Workshop C - Session 2

Title: Promoting Social Inclusion and Active Citizenship - Work with Under Represented Groups Chair: Fiona Blacke, Scottish Community Education Council, UK

Introduction by Fiona Blacke

The name of the game these days is the creation of a learning society where everyone is actively involved in lifelong learning. We dream and plot to bring about a new social order where everyone has the means to develop the skills, knowledge and expertise to be economically active, creative citizens contributing to their fullest potential to a healthy democratic society. We see learning as a route out of poverty, as a democratising process and as a liberatory force.

The problem is that participation in learning in any form is not a given and that participation seems to be directly affected by status, gender, age and experience. The reality behind the creation of the learning society is that there is the potential to further increase the social and economic divisions, which already exist.

The "learning rich" are likely to be among the middle and upper classes, men, white, the employed and the urban dwellers. They will also be those who spent a long time in initial education. The 'learning poor' are likely to be the unemployed, the working classes, women, ethnic minorities, the geographically isolated and those who had unpleasant and short experience of initial education.

This workshop is about how we in Europe who want to promote lifelong learning work with those groups in our society who are currently not involved in learning.

The means to achieve full participation are pedagogical as well as political. We need to look at issues surrounding image, access and relevance - to place the needs of these groups at the centre of the learning process rather than promoting and delivering forms of learning which only serve to further exclude. Similarly we need to persuade politicians and policy makers to review the systems and institutions which currently deliver learning and take action to eradicate the current structural and ideological impediments to participation.

There is no doubt that ensuring the participation of under represented groups in lifelong learning will be central to the creation of a truly learning society.

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