Impada o1 a2-focus groups data analysis

IMPADA

Focus groups data analysis

Output type: Intellectual Output

PROMEA

May, 2016

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Project acronym: IMPADA

Project name: Improving the effectiveness of adult education for

disadvantaged groups

Project code: 2015-1-UK01-KA204-013666

Document History

Versions Date Changes Type of change Delivered by

Version 1.0

29/02/2016 Initial document

- PROMEA

Version 1.1

17/05/2016 Revision Amended annexes PROMEA

Document Information

Document ID name: IMPADA_O1-A2_Focus groups data analysis

_2016_05_17

Document title: Focus groups data analysis

Output Type: Intellectual Output

Date of Delivery: 17/05/2016

Activity Type: Report

Activity Leader: PROMEA

Dissemination level: Public

Disclaimer The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute

an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the

Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information

contained therein.

The project resources contained herein are publicly available under the Creative Commons

license Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Contents

1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 5

1.1 Purpose and context of the document....................................................................................................... 5

1.2 Focus groups description ................................................................................................................................ 5

2. Methodological approach of the focus groups analysis ............................................................... 9

2.1 Categorical content analysis .......................................................................................................................... 9

2.2 Description of the analysis procedure and presentation style ....................................................... 10

3. Presentation of the analysis categories and subcategories .................................................... 11

3.1 Question 1 ............................................................................................................................................................... 11

3.2 Question 2 ............................................................................................................................................................... 14

3.3 Question 3 ............................................................................................................................................................... 18

3.4 Question 4 ............................................................................................................................................................... 20

3.5 Question 5 ............................................................................................................................................................... 21

3.6 Question 6 ............................................................................................................................................................... 24

3.7 Question 7 ............................................................................................................................................................... 25

3.8 Question 8 ............................................................................................................................................................... 26

4. Synopsis of the categorical analysis of the focus groups ......................................................... 27

4.1 Presentation of the main qualitative and quantitative outcomes ..................................................... 27

5. Annex .................................................................................................................................................................. 32

5.1 PROMEA’s synthesized focus group data form .......................................................................................... 32

5.2 DACES’s synthesized focus group data form ............................................................................................ 39

5.3 ENAEA’s synthesized focus group data form ............................................................................................ 71

5.4 IBE’s synthesized focus group data form .................................................................................................... 77

5.5. UPTER’s synthesized focus group data form ........................................................................................... 100

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Acronyms & abbreviations

IMPADA consortium

DACES Derbyshire Adult Community Education Service

IBE Educational Research Institute

UPTER People’s University of Rome

ENAEA Estonian Non-formal Adult Education Association

PROMEA Hellenic Association for the promotion of Research & Development

Methodologies

Other abbreviations

AF Application Form

EACEA Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency

SC Steering Committee

ECORYS The British National Agency

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1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose and context of the document

The purpose of this document, is to present the categorical analysis of the 5 focus groups

conducted in the 5 partnership countries, within the context of the IMPADA project’s

Intellectual Output O1 (activity O1-A2), namely “Criteria for measuring adult education

effectiveness on disadvantaged groups”.

This focus groups analysis report aims to support the purpose of Intellectual Output O1,

which is to elaborate criteria that influence the effectiveness of adult education providers

towards disadvantaged learners. The qualitative data presented in this document provide

evidence to support IBE in the drafting of a report on the criteria for measuring adult

education effectiveness on disadvantages.

1.2 Focus groups description

Following the work plan of the IMPADA project as described in the Application Form, and

the methodology instructions and methodological tools provided in the methodology

report developed by PROMEA, the partnership conducted 5 focus groups (of 1.30-2.30 h

duration), in each partnership country.

The participants of the focus groups where: a) adult education experts, and b) decision

makers in the field of adult education, ideal for providing exclusive insight on the

elaboration of criteria to evaluate the effectiveness of adult education for disadvantage

groups.

Key individuals from the field of Adult Education were nominated and invited by the

partnership organizations, taking into account their high level of expertise and familiarity

with the topic.

