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““More than just a courseMore than just a course”” Research on the Research on the Wider Benefits of Community EducationWider Benefits of Community Education•Research aim and objectives•Why this research?•Adult education provision in Ireland •Models of Community Education•Methodology•Thinking about the possible outcomes of learning•Some results of the research•Considering the contribution to equality•The current situation

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Aim and objectivesAim and objectives Aim: To determine the individual, collective and societal

outcomes of Department of Education and Skills (DES) funded community education and its potential to contribute to a fairer, just and more prosperous Republic of Ireland

Scope the operational environment Determine providers’ philosophical approaches to

community education and learners’ experiences of those approaches

Investigate the desired and achieved outcomes experienced by learners

Understand the barriers faced by providers Contribute to the development of indicators Assess equality impact using an equality framework

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Why this research?Why this research? Answers the call from both national and international

quarters to measure economic and social progress by evaluating the outcomes of state funded programs.

Meets a need to measure the wider benefits of learning (such as social, civic and health outcomes).

Satisfies a requirement at national and European level to carry out research into adult learning that supports evidence-based policy-making.

Joins other nation-wide studies into the benefits of adult learning, such as those carried out in Finland, Denmark and the United Kingdom.

Department of Education and Skills wanted to evaluate a program that had been established following the White Paper.

AONTAS wanted to make a case for community education.

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Adult Learning in IrelandAdult Learning in Ireland

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Programme/Course Personnel

Adult Literacy Service Adult Literacy OrganisersVocational Training Opportunities Schemes (VTOS) in core VTOS centres and Further Education Colleges

VTOS Co-ordinators

Senior Traveller Training programmes in Senior Traveller Training Centres

Senior Traveller Training Centre Directors

Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) courses run by community groups and adult/community education centres(Formal strand and Community strand)

BTEI Co-ordinators

Education Services to Prisons Supervising Teachers, Prison Education Service Organisers

Community education courses Community Education Facilitators (CEFS)

Self-financing day-time and evening courses

Directors of Adult Education and Adult Education Officers (AEOs)

Adult Education Guidance Service

Adult Education Guidance Officers

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Community Education ProvisionCommunity Education Provision

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Funding Programme Learning Programme/ Course

VEC Personnel No. of Programmes

Adult Literacy and Community Education Scheme (ALCES) allocated by DES to VECs

Community education courses funded by either tutor hours, small grants or a mixture of both to small community groups

Community Education Facilitators (CEFs) (although they may not directly manage the budget)

Total number not available

BTEI Community Strand allocated directly from DES to community groups

BTEI courses free for those with less than upper secondary education

At national level – Further Education Co-ordinatorAt local VEC level – CEF supports Community Strand

45 in 2009

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Community Education Models (Lovett et al, Community Education Models (Lovett et al, 2003)2003)

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Model Description

Community organisation Liberal model – it brings education to the people in their own surroundings on their own terms. Content could be purely for individual development such as vocational training, outreach from a third level institution or larger adult education centre. Tutor is organiser. For any community member.

Community development Liberal/ reform model – local affairs work closely with local groups to improve local problems. Where opportunity arises educator provides more systematic learning arising from community needs and/or is a resource to community. Learners/educators educate service providers to local area about community needs and wants. For any community member.

Community action Educational process from Freire for local change – community action as educational process. Radical political education to see how broader societal arrangements impact on the local with some instrumental education. Educators link personal to political. Focus on local solutions as opposed to broader social change. For working class community members.

Social action Working class education. Structured education provision, which strengthens the working class to take on a broader social change agenda, i.e. political economy. Educators act in solidarity with community.

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The SurveyThe Survey Section One – “About you” Section Two – “Your experience of community educatio

n” Section Three – “How community education has helped

you” Plain English proofed by National Adult Literacy

Association Piloted with 36 learners Cross-sectional survey, involving a stratified multi-stage

clustered design, and was based on the 2008 returns for community education funded through the ALCES budget.

Sampling proportionate to the number of learners in each VEC was carried out.

1 to 2 groups were randomly sampled from within each VEC by assigning groups a numeric value, more where there were higher numbers of learners.

Access had to be negotiated with 33 VECs CEFS trained to administer

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Methodology

•A representative survey of 683 community education learners engaged in programs funded through the Adult Literacy and Community Education Scheme (ALCES) from DES, sampled through 31 of the VECs.

•A purposively sampled survey of 61 relevant personnel working in the Vocational Education Committees (VECs)

•A survey of 31 Community Education Facilitators (CEFs) asking about the provision of community education in their local areas.

