of education to work in,” she says. “Adults have their own experiences and a lot of knowledge to put into their own education. The best way of adult learning is if you can combine an adult's own history and knowledge with new knowledge – this combination is extraordinary.”

Learning V. Education Hailing from a country that the Swedes proudly call a 'study circle democracy', and that established its first Folk High School all the way back in the nineteenth century, Britten consistently refers to 'adult education' as 'adult learning'. This is a deliberate turn of phrase that she attributes to the range of opportunities associated with the term 'learning' as opposed to 'education'. She speaks of the formality instinctively associated with the term 'education' – a formality from which adult education must differentiate itself. “You must highlight the difference between the ordinary, formal adult education system and the non-formal system,” she says. “If there are no differences between the two systems, then why have a parallel system? If there are differences, they are probably good enough to be recognised, and you must make sure that they are.”

Common Challenges When Britten discusses the challenges facing adult educators and policy-makers in Sweden, they appear to be similar to those presenting themselves here in Ireland. Approximately 15 per cent of the Swedish population are 'new Swedes' (with a comparative figure of 10 per cent for Ireland), and Britten speaks of the need to find methods of integrating this population into existing structures and, where necessary, changing structures that have had a long tradition. “You must welcome all the participants and ask them for their needs,” she says. “It is not enough to say, 'We know what you need'.” The challenge of integrating new immigrant communities is ongoing, according to Britten. “I don't think we have fulfilled anything in Sweden,” she says. “Because as soon as you get new Swedes, or new structures in society, you recognise new needs. And, with new needs, you must find out what is the best way to meet the new needs. It's an ongoing process all the time. You cannot sit down and think 'Okay, now we did it, never again'!”

Another challenge for all those involved in liberal adult education in Sweden is one that we are all too familiar with here in Ireland – people's capacity for open-mindedness. “If you are not open-minded enough to listen to new interests from new actors, from new voluntary organisations, you don't listen to what local-based activities really need,” Britten says.

Nobody's Perfect Despite drawing gasps of envy from her Irish listeners while speaking of Swedish adult education structures, Britten feels no country has a perfect adult education system – not even Sweden. However, she does believe that clear structures and umbrella organisations are important.

“You must highlight the difference between the ordinary, formal adult education system and the non-formal system” “Every country that recognises that adult learning is important for the democracy, the society and the development of the country, is a good country for the development of adult education to take place in,” she says. “You have it in Ireland with your local activity. You have a good base to go on, but it's not enough. You need a political infrastructure; you need to get political recognition… To get that recognition you need an infrastructure, you need information, you need research – you need to make that happen!” If the adult education sector in Ireland can heed this advice, we just might be able to mirror Sweden's success. Further information on Britten Mansson-Wallin's work with the Swedish National Council of Adult Education is available at www.folkbildning.se

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Focus on... Mature Students

Making the Most of Mature Student Life Ongoing financial struggles, off-putting interview experiences, and amazement at the contradictions in the Government's policies on education - these are just some of the obstacles faced by mature students in Ireland's third level education system. Here, Martina Quinn meets three men who have returned to education, and finds out how they are coping with the challenges they face…

Mick Power: Up Against the State

families - my own kids came along… We handed them a letter, and we got a reply back the very next day, amazingly, and the Minister said to kind of watch this space - that the issue would be dealt with in the Budget.”

Mick Power made national newspaper headlines earlier this year, when he brought the Minister for Social and Family Affairs to court - and won. The story smacked of a David and Goliath style victory - an adult learner overcoming the might of the State - but, in reality, Mick's victory was the result of a long and tiresome struggle, stretching back over the last four years. Having worked in sales and marketing for 15 years, Mick was made redundant in 2000, and returned to education as a result, enrolling in University College Dublin (UCD) to study for a degree in Chemistry. Because he was unemployed before his return to education, he was eligible for the Back To Education Allowance (the BTEA).