The following table presents the number and main characteristics of participants for each

focus group conducted by each partner organization.

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Project Partner Number of focus group

participants

Responsibility and subject related expertise

DACES

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P1: Position/Expertise: Programme Development Worker and ICT Tutor. Specialist in planning and delivering employment and work-ready programmes and setting up individualised learning programmes for learners aged 14-19 with complex learning barriers/difficulties/disabilities. Experienced in using Social Pedagogical approaches with learner groups.

P2: Position/Expertise: Programme Development Manager. Managing Learner Support provision for adults who require additional learning support. Extensive experience in working with vulnerable groups of learners, particularly in Family Learning and basic literacy and numeracy.

P3: Position/Expertise: Adult Education Tutor. Specialist in teaching IT and employability skills to extremely vulnerable unemployed adults. Former Secondary School Head teacher, teaching children aged 11-18.

P4: Position/Expertise: Learning and Skills Manager with responsibility for planning and developing Engagement and Inclusion provision across the County – to include planning learning for targeted disadvantaged groups, to include Care Leavers, Adults with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities and targeted Family Learning. An active member of DACES’ Equality, Diversity and Inclusion action group.

P5: Position/Expertise: Programme Development Worker. Manages Learner Support across the East of the County – which has the most disadvantaged wards and learners. Extensive experience of working with vulnerable groups of learners, including offenders and ex-offenders. Is one of 3 members of staff who is trained to screen learners for dyslexia and other learning difficulties, and linking with exam boards/awarding bodies to enable these learners additional time/resources in National examinations. An active member of DACES Equality, Diversity and

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Inclusion action group.

P6: Position/Expertise: Programme Development Manager, specialist in programming employability and work-ready programmes for vulnerable and disadvantaged learners. An active member of DACES Equality, Diversity and Inclusion action group.

P7: Position/Expertise: Art Tutor, Learner Support Assistant and Assessor. Extensive experience working directly with disadvantaged learners, especially young learners with very complex learning behaviors and barriers, on the Pre-Apprenticeship Support/Study Programme.

P8: Position/Expertise: Learner Support Assistant and Examination Invigilator with specialist skills in maths, English and ICT. Extensive experience working directly and supporting disadvantaged adult learners. Also works for a Mental Health support charity.

P9: Position/Expertise: Programme Development Manager and East Area lead for Employability and Workplace learning; Adult Education Tutor, assessor and IQA (Internal Quality Assurance) verifier/moderator. Very extensive experience in working with and developing programmes for disadvantaged learners. Plans, develops and delivers staff training to tutors and Learner Support Assistants on effectively embedding EDI practice into teaching, learning and assessment. Member of EDI action group. An active member of DACES Equality, Diversity and Inclusion action group.

IBE

6 1. Psychologist, therapist and expert in the field of

adult education for people with autism and Asperger’s

syndrome.

2. Psychologist, expert in the field of adult education,

First Vice-Chairman of The Foundation for Social and

Economic Initiatives

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3. Trainer, coach, former career counselor, expert in the

field of adult education (including e.g., education for

people aged 50 years and over), Member of the Board

of Polish Association of School and Career Counselors

4. Expert in the field of education, responsible for

developing implementation rules of adult education

programs – Polish Ministry of Development,

Department of European Social Fund

5. Position/Expertise: Trainer, coach, expert in the field

of adult education, Chairman of the Board of Polish

Chamber of Training Companies

6. Expert in the field of European cooperation in

education (including Lifelong Learning Strategy) – Polish

Ministry of Education, Department of Strategy and

International Cooperation

UPTER 7 1. Professor Adult Education, Rome University

2. Epale Ambassador; Adviser Municipality of Bologna

3. Project Manager; Guiding Counsellor for

entrepreneurial choice

4. Third Sector Organizations’ Manager

5. Expert in policies of multi-ethnicity and integration of immigrants

6. Freelancer - Monitoring and evaluating European projects, education and migration area

7. Psychologist

ENAEA 6

P1: Position/Expertise: headmaster of Adult Gymnasium (2nd chance school)

