Adult and Community Learning (ACL) traditionally works with adults and young people not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) with low skills and multi-barriers to education and work. It has a strong track record in moving them on from a low starting point to further education or employment.

The study is located in a context in which many NEETs have chaotic and complex lives with no secure emotional base and a limited use of social capital, which needs to be developed in order to support their future prosperity (Parsons, 1971, Coles et al, 2002 and Eurofound, 2012). Often the emotional base the NEETs need can be sought from the ACL organisation, as for some NEETs, the staff and the institution becomes the place to acquire that emotional base and social capital.

NEET statistics are dropping. In the UK “The 16-18 NEET rate fell by 0.3 percentage points to 10.2% in July to September 2015 compared to the same period last year” (House of Commons Library, November 15). Despite this positive change, the slight fall could mean that those that are NEET have bigger hurdles to cross to get them into meaningful employment. It is also feasible to consider that the hurdles may be more wide spread than just a lack of skills. If this is the case, the need to review learning outcomes from a more qualitative angle becomes even more important and supports, as the Europe 2020 Strategy for Smart, Sustainable Growth states, the need to developer further the performance of the education system to support young people into employment.

However, the UK Government measures an education establishment in the statistical data of qualification achievement (Skills Funding Agency, 2014), and their Ofsted Inspection Report, which also gives substantial weighting to qualification achievement (Ofsted, 2015), therefore with no recognition given to IDT, success can be hidden, not recognised and therefore not funded.

In contrast, in the ACL sector, the important measure is ‘Individual Distance Travelled’ (IDT). IDT recognises the qualification achieved but, as importantly, the development of their social skills, social capital, emotional intelligence, growth in knowledge of the world and the options they have, which should in itself also form part of outcomes for learning (Florian et al, 2008). According to Carr and Harnet (1996) and Hill (2006) the above-mentioned outcomes of learning and IDT as a means to achieve them, would be helping to form the development of social capital for connections, interaction and values (Field, 2008).

This further evidences the need to carry out this research. The timeliness and relevance of this critical ethnographic research resides in its aims to understand what successful outcomes for this group are, how success is achieved, and identify how the culture, environment and staff play a lead role in the young person’s journey.

The main research question is: What is the impact of ACL on individuals’ distance travelled and how do ACL providers support the development of a NEET to become a democratic citizen? 

Subsidiary questions are as follows:

a) How does ACL support the young peoples’ distance travelled in their personal capabilities, emotional gain and social capital?

b) What is the ACL providers’ impact on the young people in helping to form individual identity and place in society?

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