BTEA Cutbacks At that time, anyone who qualified for the BTEA received the allowance throughout the year - including summer holidays. In 2003, however, the Government made cutbacks to the scheme, and it was this decision that ultimately led Mick to the High Court. “I got the BTEA in September 2002,” he explains. “And, in March 2003 - four weeks before the summer exams were due to begin - I got a letter from the Department [of Social and Family Affairs], saying that they had taken the decision in January - three months previously, and hadn't bothered to tell us - to cut summer payments for anyone who had previously been unemployed before they started on the BTEA… Effectively, what the Government did, was they took away 35 per cent of my annual income straightaway.” 22

When the Budget was announced that year, however, it included further cuts to the BTEA. At this point, the mature students' lobby realised they had no choice but to take the matter to court. Mick Power

Campaigning for Change Mick immediately began campaigning to reverse the Government's decision. Backed by the Students' Union in UCD, he wrote to the then Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Mary Coughlan TD, asking her to reverse her decision. When this failed, Mick and his colleagues decided to take their protest to the streets. “The first demonstration we organised with USI was actually in the Minister for Social and Family Affairs offices, and I was chained to a pole with two other USI officers,” he says, laughing at the memory. “I never thought I'd see myself as a mature student - well allegedly mature, in the light of those kind of events! - doing stuff like that. But we were determined to highlight it in any way we could. The next thing we did was we marched on the Dáil with students from all over the country and their

“All we wanted was for someone in authority to say that what the Minister did was wrong” – Mick Power

Legal Challenge In the end 173 mature students brought the case against the Minister, using Mick's story as a sample case. It was heard by Mr. Justice John MacMenamin on 28 February this year. “We asked for a certain number of things,” Mick explains. “We asked for an order called certiorari, which would have quashed the Minister's decision… a declaration that the Minister's decision was null and void, damages, any other order the court might make, and, lastly, costs… We didn't get certiorari, we didn't get the declaration that the Minister's decision was null and void, we didn't get damages, we got our costs - but only for me, not for the other 172 people - and we got… a declaration made that my legitimate expectation was breached, which was effectively what we wanted. We wanted someone in authority to say that what the Minister did was wrong.” The judge's decision was viewed as a victory for the mature students but, according to Mick, the victory was bittersweet: the judge found only in favour of Mick's own case, and rejected similar claims by the other 172 students. The reason cited for this was their failure to explain their delay in initiating legal proceedings against the Minister, or to

Focus on... Mature Students

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academic stuff - the interviewers were just looking at me, stroking their beards, going 'Oh right?' and I just thought, 'Oh my God, this place is depressing'… It was like a comedy sketch,it was so bad. So I didn't get that anyway, but I didn't expect to.” In contrast, he says his interview experience at DCU was very positive: “It was a totally different place,and there was just no snobbishness in the interview... Actually it went so nice and easy, I thought to myself, 'Maybe they thought automatically, no, and then just to kind of pleasure me, went through the routine of the interview'. But, no, it was grand.”

Mick Power's children protesting outside the Dáil in 2003 (photograph courtesy of Ian Oliver, Letcombe)

show what individual steps they had taken to reverse the Minister's decision after it was made. “It's disappointing that after travelling such a long road, and having got basically what we thought was a decision in our favour… that the legal technicalities and the way the Minister has fought it means that now the Minister is not going to pay anybody anything else except what we have to fight for in the court,” says Mick. “The Minister's legal team fought the judge's decision on every corner.” Mick has just finished his final set of exams for his degree. His tumultuous four years in college haven't put him off continuing his education, and he plans to remain in UCD next year to complete a Higher Diploma in Education. Mick says he is a committed lifelong learner, and an “enormous advocate” of adult education. “It's a thing that when you get a taste for it, you don't want to stop,” he says. “I mean I want to go on and maybe do some sort of post-graduate level study part-time down the road, after I get settled in a job. I don't think I'll ever stop. I mean lifelong learning - I've got the bug now, you know!”

Ed Power: Having A Great Time! Ed Power (no relation to Mick) is 29 years old, and has just finished his first year as an undergraduate in Dublin City

University (DCU). He returned to education as an adult, having abandoned school the first time round, six month's shy of his Leaving Cert.