P2: Position/Expertise: project manager /project for AL

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with lower education

P3: Position/Expertise: project manager / projects for AL with lower education

P4: Position/Expertise: headmaster of Adult Gymnasium (2nd chance school)

P5: Position/Expertise: head of adult learning department

P6: Position/Expertise: teacher

PROMEA

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1. Social psychologist, Professor Adult Education,

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

2. Professor Adult Education, National and Kapodistrian

University of Athens, Project manager of Adult

Education projects related to the ROMA group needs

3. Education expert and training provision evaluator,

Professor Adult Education, Open University of Athens

4. Trainer, Adult Education expert



2. Methodological approach of the focus groups

analysis

2.1 Categorical content analysis

Data analysis for all focus groups was based on the data forms provided by each partner

after the conduction and individual analysis of their own focus group. The content

analysis of each focus group, was based on a synthesized data form/template for

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analysis, provided by PROMEA and followed a question by question, pre-defined

structural categorization of themes in order to achieve a coherent and consistent

categorical analysis style, shared among partners for the purposes of the IMPADA project

and the idiosyncratic nature of an EU and culturally diverse partnership.

The synthesized data analysis of all focus groups followed the content analysis approach.

It involved coding participant’s open-ended talk into closed categories, which summarize

and synthesized the data. The end point of the categorical content analysis was to

illustrate each category by means of representative subcategories derived from the data

forms, presented in the form of a table of main categories and subcategories following

the question by question structure of the focus group interview guide.

2.2 Description of the analysis procedure and presentation style

Following the methodology and instructions for the conduction of the focus provided by

PROMEA, and the completion of all 5 focus groups by all partners (DACES, IBE, ENAEA,

UPTER, PROMEA) in the 5 partnership countries, PROMEA proceeded to the final and

synthesized analysis of the collected data based on the filled-in data forms sent by all

partners. In particular, PROMEA:

Studied, compared and contrasted results by thematic categories of individual

focus groups

Looked for emerging themes by question and then overall

Constructed typologies

Described findings using indicative titles to illustrate basic themes

Prepared the report using a bulleted style, organizing the narrative meanings of

the collected data into themes

For the presentation of the categorical analysis followed a question by question

sequence

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3. Presentation of the analysis categories and

subcategories

3.1 Question 1

What could be improved in the adult education programmes for disadvantaged groups in

order to improve its effectiveness?

1.1. Identification of learners’ needs and general inclusive practice (DACES, PROMEA,

IBE, ENAEA, UPTER)

- Understanding of particular educational needs according to the characteristics of

each group of learners

- Identification of learners needs using ethnographic and qualitative methods such

as cultural mediators interference, in vivo interviews and observation

- Surveying/door knocking local areas to identify local needs and spot/recruit

unidentified local disadvantaged groups.

- Motivation is the key to success – the component of change (learners’ beliefs and

attitudes) should be prior to the component of delivering new knowledge and

skills.

- Consideration of inclusion of the disadvantaged into mainstream learning cohorts

and bespoke provision with careful consideration to needs

- Using Social Pedagogy to ensure personalised study

- Flexible programme for Roll on Roll off learning

- Collaborative setting of ground rules

- Effective welcoming and induction of learners in the classroom

- Acknowledgement of challenges and barriers to the general inclusive practice,

including in time costs and planning

- Extensive Learner Support Assistants in place, selected carefully to match learner

needs/personality and not simply equal work to each educational programme.

1.2. Additional support for learners (DACES, PROMEA, ENAEA)

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- Support in place, that can be signposted and applied, including: childcare, financial

(e.g. funding exams and transport costs), adaptive equipment, and especially

study rooms available for missed attendance (e.g. illness, clashes with work

schedule).

- Check facilities for learners – not just statutory DDA compliance, but practically

helpful e.g. hearing loops available etc.

