This paper will provide insights and illustrations from empirical research on a number of education initiatives for young adults in England, Ireland and the Netherlands, focusing on issues, dilemmas and opportunities at the complex interface of social, economic and political participation. Lifelong learning opportunities for young people across Western European countries are often viewed predominantly through the perspective of socio-economic inclusion, while conversely, there are particular public policy concerns about those young people deemed not to be active (enough) in relation to education, employment or training. In the context of this emphasis on young people’s integration in labour markets, the paper seeks to offer a critical perspective on the potential roles of lifelong learning in promoting inclusion and active participatory citizenship, by drawing on examples from different educational contexts, such as vocationally-related learning, informal education and basic skills education.

Evans, K. (1995) Competence and citizenship: towards a complementary model for times of critical social change, British Journal of Education and Work 8: 14–27. Evans, K and Niemeyer, B (eds). (2004) Reconnection Countering Social Exclusion through Situated Learning. Place: Springer. Jarvis P. (2012) Adult Learning in the Social Context. Routledge. Hopkins, N. (2014). Citizenship and Democracy in Further and Adult Education, London: Springer Dordrecht Saar, E., Ure, O. B. and Holford, J. (eds.) (2013) Building a European Lifelong Learning Society: National Patterns and Challenges. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp.165-186. Souto-Otero, M. (2013) Neo-liberalism and continuing vocational training governance in the UK: an examination of three theoretical accounts. Educational Review 65(1): 20–35.