Return to Education Ed decided to give education another chance in 2004, when he enrolled for a course in Coláiste Dhúlaigh in Coolock. “I knew I couldn't go to college just straight up,” he says. “I knew I had to get some kind of scheduling of life together - to get back into the run of things. So I went to Coláiste Dhúlaigh for a year… That was really just a case of having to do it to get to university.” After that year, Ed applied to DCU to study for a degree in International Relations. “I had to fill out the CAO form, and then write a little page essay thing at the back, and hand it into them, then wait to see if I'd get called for an interview,” he explains. “Thankfully, I got called and went for the interview, and two days later, they got back to me. It was bloody nerve-wracking for those two days. Because if I didn't get DCU, I was thinking to myself, 'My God, what am I going to do?'

Off-Putting Interview Prior to his interview with DCU, Ed had had a very negative experience in another Irish university. “DCU was my first choice, but I had an interview for my second choice before that,” he says. “It was stereotypical

After his acceptance to DCU, Ed applied, and was approved for,the Back To Education Allowance (BTEA). He said he encountered no difficulty in qualifying for the payment: “What made it easy was the fact that I was unemployed, and they're just happy in the dole office to get anybody off the register.”

Good Luck Ed believes he has been relatively lucky in terms of finances. “Some of the mature students in my class, they have to work to survive,” he says. “And they're leaving college at four o'clock, in work at six, working all night - they can't get anything done… And they know themselves that their grades would be much better than what they are if they had the BTEA” He believes that the unhelpful attitude of some Government agencies causes further problems for potential students. “I have been in touch with the Department of Social and Family Affairs,”he says, with a heartfelt sigh. “I mean really and truly, you'd have to wonder… You get in touch with them and they ask you what the problem is, and you'll tell them, and then they say, 'What do you think yourself?' And I'm going, 'Why are you asking me? If I knew, I wouldn't be phoning you!' It's unbelievable!” Despite the challenges he has faced, however, Ed remains convinced that he has made the right decision in pursuing a third level education. “The way things stood before I went back, I'd have been lucky to get a job in a newsagents, and I probably wouldn't have even got that actually,” he says. “So I had no choice but to go back, and I wanted to do that anyway… And I'm having a great time!”

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Focus on... Mature Students

Stephen Stewart: A Good Investment

“I'm not looking for a handout – what I'm looking for is an investment. I believe that I'm a good investment” – Stephen Stewart

Stephen Stewart left school at the age of 16, and worked in the painting business for 20 years, before returning to education - and finding himself ineligible for the BTEA.

cannot believe this is the situation.”

“I couldn't wait to get out of school,” he says. “At the time, I couldn't see the point in any education, because there were no jobs. It was 1984, and there were jokes, 'Could the last person to leave the country please turn off the lights?' - it was at that time, and that was the feeling. My dad was a painter, so I applied for FÁS to do an apprenticeship, and I got it, and that was me finished school.” Stephen decided to return to education in 2004 because of his growing disillusionment with his trade - he viewed education as a means of escaping an everincreasing cycle of unemployment and unpredictability.

Getting off the Merry-Go-Round “Starting jobs, working for six months and then you're off again, and then you go looking for work, or work for yourself, be broke, go and sign on the dole, not get any money off them because they say you're self-employed - you're just in limbo,” he says. “And I just got sick of that. And the only way I could think of actually getting off that merry-go-round, as I call it - because it just seemed to be happening and no way out - I saw education as being the key to success, to stopping it. I couldn't see any other way.” Stephen enrolled in a Return To Learning course in NUI Maynooth and, from that, progressed to a degree course in Media Studies. “One thing that always worried me was how was I going to finance this?” he says. “I knew you had to be unemployed for a year to get the BTEA, but I couldn't just sign on and stay there for a year… So I still didn't know what I was going to do.”

“If I didn’t get DCU, I was thinking to myself, what am I going to do?” – Ed Power 24

Stephen has been left with nowhere to turn but to his local credit union. “What can I do only borrow?”he says. “That's how I'm here today… I'm getting by on goodwill, and explaining to people what my situation is, and looking forward to a summer where I can make some money to get me through.” Stephen Stewart in NUI Maynooth

He believes his ineligibility for the BTEA will cost him somewhere in the region of €50,000 over the duration of his threeyear degree, and is baffled at the discrepancies between the amount of funding received by BTEA recipients and the amount available to those who do not qualify for the allowance. The only financial assistance he has received to date has been a grant from his local authority of €3,020. But when his financial struggles came to a head this winter, and he applied for a top-up grant, he found that, because he was ineligible for the BTEA, he was also ineligible for any additional grants.