- Additional learner mentoring from staff (allocated at start of programme) including

pastoral care out of class to encourage engagement and attention – especially for

young disengaged learners.

- “Buddy up” systems in class, with mixing of buddies (weekly) to increase

integration, social/soft skills, achievements.

1.3. Partnership working – linking with public and private stakeholders (DACES, PROMEA,

EANEA)

- Adult education providers should work closely with a variety of local partners to

understand local area needs.

- Partnership working enables the most disadvantaged learners to be identified and

supported into learning where they would not otherwise take the initiative/have

the confidence to look for Adult Education programmes.

- Partnership working to increase learner progression to other learning and services

provided outside of the educational organisation offer. E.g. local colleges etc.

- Better understanding of JobCentre+ regulations and systems to reduce

incongruences of rules/ systems negatively impacting learners.

- Noted that cuts in funding for local government and partners means less resource

and time to form and nurture partnerships.

- Noted that referrals from the JobCentre+ are placed on course and then JobCentre

remove them (under threat of sanctions) partway through courses as now deemed

fit to work, or schedule unmissable appointments during class times, thereby

disrupting their learning.

- Linking formal and non-formal learning

1.4. Local community provision (DACES)

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- Noted that many of the most disadvantaged learners can’t or won’t travel outside

their immediate local area so need to bring more provision to them (specifically

tailored to local needs).

- Noted that this is especially an issue due to rural isolation and costs/availability of

transport in rural areas.

- An alternative proposed is to arrange and fund transport but this is not optimal

compared with local provision (costs, time, learner reluctance).

1.5. Cost to learners (PROMEA, DACES)

- Subsidized costs tailored to economic and community needs (to encourage the

learners that most need it to enrol).

- Provision of additional financial incentives to learners to get motivated to follow

Adult Education courses.

1.6. Cost to service (DACES, PROMEA)

- Resources are focused to where there is the most disadvantage, in line with

funding. Reaching the most disadvantaged can be costly (especially in terms of

time) to the service but the outcome of engaging these learners and improving

their lives and the communities is worth it.

- Discussion as to whether programmes should be mapped out according to need

and then see whether they can be funded, or whether funding criteria come first

and then areas with need are identified.

- Discussion on the ability of training providers to find ways to get funding to

support their programmes – strong debate point if this is effective and if should be

included in the evaluation criteria of the training provision.

1.7. Customer Service and nurturing learners (DACES)

- Customer service and nurturing skills from tutors and from Business Services

centre staff. Ensuring that customer service is always excellent.

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- Discretion taken when cancelling classes due to low numbers – consider the

implications for the learner (being put off attending in future) etc. when classes

are cancelled.

1.8. Tutor skills (DACES, ENAEA)

- Increase tutor knowledge and skills through EDI and inclusivity training, Social

Pedagogy learning and skills in personalised programming.

1.9. Need to define ‘disadvantaged’ groups (UPTER, PROMEA)

- Need to define what we mean by ‘disadvantaged groups’, because the evaluation

of educational actions can be done only by taking into account the particular needs

of individuals.

1.10. Context and pre-condition of Adult Education to disadvantaged groups (UPTER,

IBE, ENAEA)

- Develop a culture of Adult Education in public, especially in the most

disadvantaged citizens.

- Develop a culture of education of adults in local institutions in general, and

especially in education to disadvantaged groups.

- Raise awareness regarding the Adult Education of disadvantaged groups in the

third sector organizations.

- Change of Adult Education programmes’ mentality and paradigm ; from teaching

to learning

- Lack of continuity in the political approach of Adult Education for the

disadvantaged

3.2 Question 2

What should be included in the adult education for the disadvantaged training

programmes?

Probe: What are the training needs of adult learners from disadvantaged groups?

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2.1. Focusing course aims on ‘soft’ skills and general well-being rather than just outcome

qualifications (DACES, PROMEA, UPTER, ENAEA, IBE)

- To include: communication, confidence, safeguarding, self-esteem, personal

development.

- Embed and encourage the use of learning opportunities to include healthy eating,

relaxation, creativity, outdoor activities.

