WEA Conference 2007

This October an event was held jointly with the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) concerning the public value of adult education, featuring a range of speakers and case studies from the adult learning sector, with the WEA’s formal business taking place the following day.

The Public Value of Adult Education, Friday 26th October
Adult learning is a good thing. Learners know it, tutors know it, and recent research proves it. Learners' stories provide compelling evidence of the profound impact that involvement of adult education has on their lives and those of their families. The Wider Benefits of Learning Research Centre (whose Director, Dr Leon Feinstein, made a well-received keynote speech) confirms that learning touches people in many ways: it has quantifiable health benefits, can help steer people away from crime, and encourages them to play a more active part in their community.

Some of these benefits are private to individuals - for example, improved self-confidence, or enhanced employability or income. Others are good for businesses - higher skills contribute to improved productivity. And some benefit society as a whole through improved social cohesion, better health and wellbeing, or easier social mobility.

This joint WEA/NIACE conference on Friday 26 October led to a stimulating debate about the public value of adult learning and gave the 210 participants on the day the chance to find out more about the following case studies, each of which describes the value of particular examples of adult education provision (click on each to read more):

Case Studies of Public Value in Adult Education   WEA Helping in Schools Courses (these are delivered across England)   Tandrusti Health Education Project (West Midlands)   WEA Courses at Thurrock MIND Centre (Essex)   WEA Scotland Reach Out Project (Aberdeen)   WEA Women’s Training Initiative (Rochdale)   WEA Courses at SWANS (Essex)   Open University Bridges to Learning Project (Teeside)   unionlearn Merseylearn project (Merseyside)   Leicester College’s Contribution to Public Value   The ‘Shaidy Characters’ group (County Durham)   Learning Brokerage Through Partnerships (Portsmouth)   Southern Regional College: Promoting Community Cohesion (Armagh, Northern Ireland)

What is Public Value?   Public value is an emerging conceptual framework which, applied to the learning and skills sector, attempts to encapsulate a broader recognition of the value of adult learning. Public value theory was first formulated by UK scholar Mark Moore, who was concerned that all too often services were ‘hitting the target but missing the point’. In the UK, public value is currently being explored by people working in a number of public policy fields including health, policing, culture and sustainable communities, as well as learning and skills. It offers a framework for those involved in providing public services to engage with their stakeholders, to understand the needs and preferences of the public they serve, and to plan, deliver and evaluate the impact of services, through on-goiong involvement with users and stakeholders. Click here to read a report on ‘Public value and learning and skills’ by Rebecca Fauth of the Work Foundation

WEA Biennial Conference, Saturday 27th October
The WEA’s formal Conference was held the day after the public value event; many delegates thought the focus this gave on the positive outcomes of adult education benefited Conference - and they found it more upbeat and successful than many previous conferences as a result.

Reports were received from the President, General Secretary and Treasurer, and votes were taken by delegates representing the WEA’s Branches and Regions across England and Scotland on fifteen motions put forward by their representatives. WEA’s Chair of Trustees Professor Dick Taylor made a video address to conference as he was abroad on business connected to his role as Director of Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning at the University of Cambridge.

Elections were held at Conference for the posts of WEA President and Deputy President. Colin Barnes (pictured) became the WEA’s new President following a ballot against incumbent David Lanch. Two candidates also stood for one of the two Deputy President positions: Lynne Smith from Southern Region took that post following a ballot against Cyril Snell from Yorkshire and Humber Region. Chris Morton remains in post as the WEA’s other Deputy President.

Further details on Conference will be available in WEA News issue 16, which will be circulated and posted on this website during January.