For practitioners and researchers in the field of adult education in the UK it seems we are operating in the ruins of a once well recognised and funded terrain. Over the past two decades, the closure of Centres of Lifelong Learning in universities predominately across England and Wales; the eradication of funding and adult education programmes in FE; and the closure of local government provision has resulted in what feels like the extinction of adult education.

However, one area where adult education is alive and arguably ‘flourishing’ is in community activism. This has become ever-more apparent during the Covid 19 pandemic, where an outpouring of  community networking, mutual aid and lifelong learning has been a lifeline for many and has seen a surge of online community engagement. This event aims to bring together researchers, practitioners and those with an interest in the area of adult education and community activism to reinvigorate the field of adult education. Research on community activism and adult education will be presented to stimulate discussion, including identifying pressing areas for ongoing research as a consequence of Covid 19 and beyond.

Programme:

9.45-9.55 – Joining online event on Zoom

10am – Welcome

10-10.35am – Invited speakers:

Cassie Earl, Lancaster – ‘Prefiguring Community Activism and the University: In which direction should we begin?’

Palmela Witter - ‘Community activism, knife crime and the youth voice’

Mae Shaw, Honorary Fellow University of Edinburgh, - ‘Rethinking community activism as policy, politics and practice’

Greg Coyne, former Director for Curriculum and Quality, WEA (recently retired) – ‘Community Based Adult Learning - challenges, and one or two hopes’

10.35-11am – Q&A and group discussion

11-11.15am – identification of research priorities and where to now – Convened by Professor Marjorie Mayo, author of Community-based Learning and Social Movements: Popular Education in a Populist Age

This event should be of interest to community organisers, activist researchers, adult educators (particularly those with an interest in popular and community education) and those studying in this area. It will be an opportunity to find out more about current community activist research, practices and networks.

To register and receive the link to the online event, please email: Nicola Dickson [email protected]

For questions about the event, contact Kerry Harman: [email protected]

 

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