Session Information
02 SES 13 C, Overcoming Vulnerability and Enhancing Social Cohesion Through Inclusion, Communication and Active Citizenship in the Context of Adult Education and VET
Symposium
Contribution
Social exclusion, disengagement and disaffection of young adults have been among the most significant concerns faced by EU member states over the last decade. It has been increasingly recognised by a range of stakeholders that there is a growing number of young people suffering from various effects of the unstable social, economic and political situations affecting Europe and its neighbouring countries. Some young adults are particularly at risk of being excluded and marginalised, for example those with health or learning difficulties, early school leavers, members of ethnic minority groups, homeless young people, or young refugees and migrants. Under favourable circumstances, education may be an effective means to promote their active societal participation. In recent years, policies for adult education have strongly been influenced by the global economic crisis and the humanitarian migration across the EU. Adult education systems of many EU countries, have responded by setting up integration programmes and strategies, aiming to promote inclusion and social cohesion. Different forms of adult education (e.g. VET, second chance and basic skills programmes) have been increasingly recognized as a means to engage and re-engage young adults, improve their life chances and facilitate their social inclusion thus contributing to their capacity to take an active role as citizens within their societal contexts. This symposium will focus on factors that influence social inclusion and active citizenship of young adults specifically considering aspects of inclusive policies and practices in adult education and VET contexts, perceptions and impact of vulnerabilities and the role of communication and information (communicative ecologies). The findings indicate that social, economic and political dimensions of active citizenship, encompassing the development of social competences, labour market skills as well as civic and political participation have been related to various educational initiatives (programmes) to engage young people in active participation. Communicative ecology mapping helps us to further understand the living circumstances of the members of minority groups vulnerable to social exclusion, what communication technologies they have access to, where they obtain information, with whom they communicate, and how all of this varies across different minority groups.
The symposium is drawing on the key findings and conclusions of the Horizon 2020 project ‘Adult Education as a Means to Active Participatory Citizenship’ (EduMAP) conducted in 2016-2019. The project, which involved the partnership and cooperation of six European countries and one non-EU partner, aimed to advance understanding and further develop both the current and future impact of adult education on learning for active participatory citizenship in Europe and beyond. The methodological approach was based on undertaking both desk and empirical research, carried out through dedicated work packages. The project also involved undertaking a review of the relevant literature, including research publications, policy papers and statistics, relevant to inclusion and participation of young adults. The EduMAP study was carried out by 8 partner institutions, involving researching 40 adult education programmes across 19 EU countries and one non-EU country. Fieldwork involved individual and focus group interviews with 814 participants, including educational practitioners, policy-makers and young adults.
The symposium aims to reflect on the EduMAP project’s key findings, from both the desk research and empirical research and will present examples from several countries, including England, Ireland, Scotland, Nordic countries and Turkey]and stimulate a further discussion on issues related to the role of adult education in facilitating social inclusion and the engagement of young adults who are at risk of exclusion and disengagement. The symposium will further reflect on the extent to which knowledge gained will be useful in addressing the needs of the most disadvantaged groups that are normally less involved in adult education across the EU, and beyond.
References
Biesta, G. (2009). What kind of citizenship for European Higher Education? Beyond the competent active citizen. European Educational Research Journal, 8(12), 146–158 Field, J. and Schemmann, M. (2017) International organisations and the construction of the Learning active citizen: An analysis of adult learning policy documents from a Durkheimian Perspective, International Journal of lifelong education, 2017 Vol. 36, noS. 1–2, 164 179http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2017.1287920 Green, A., & Janmaat, J. G. (2011). Regimes of Social Cohesion: Societies and the Crisis of Globalization. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Holford et al. (2008) Patterns of Lifelong Learning: Policies and Practice in an Expanding Europe, Vienna: Lit Verlag. Hoskins, B. and Mascherini, M. (2009). Measuring Active Citizenship through the Development of a Composite Indicator. Social Indicator Research, 90: 459-488. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11205-008-9271-2http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11205-008-9271-2. Jarvis, P. (2014). From adult education to lifelong learning and beyond. Comparative Education, 50(1), 45–57, DOI: 10.1080/03050068.2013.871832. Kalekin-Fishman, D., & Pitkänen, P. (Eds.) (2007). Multiple Citizenship as a Challenge to European Nation-States. Rotterdam: Sense Publications.
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