A Call For Help “It was in the paper that it costs the average student €8,000 a year to live,” he says. “So I applied for the grant, and got that - €3,020. I thought I'd be able to make up €5,000 by doing small jobs… And that got me through until winter. But then when January and February came, the phone wasn't ringing - there was no money coming in. I needed help. So that's when I started looking for the top-up grant and some help with rent, only to be told by Social Welfare, 'You chose to go and do your degree', and to be told by the Department of Education, 'You don't qualify. Because you're not getting nine thousand [the BTEA], we can't give you three [the top-up grant]'. That's when I said: this is ridiculous. I can't understand it - I still

Rather than resigning himself to despair, however, Stephen has taken active steps to improve his situation. Since early spring, he has been writing to various Government Departments and State agencies, alerting them to his plight, and to the huge financial discrepancies that exist within the education system. So far he's written to the Departments of Education, Finance, and Social Welfare, as well as the Ombudsman and the Union of Students in Ireland. Those that replied, however, only told him what he already knew, and said they couldn't help. Despite this, Stephen is determined to continue his campaign, and to do his best to continue his education. “I'm not looking for a handout,” he says. “What I'm looking for is an investment. I believe that I'm a good investment. I will give more return to this country for the investment it makes in me than any property or whatever else. I am a good investment, and I'm 100 per cent confident in that… This is my only chance.” Information about the BTEA is available from your local social welfare office, or the Employment Support Services of the Department of Social and Family Affairs, Tel: 01-7043756, Website: www.welfare.ie. Further information on Stephen Stewart's campaign, including a copy of the letter he sent to the Minister for Education and Science, is available in the 'Latest News' section of the AONTAS website, www.aontas.com.

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Community Education

Exploring The Myths About Men's Community Education SLAM (Support, Learning, and Action for Men) is a men's community education group, based in Tallaght West in Dublin. Seven participants of the group – Mick, John, Terry, Pat, Tony, Paddy, and Dave – recently took part in an exercise, facilitated by group coordinator, Ed Du Vivier, which looked at the work of SLAM, their reasons for joining the group, and their thoughts on men's community education. This article is a summary of the discussion that took place during this group exercise

Introduction We are a group of men from West Tallaght, who meet together on a regular basis for three things: 1. SUPPORT – All of us have faced hard times in our lives and find that talking with other men helps us to cope. 2. LEARNING – We try to learn some new skill or fresh way of looking at the world at each session to give us a sense of moving forward. 3. ACTION – We're not just concerned with our own development, but also organise activities to raise awareness about the problems faced by men and what can be done to address these. We meet every Tuesday evening at An Cosán, a community education and training centre in Jobstown, Tallaght.

How SLAM Came About About two and a half years ago, the Human Relations Manager at An Cosán brought together a number of men who had already made contact with the centre. She invited a facilitator with links to the Men's Centre in Ballymun in North Dublin to run a few sessions with us. The first thing we learned about was Edward de Bono's thinking tools, which helped us view situations in a different light. For many of us, the way the group worked was a welcome change from the education we had received in school. We discovered that we can learn from each other, as well as from a teacher or tutor. An Cosán gave us a lot of support during the first few years so that we could get up and running. For the last year or so, we have got some funding from the Vodafone Ireland Foundation, which has allowed us to flourish and develop new activities.

