WEA's good Fortune for ALW 2005

Last month's Adult Learners' Week was rounded off at the WEA with a 'one night only' appearance from comedian, political satirist and friend of the WEA, John Fortune.

Here, WEA staff member Tim Arnold who contacted John and arranged the event describes how a good idea gathered momentum and became a great night out with a serious message.

'No laughing matter: the future of adult and community learning'
Like Chinese Whispers, the tale of how humorist and actor John Fortune came to tutor a class for the WEA has been skewed, unintentionally, in my favour. Naturally, I feel proud to have been credited with what has been dubbed one greatest events of Adult Learners' Week (ALW) 2005 by none other than Alastair Thomson, Senior Policy Office at NIACE, but let's get a few things straight: anyone who knows me will realise that I'm never up at 11:15 on a Sunday morning to catch Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, the feature through which it transpired that Fortune nearly worked as a WEA tutor more than 30 years ago, before being poached by Peter Cook to tell jokes in London.

It is, in fact, thanks to the sharp ears of two of my colleagues and their subsequent emails that I picked up on it. Already in the midst of plans for ALW, I decided it was an opportunity too good to miss.

Comedian John Fortune is flanked by WEA General Secretary (left) and WEA Funding Officer Tim Arnold, after receiving his commemorative 'Tutor Contract' as thanks for his support during this years' Adult Learners' Week.

Tracking down John's agent proved easy (Oh Internet, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…); getting a response was harder, but after some email ping-pong, my requests yielded his phone number with a note to say he'd be delighted to help however he could. Indeed, how could he?

Around the same time that I was tentatively courting John, I had the good fortune (pun very much intended) to be invited to dinner in Westminster. WEA General Secretary Richard Bolsin had assembled the great and good of adult and community learning, partner organisations, funders, a few MPs and a journalist to discuss a subject of concern amongst the ranks: that the Government's focus on skills and targets is squeezing out funding for more liberal, informal learning. The topic became the thrust of an article which later appeared in The Guardian, 'Learning for learning's sake', in which Richard highlighted the innumerable benefits of learning for people who weren't ready for - or simply didn't want - employment-focussed skills or qualifications. From the response, it was clear that the debate had legs. Thus, a plan to bring it to a wider audience using one of Britain's foremost satirists was hatched.

We decided that we'd help John to fulfil his no doubt lifelong dream of becoming a WEA tutor. This would take the form of a masterclass on how to write satire, using the Government's approach to funding adult learning provision as its subject. We set about gathering policy documents and pertinent quotes, compiling a 'sexed-up' dossier of source materials for our learners to make light of.

If you heard his Desert Island Discs feature or read his recent My Best Teacher article in the Times Educational Supplement, you'll know that John holds teaching and learning in high esteem, and this was immediately evident when my colleague Simon Beer and I went to meet him in a Chiswick café to discuss the forthcoming event. He spoke touchingly about Teddy, an inspirational teacher and friend through whom he discovered great writers like Eliot, Pope and Swift, and about his concerns over current education policy and funding; it was heartening to hear that he shared our views. Eventually, we got down to business and John gave us his top tips for writing topical humour: collaboration, he said, was the key - having someone to bounce ideas off - and hating people seemed to feature heavily. He also advised that one should follow Swift's Modest Proposal: take an extreme idea and propose it in very reasonable language. Simon and I left Chiswick jubilant.

After a few days of blind panic and last minute preparation, the event was upon us. The food was ordered, the wine had been delivered, the hall had been decorated, and the guests - a heady mix of WEA branch members, tutors, policy-makers and other interested parties - were starting to arrive. John ambled in and instantly began chatting with people, affable chap that he is, and before long the atmosphere was one of relaxed anticipation. We moved the wine to the tables and asked people to be seated. Richard Bolsin took to the stage for the opening address, restating the aims and objectives of the evening. Then it was over to John, and from his first sentence to his last, he captivated and amused us, effortlessly mixing humour with serious comment. Using everyday scenarios and analogies, he made a daunting task seem possible, building confidence in his 'pupils' as well as any genuine tutor, and after a recap of the brief, the class was in session.

As the groups descended into animated huddles and got to grips with the source materials in their pack, Simon escorted John around the tables where he engaged with the discussions, giving tips on developing funny ideas as if crafting a skit for Bremner, Bird and Fortune. After almost an hour, their circuit was complete, their glasses empty, and they took to the stage to summarise what they'd heard. John's tip of collaboration as the key to writing satire had clearly made an impression on Simon: they were quite a double-act as they read through the ideas from the groups. In fact, we're not a little concerned about a listing on the Channel 4 website for a forthcoming programme titled Bremner, Beer and Fortune…!

Everyone felt that we'd succeeded in discussing some serious policy issues in a light-hearted and enjoyable context. We presented John with a framed WEA tutor contract by way of thanks and were touched to learn that it will take pride of place on the wall next to an honorary degree from the University of Bristol, his home town. As the tables dispersed and guests mingled freely, grabbing what was left of the buffet and booze, I saw people chatting earnestly and business cards being exchanged, so hopefully the debate will continue, influence will inform policy, and the Government will start to realise the value - financial and social - of continuing to fund informal learning.

Adult Learners' Week is the UK's largest festival and celebration of adult learning, co-ordinated by NIACE and core-funded by the DfES, ESF and learndirect.