•Eleven purposive in-depth case studies of community education providers incorporating past and present learner case studies. Six of the case study organizations were funded through the Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) Community Strand.

•Nine semi-structured interviews with key community education informants sampled purposively.

•Analysis of DES returns for ALCES and BTEI strands

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The Possible Outcomes of The Possible Outcomes of LearningLearning Progression – accreditation, movement to other

education and training options or employment Civic engagement – involvement political

activities, voting, volunteering, protesting, critical media interpretation

Social engagement – development of trust and tolerance, building social networks, confidence in leadership/ public speaking

Personal development – confidence, sense of purpose/ hope, problem-solving, communication

Physical health – smoking cessation, better nutrition, taking exercise

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Civic and Social Engagement Civic and Social Engagement OutcomesOutcomes 81% gave ‘to get more involved in my community’ as a

reason for participating 32% decided to give something back to the community 29% began to use the internet 25% volunteered, watched the news more often or began to

read more books Rural learners were less likely to name these outcomes 65% said would be more likely to do something about fire

station closest to home having budget cut With conservative estimates if 25% of learners nationally

began to volunteer the Government has almost recouped its 2009 investment

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Civic and Social Engagement Civic and Social Engagement (con(con’’t)t)89% indicated positive change in talking to

new people88% in trying out new activities69% in more contact with friendsMajority also indicated an increased likelihood

of doing something about children skipping school, children putting graffiti on local buildings or children showing disrespect to an adult

“you understand more about local issues, it gives you an understanding of what community is about if you don’t do something about it your community will die” (past learner #2)

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Personal Development Personal Development OutcomesOutcomes85% indicated positive change in self

confidence80% in a sense of purpose or hope77% in their general level of happiness75% indicated a positive change in an ability

to do things by themselves12 of 18 outcomes were experienced by over

half the sample58% indicated they feel happier and less

depressed, while 53% felt they have more control over things that happen to them

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Physical Health OutcomesPhysical Health Outcomes46% said they started to exercise

a bit more41% said they started to eat more

fruit and vegetables29% of parents said they talked to

their children about alcohol and drug use.

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Building Skills- Progression Building Skills- Progression OutcomesOutcomes71% indicated their reason for taking part

was to study a particular topic, with 52% indicating it was to help them move on to further study

70% said they wanted to learn a new skill 55% said they wanted to do another non-

certified course with their current provider52% said they wanted to get a certificate with

their current provider35% said they wanted to get a certificate with

another group or centre

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Progression (conProgression (con’’t)t)Learners used multiple concepts of

progression. The most often cited (40%) was progression as equilibrium

High levels of knowledge about FETAC (79%)Low levels of knowledge of the NFQ (33%)48% indicated community education courses

should result in accreditation.

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Equality Dimensions (Baker et al., 2004)Equality Dimensions (Baker et al., 2004)

Respect and recognition: universal citizenship, toleration and the private sphere

Resources: Poverty relief and the difference principle

Love, care and solidarity: a private affairPower relations: civil and personal rights and

liberal democracyWorking and learning: occupational and

educational equal opportunity

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Equality Outcomes – 5 Equality Outcomes – 5 dimensionsdimensions High percentages of the sample experiencing

outcomes related to love, care and solidarity, ie social engagement

Family cohesion – 61% experienced positive change in general parenting and 67% in ability to be a positive role model

High percentages of the sample experienced outcomes related to respect and recognition – 64% experienced a positive change in being more accepting and understanding of other beliefs and 60% of other cultures. 59% said they were more sympathetic to people they would have judged badly

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Equality (conEquality (con’’t)t)Low numbers of learners experienced

outcomes related to the power relations dimension

Community education assists equality of opportunity in learning given that 74% of the sample belonged to a disadvantaged target group

In terms of the resources dimension there is a limited impact. Past case study learners did move up income bands – generally due to participation in CE schemes

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ConclusionsConclusions Revisit the vision for community education and targeting of

learners Community education enhances learning and results in

empowerment Community education makes a limited contribution to civic

society A locally integrated response is important The openness of the environment is essential Community education makes a contribution to equality There is value for money in resourcing community education There is a need for more evidence Learn from the BTEI Community Strand Full research report can be downloaded from

www.aontas.com.

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LearnersLearners’’ Survey Sample Survey Sample ProfileProfile48% were 55+85% were women62% were from small towns, villages or

rural areas45% left school at lower secondary or

before 38% experienced one of material

deprivation indicators 26% of working age unemployed, 7.4%

long-term22% were carers 57% were volunteering