“For many of us, the way the group worked was a welcome change from the education we had received in school”

Participants in the SLAM group

How Individuals Can Get Involved It is curious how people get to hear about SLAM. Sometimes, it is word-of-mouth – perhaps through our activities, like the information night on suicide we held in April of last year. From time to time, we advertise education programmes and new men join the group. And sometimes men just ring up to enquire about what we have to offer. Last summer, An Cosán conducted an outreach programme, when a team of researchers went from door to door asking about the education needs and desires of the local community. A special effort was made to address the needs of men in the survey. We had 72 expressions of interest arising from this survey, but these were followed up by only 30 or so men. Ultimately, only about 10 of these crossed the threshold and began to participate in the activities of our groups. This goes to show just how big a challenge we face when trying to engage men in their own development. 25

Community Education

Explore Who Can Join SLAM? Any man can join our group. We tend to hold a recruitment night from time to time, to explain what we are about. Any man who is interested can come along and sit in on one of our sessions.We explain how the group works and what our objectives are. This gives them an opportunity to experience the group, and to decide whether they are interested in what we are about. We hope that men who show an interest and attend one of our sessions will commit for a few weeks to get a fuller sense of what is going on.

What Does SLAM Do? As members of SLAM, we try to be true to our name. Our meetings are cycles of support, learning and action. The learning is for ourselves and other men, on a wide variety of topics, ranging from sums at one end of the spectrum to philosophy at the other. As we each develop and learn, we need and provide mutual support. The Suicide Information Night we organised is a perfect example of the way we work. We had to conduct research on an issue of catastrophic proportions in Irish society. This involved learning about the internet and using it to discover information about the symptoms of suicide, intervention strategies, warning signs, etc. We also talked to people involved in the field – counsellors, youth workers, doctors and social workers, etc. We had to put the project together and manage it so as to bring about a very successful public event. At the moment, we are planning another information evening – this time about the impact of drug abuse on families in the local area. During March of this year, we ran a short course called 'Computer Challenge' that gave dads and grandads an opportunity to learn with their kids and grankids. We have also launched a FETAC Level 3 Certificate programme, with a module in Communications, another programme about computers, and one that we call 'Finding Your Own Headspace'.

Support Provided by SLAM Each of our meetings starts with an opening circle. This involves playing a bit of music and reading out a poem chosen by one of the men as a kind of symbolic break between the group meeting and the world outside. This is followed by a 'goround' of the circle, which gives us all a chance to share what's on our minds, or to discuss a problem we might be having. In this way, we support each other through the good times and the bad. An Cosán also offers individual counselling or life coaching for participants, and a number of the lads have availed of these services.

“Any man who is interested can come along and sit in on one of our sessions” 26

“All of us have faced hard times in our lives and find that talking with other men helps us to cope”

What Issues Have Been Identified for Men in the Area? There are a lot of different things that affect men. To start off with, many of us had had bad experiences at school, which means that returning to education as an adult is not something we looked forward to. Lack of success in the education system limits your opportunities in relation to your working life and your career. Another issue is that the Celtic Tiger economy has brought about a change in the type of work available. Many of the jobs that used to be open to men without any qualifications aren't around any more. In addition, a lot of single or separated fathers have trouble gaining access to their children, and this is a problem for the kids as well, since they are growing up without their fathers. All of these factors lead to low selfesteem, a sense of isolation, and suicidal tendencies for at least some of the men in this area.

Benefits of Being a Member of the Group The benefits of being a member of SLAM vary for each participant. These are the responses of some of the men who participate in the group: • • • •

I get a sense of belonging to something. I feel I'm improving my education. I'm building up my self-confidence. As a result of the training in public speaking that we did, I was able to say a few words at the presentation when I retired from work. • I like the sense of support I get when I share my problems with the group. I also feel that I can help the others work through their problems. • I think it's a place where I can actually articulate what I feel, without the risk of being judged or getting adverse comments.

Future of SLAM We have no clear-cut agenda for where we are going in the future. We see ourselves as a men's group looking at issues of concern to men. Where these issues lead us to is where we will be going. We feel we are on a voyage of discovery. Further information on SLAM is available from www.ancosan.com, or from Ed Du Vivier, Coordinator of Men's Learning and Development with An Cosán, Tel: 01-4628491, Email: edduvivier@ancosan.com.

AONTAS Executive

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New AONTAS Executive Committee At the AONTAS AGM in May, a new Executive Committee was elected. Here, Martina Quinn, briefly profiles the members of the new Committee and the history of their involvement with AONTAS.

Election

in the UK, and her current work focuses on providing second-chance learning opportunities for adults.

