Australian Adult Learning Working with New Zealand

1. Australian Adult LearningWorking with New Zealand Peter Peterson July 2008

2. THE HAMBURG DECLARATION ON ADULT LEARNING 2. Adult education thus becomes more than a right; it is a key to the twenty-first century. It is both a consequence of active citizenship and a condition for full participation in society. It is a powerful concept for fostering ecologically sustainable development, for promoting democracy, justice, gender equity, and scientific, social and economic development, and for building a world in which violent conflict is replaced by dialogue and a culture of peace based on justice. Adult learning can shape identity and give meaning to life. Learning throughout life implies a rethinking of content to reflect such factors as age, gender equality, disability, language, culture and economic disparities

3. 26. We solemnly declare that all parties will closely follow up the implementation of this Declaration and the Agenda for the Future, clearly distinguishing their respective responsibilities and complementing and co-operating with one another. We are determined to ensure that lifelong learning will become a more significant reality in the early twenty-first century. To that end, we commit ourselves to promoting the culture of learning through the "one hour a day for learning" movement and the development of a United Nations Week of Adult Learning. 27. We, gathered together in Hamburg, convinced of the necessity of adult learning, pledge that all men and women shall be provided with the opportunity to learn throughout their lives. To that end, we will forge extended alliances to mobilize and share resources in order to make adult learning a joy, a tool, a right and a shared responsibility.

4. IS THERE SCOPE FOR AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND TO SHOW REGIONAL LEADERSHIP?

5. Confintea 2009 • Should Australia and New Zealand collaborate? • If so how? • What is our MOU worth? • Actions can we suggest any? • What will happen in Korea???????? • Can we justify not showing leadership????

6. Australia in 2008 • 100 – plus day of a new government • Social Inclusion Unit established in PM&C • education revolution • a decade of strong economic growth • inflationary pressure, high interest rates • cuts in government expenditure • historically low unemployment • labour shortages • Two major agendas: skills development and Social Inclusion

7. ADULT LEARNING AUSTRALIA • Adult Learning Australia (ALA) is the peak Association for the promotion of Adult Learning in Australia. • ALA is responsible for the coordination of Adult Learners week in Australia • ALA aims to build social capital by encouraging ongoing learning in Australia

8. ADULT LEARNING AUSTRALIA

9. Avariety of Sector MembersHow can we best work together??????

10. Ministerial Declaration on Adult Community Education (2002) Focus: • Community capacity building through community ownership • ACE sector as a pathway to further education and training for ‘second chance’ learners and at-risk young people • Incorporation of a ‘menu’ of strategies • provides States and Territories with the flexibility to choose according to the needs and context of their local environment. • enables governments to respond to the dynamism, diversity and responsiveness characteristic of the ACE sector

11. Ministerial Declaration on Adult Community Education (2002) • Skilling challenges: • 4 million workers without a formal post school qualification • 40% of working age adults lack adequate literacy and numeracy to operate in the workplace • Most vulnerable: Casual workers, long-term unemployed, people with a disability, unemployed migrants, employees of small business that do not provide training “the ACE sector has considerable potential for an enhanced role in responding to the COAG agenda”

12. Ministerial Declaration on Adult Community Education (2002) ALA’s responses to the new Declaration: • A Ministerial Declaration – Supported but needs….. • Additional significant funding capacity • Model for demand driven skill-building • Address challenge of need for cultural change among stakeholders in skill-building process • Framework for Action – Supported but needs…... • National Policy Framework • Overcome disparities • Ensure collaboration • Ensure sustainable consistency in standards

13. Ministerial Declaration on Adult Community Education (2002) ALA’s responses to the new Declaration: • Promotion of national elements for delivery • An ACE reporting and evaluation • Further research on social and economic outcomes arising from non-accredited learning • National funding of adult learning activities

14. United we stand Divided we fallThe story of ACE? • Attributed to Aesop in The Four Oxen and the Lion and The Bundle of Sticks. • John Dickinson (1768) “Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall!” • Patrick Henry (1979) “Let us trust God, and our better judgment to set us right hereafter. United we stand, divided we fall. Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs.”