- Moving from a traditional model only cognitive to one that includes the person in a

holistic way.

- Knowing the learners and making sure the content is appropriate to them, e.g.

skills for local need in a rural area, and ensuring that contextual learning is

appropriate to their lives and situations.

- Active social life skills

- Civil live and community skills

2.2. Improving learners’ progression routes (DACES, PROMEA, UPTER, IBE)

- Focusing on the big picture of the learner journey.

- Individualized approach/ Working with each learner to ensure they know what’s

next for them, including linking with employability, and careers advice.

- Linking educational projects to labour market – e.g., with mentors who have real

opportunity to engage learners in activities of NGOs or private companies

(including offering employment after the end of the project); it is important to

schedule in such projects actions aimed at preparation mentors/leaders to perform

this function.

- Extending the use of free, accessible Making Choices courses to get disadvantaged

(usually jobseekers) into learning.

- Embedding ‘soft skills’ habits into learning to prepare learners for progression to

other learning, work and everyday life and practice.

- Supporting the learners need to belong in a community, and to be recognized as

members of this community.

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2.3. Using Social Pedagogy - Supporting the process of learning (DACES, PROMEA, IBE)

- Establishing one to one time with tutors to concentrate on each learner and their

wider situation, not just reviews in class.

- Applying buddying systems/ Identifying – in each group – those learners who are

able to act as ‘knowledge distributors’.

- Use of extensive and effective icebreakers for induction.

- Pastoral care.

- Use of cultural mediators to obtain information about learners needs from the

inside during the educational process and after its completion.

- Searching for 'knowledge distributors' also within learners’ social environment

(including neighbors or local authorities).

- Working with members of families (e.g., they could help trainer motivate learner

to learn, as well as control his/her progress).

2.4. Programming - Flexibility: individual educational path for learners (DACES, IBE,

PROMEA)

- Should be pre-determined at the beginning of the process, but there should be

also possibility of adapting it to the changing needs of learner (if necessary) – e.g.

on the occasion of scheduled project’s checkpoints (perceived as opportunities to

make decision whether the path should be modified – e.g., complemented by

specific workshops – or remain unchanged).

- Modularity: building educational paths with a wide palette/cafeteria of possibilities

– so that each participant could follow the path adapted to his/her individual

educational needs (the palette should include optional activities such as: various

trainings, career counseling, coaching etc., various forms of activities – individual

and collective).

- Ensure that programming plans in learning in bite-sized chunks so that learners

enjoy regular achievements.

- Ensure that programming allows flexibility (e.g. work patterns, other

commitments, zero hours contracts), including resource centre/drop ins for

learners to use to work.

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2.5. Language skills (UPTER, PROMEA, DACES)

- There is a difficulty in adults belonging to disadvantaged categories, in the ability

to understand and use the language. This applies not only to immigrants, but also

for categories that have less schooling, often linked to fewer economic

opportunities and social hardship.

2.6. Embedding eLearning and IT (DACES, PROMEA, ENAEA)

- Promoting the use of apps for English and maths skills, for learners on all

programmes, and assistive apps e.g. Dragon for dyslexia.

- Use of IT to enable flexible learning, blended learning and catch up while on

programme

- Overcoming tutor reluctance to use/promote IT through CPD, service marketing of

IT

- Extend/promote ‘borrow an iPad’ scheme.

2.7. Developing Parenting and Family skills (DACES, PROMEA)

- To include Keeping Up with the Kids learning, Family Learning and parenting skills.

- Use an ethnographic approach and cultural mediators to keep contact with learners

who are parents to identify their parenting and family skills needs and to help

them apply this kind of skills in their environment.

2.8. Supporting Personal planning and learning skills (DACES, ENAEA)

- Embed personal planning skills across the curriculum, including financial inclusion,

budgeting and household management.

- Learning to learn courses

2.9. Focus of the labour market needs and Increased Joint Practice Development

between practitioners (DACES, PROMEA, ENAEA)

- Establish/ascertain focal coordination between partners in local areas to increase

referrals of disadvantaged people, MATs.