Political elections are usually fraught with emotion - candidates plead with their constituents right up until the very last second to give them their vote, and then wait in nail-biting suspense as the ballot is counted. The results can make or break a would-be Government, and the candidates are all too well aware of this fact. While not quite as dramatic as the world of politics, the recent election for the AONTAS Executive Committee lent the AGM a palpable air of suspense. The contest resulted in lively inputs from the candidates involved, and led to the formation of a new Executive Committee, whose members are: Mary Hilda Cavanagh, Marian Duffy, Cora Foley, Maria Gorman, Pat Higgins, Jan Lewis, Marie Mulvihill, John Murphy, Valerie O'Carroll, Ruth Smith, and Rose Todd.

Members of the Executive Mary Hilda Cavanagh represents the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) on the AONTAS Executive, and has a long involvement in education herself, having previously worked as a secondary school teacher. This is her second term as a member of the Executive. Marian Duffy has also been elected to serve a second term on the Executive Committee. She is the Adult Education Officer (AEO) with Co. Carlow Vocational Education Committee (VEC), and has had a long and varied career in adult education. Cora Foley was spared the tension of an election to the Executive Committee, as she was the sole individual AONTAS member to put her name forward (there are two spaces on the Executive for individual members). Cora has been a member of the Executive since last year. She works with City of Limerick VEC, supporting youth and parent community groups around drugsrelated issues. Maria Gorman is a newcomer to the

John Murphy is another newcomer to the AONTAS Executive, and a representative of the Dublin Men's Coalition, a network of men's groups in Dublin. He is also actively involved in the Ballymun Men's Centre.

Valerie O'Carroll addressing the AGM

Executive Committee. She is a representative of Kerry Educational Services, the VEC in Kerry. Maria is also involved in local politics, and has served as a member of Listowel Town Council since 1979. Pat Higgins represents the Adult Education Officers' Association. He is the AEO with Co. Mayo VEC and, like Mary Hilda and Marian, this is his second term on the AONTAS Executive. Jan Lewis is representing the Second Chance Education Project for Women, a community education project, based in Co. Donegal. She has been a member of the AONTAS Executive since October 2003. Marie Mulvihill has been on the AONTAS Executive Committee since last year, representing the Francis Street Community Centre, based in inner-city Dublin. She has worked in adult and community education

Valerie O'Carroll represents the Clondalkin Women's Network, and has been a member of the Executive since 2003. She is coordinator of the Clondalkin Women's Network for the past four years, and is also actively involved in the National Collective of Community-based Women's Networks (NCCWN). This is Ruth Smith's third term on the AONTAS Executive, representing the Tipperary Women's Network. Ruth is the Community Development Coordinator at Knockanrawley Resource Centre in Co. Tipperary. Finally, Rose Todd represents the NCCWN, and this is her second term on the AONTAS Executive. There is one vacant place on the AONTAS Executive Committee for an individual member - this will be filled by cooption over the coming months.

Officer Board Tom Hussey retired as Vice-President of AONTAS at the recent AGM, and was replaced by BrĂd Connolly. The positions of President and Treasurer remain unchanged, and are currently filled by John Ryan and Paddy Nolan. The position of Secretary is currently vacant, and will be filled by cooption over the coming months. AONTAS would like to take this opportunity to wish Tom Hussey and the outgoing members of the Executive Committee all the best, and to thank them for all their hard work.

New AONTAS Executive member John Murphy addressing the AGM 27

Make Our Voices Heard! AONTASâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; priority for 2006 is to put adult education back on the political agenda. You can help us by keeping us informed of your campaigning activities, and by lobbying your local representatives to make sure they are aware of adult education issues. Together, we can make our voices heard, and make sure that politicians and policy-makers sit up and take note.

AONTAS is the Irish National Association of Adult Education, a voluntary membership organisation. It is an umbrella organisation, encompassing all the various aspects of adult education in Ireland. The role of AONTAS is to work towards improving the adult education sector in Ireland through policy development, promoting the benefits of adult education, and conducting research.

AONTAS National Association of Adult Education 2nd Floor, 83 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 87 Main Street, Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Tel: 01 406 8220/1 Fax: 01 406 8227 Email: mail@aontas.com Website: www.aontas.com