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16. A sad state of affairs…. • NSW Government cut funding to community colleges by nearly 60% between 2002-2006 (cut by $29 million) • 9 colleges closed • Colleges have raised fees and cut hobby courses • Courses which connected isolated people and bonded communities • The board governing Adult and Community Education volunteered to be disbanded, replaced with an advisory board • The sector is now focussing more strongly on vocational training From ‘Frustration mounts as college cuts bite’. SMH May 9 2008

17. A FAMILIAR MESSAGE • 2008 UNESCO Education For All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report • Adult literacy most neglected of the EFA goals • Due to lack of financial allocations by governments and donors • Since CONFINTEA V (1997) • Little or no investment in adult education across Africa, Asia and Latin America  • Funds most likely to find their way into adult literacy programmes but even these are desperately under-funded The 2008 EFA Global Monitoring Report recognizes adult literacy as the most neglected of the EFA goals. It is neglected most obviously in respect of the financial allocations made by governments and donors. Since the last CONFINTEA meeting in 1997, there has been little or no investment in adult education across Africa, Asia and Latin America.  Where funds are available for adult education they are most likely to find their way into adult literacy programmes but even these are desperately under-funded. FINANCING OF ADULT EDUCATIONDAVID ARCHER - Action Aid FINANCING OF ADULT EDUCATION DAVID ARCHER - Action Aid

19. The life cycle approach to education outcomes-ABS ModelChris Duncan Balance of life and work Early work experience Transition into working life Lifelong Learning Literacy and Numeracy skills Maintaining component skills Developing foundation skills Maintaining component and foundation skills Developing component skills Early Childhood Development 0 Age 85+

20. DIVERSITY OF ISSUES • Supporting our members • Communication and services • Build pathways to VET • Engage the Disengaged • Senior Australians • Indigenous Australians • Unemployed Australians • Migrant Australians

21. DIVERSITY OF ISSUES • Learning for Health Benefits • Promote flexible learning methodologies • Remote delivery • Learning Circles • International relations and policy • R&D Co-ordination • And many more

22. LITERACY • Decreases with age Proportion below Level 3 Level 3 – “minimum required for individuals to meet the complex demands of everyday life and work in the emerging knowledge-based economy” ABS – Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey, Australia 2006

23. LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT Level 3 – “minimum required for individuals to meet the complex demands of everyday life and work in the emerging knowledge-based economy” ABS – Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey, Australia 2006

24. POOR PROGRESS IN 10 YEARS e.g. in Prose Literacy ABS – Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey, Australia 2006

25. Document literacy distributions, Australia and New Zealand: IALS (1996) and ALLS (2006)Chris Duncan ABS +2% +2% No change +5% +1% -1% -2% - 7%

26. LEARNING PARTICIPATION • BY AGE • More than 1/5 of Australians did not participate in any form of learning • Non-participation occurred at higher rates in older age groups • 34% of those aged 60-64 years • 16% of those aged 25-29 years • INFORMAL LEARNING • 8.1 million Australians participated in informal learning in the previous 12 months • 76% of males • 73% of females ABS – Adult Learning, Australia 2006-7

27. LEARNING PARTICIPATION • PARTICIPATION IN FORMAL LEARNINGOf those who participated in formal learning, • over one-quarter (26%) undertook a Certificate loll or IV. • This was followed by Bachelor degree (18%) and Postgraduate degree, Graduate diploma or Graduate certificate (17%). (Table 7) • PARTICIPATION IN NON-FORMAL LEARNINGOf the 3.3 million persons who participated in non-formal learning in the previous 12 months, the most common type of most recent non-formal learning was a work-related course (78% or 2.6 million) followed by Arts, crafts or recreational learning (12%). (Table 8) • FORMAL LEARNING • Over 26% of participants undertook a Certificate III or IV • 18% undertook a Bachelor degree • 17% undertook a Postgraduate degree, Graduate diploma or Graduate certificate • NON-FORMAL LEARNING • 3.3 million persons participated in non-formal learning in the previous 12 months • 78% undertook a work-related course • 12% undertook Arts, Crafts or Recreational learning ABS – Adult Learning, Australia 2006-7

28. DIVIDED Adult Learning Provision – The Prisoner’s Dilemma…

29. State by State ACE

30. Interest in ALW is increasing

31. THE NUMBER OF EVENTS IS UNDERSTATED FOR EXAMPLE THE NATIONAL EVENT PARTICIPATION IS HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY THE INITIAL ENGAGEMENT OF BUSINESSES. (Note National events is not the sum of the States)

32. As Batman and Robin would say

33. Holy Carpe diem Seize the day