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- Ensure curriculum planning to directly meet the needs of referrals from partner

agencies.

- More labor market related topics in the programmes

- Good research, analysis and knowledge about labor market needs

- Providing entrepreneurship education to learners

2.10. Learner reviews/tutorials (DACES, PROMEA)

- Plan in less structured one to one or 3 way with LSA learner reviews so that wider

challenges for disadvantaged (e.g. financial) can be identified, (and then later

addressed to improve the effectiveness of the learning).

2.11. Uniqueness of Adult Education offer (DACES)

- Ensure that the learning offer is not a duplication of what is available through

other providers.

- Work with local partners to tie together learning offer and refer.

- Ensure that the learning offer is not generic and represents the geographical

uniqueness – rurality as well as working within government funding priorities and

national need.

3.3 Question 3

What kind of knowledge, skills and competences do trainers for adult learners need in

order to provide effective education to learners from disadvantaged groups?

3.1. Empathy and understanding (DACES, PROMEA, ENAEA, UPTER, IBE)

- Building relationships with learners

- Awareness of learners diversity

- High levels of tolerance and respect

- Communications and listening skills

- Ability to stimulate adult learners to have faith in their ability to learn and change

- Ability to create relationships of trust with learners, as a pre-condition to the

effectiveness of the learning process.

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- Approachable; Ability to reduce – by using the appropriate appearance and

behavior – the distance between trainer/teacher and project’s participants (proper

clothes, attitude, way to communicate etc.)

- Personal skills: psychological resistance, inner-direction, sense of mission, ability

to separate work from personal life, maturity, stability, high level of energy,

mindfulness etc.

3.2. Teaching skills (DACES, PROMEA, UPTER, ENAEA, IBE)

- Ability to teach through active methodologies and methods adapted to adult

learners.

- Knowledge of different learning styles and learner differences.

- Ensuring the learning is flexible, dynamic and fun.

- Experience as a key success factor (far more important than any kind of degree or

diploma).

- Classic training skills.

- Coaching skills – including ability to ask the right questions.

- Knowledge of motivation factors.

- Ability to understand and influence the group process.

- Ability to create training situations conducive for the group engagement.

- Ability to create alternative learning situations.

3.3. Equality, diversity and inclusion skills (DACES, PROMEA, IBE)

- Compulsory training on working with learners with the ‘‘9 protected

characteristics’’.

- Experience of working with people from a range of disadvantaged groups, e.g.

autism, schizophrenia, bipolar, depression, anxiety and sharing good practice.

- Compulsory training on Prevent, CSE, safeguarding.

- Share good practice with inclusivity.

- Skills and experience in working with and integrating younger learners.

3.4. Organisational, fundraising and community skills (ENAEA, PROMEA, UPTER)

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- Planning skills and skills in preparing programmes.

- Skills to find ways to ensure and sustain funding for the running of programmes.

- Ability to stimulate social change in the community and the territory as a

constitutive aspect of educational action (educators as "territorial agitators").

3.5. Provision of support to trainers (DACES, PROMEA, IBE)

- Incentivizing and motivating tutors to upskill, partake in work shadowing and JPD

and other good practice sharing (rather than just courses).

- Provision of couching support, counselling, weekly individual or group meetings to

discuss current personal and training issues.

- Providing financial incentives from the organisation (which were identified as also

helping tutors to feel valued) and intrinsic and career motivations.

- Encouraging junior managers and tutorial staff to generate demand for and

interest in initiatives, to enable them feel valued and to nurture staff creativity –

then better impacting on the disadvantaged learners.

- To provide to novice trainers/teachers many opportunities to participate in

internships and perform real professional tasks with the support of experienced

professionals.

3.4 Question 4

What kind of qualifications, should trainers hold in order to provide effective adult

education to disadvantaged groups?

4.1. Teaching qualifications (DACES, PROMEA, IBE, ENAEA)

- Must have level 4 or 5 subject qualification as a minimum.

- Discussed that QTLS status still exists and guarantees yearly CPD, this is not

currently requisite.

4.2. Subject knowledge (DACES, PROMEA)

- Must be qualified to one level above that teaching or have significant experience as

appropriate.

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4.3. Additional qualifications/developing competencies (DACES, PROMEA, UPTER)

- Mental Health First Aid Training

- Assessors qualifications

- Prevent and safeguarding

- EDI

- CSE

- Diversity and inclusion

4.4. Learner Support qualifications (DACES, IBE)

- Bring back a requirement for LSAs to have a Learner Support qualification. This

will incentivise applications. Noted that many applicants don’t have supporting

adults experience, only nursery.

- Establish a tiered system of Learner Support where established and qualified LSAs

are at a higher level and can help and mentor other LSAs.

- LSAs should also have Level 2 English and maths where possible.

4.5. Soft training qualifications (UPTER, PROMEA)

- Training in some fundamental soft skills, with the aim of developing those relational

and communication skills necessary to establish a relationship of trust, listening, and

communication.

- Awareness of having to do with adults, teaching specific ways.

4.6. Minimum Core: English, maths and ICT (DACES)

- Tutors must have level 2 in English, maths and IT. Noted that English and maths

at Level 2 are a requirement to sign up for the Certificate in Education and

Training course.

3.5 Question 5

What characteristics should training institutions have in order to provide effective adult

education for the disadvantaged?

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Probes: In terms of training staff, infrastructure, values, funding? Other?

5.1. Good organisation qualities and characteristics (DACES, PROMEA, ENAEA, UPTER,

IBE)

- An organisation known to listen to learner voice.

- Takes action to make improvements based on feedback.

- Feedback mechanisms after end of programme and after ½ a year.

- Robust and effective Quality Assurance Procedures.

- High learner confidence in the organisation as a result of all the above.

- Respect and responsibility toward individuals.

- Innovation and reliability (ability to demonstrate experience in effective

management of educational projects).

- Varied team (trainers and teachers) in terms of age, experiences and skills.

- Flexible approach in learning activities (programmes).

- Offering continuing education courses for teachers.

5.2. Experienced, dedicated staff, ensuring that they are looked after (DACES, PROMEA,

UPTER, IBE, ENAEA)

- Learner centred.

- Effective and close-knit team.

- Not financially motivated workforce.

- Employer needs to meet the needs of the tutors so the good tutors feel valued,

have flexibility as needed and dependable income as needed.

- Encourage trainers/teachers to support each other in performing their everyday

duties. Organizing periodic meetings enabling staff to talk about current issues and

challenges, as well as new ideas and successes, should be a common good

practice.

5.3. Infrastructure and venues in the community (DACES, PROMEA, IBE, ENAEA)

- Infrastructure adapted to the specifics of implemented actions and to the needs of

their participants (trainers, teachers and learners).

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- Small, accessible venues in the communities with the most disadvantage and the

greatest need.

- Learning that is based where the learners are (not necessitating travel to a

campus).

- Small scale and cozy buildings, less intimidating to disadvantaged than big

institutions.

5.4. Successful training networks and partnerships (DACES, PROMEA, UPTER, IBE)

- Good liaisons with the industry and labour stakeholders.

- Collaboration with other educational stakeholders such as universities.

- Strong connections with the community.

5.5. Marketing (DACES, PROMEA)

- Discrete courses are not marketed at all and courses available to everyone are

marketed but the USPs mentioned in all points raised are not utilised enough for

marketing.

5.6. Class sizes (DACES)

- Small classes – between 8-12 maximum intake depending on type of cohort –

accessible and attractive to disadvantaged learners and means more support time

for those in most need.

5.7. Interventionist approach (DACES)

- Targeted advertising.

- As part of a County Council, knowledge that helping disadvantaged people with

early intervention will reduce cost on other services and society further down the

line.

- An ethos of ‘bending over backwards’ to meet the needs of learners.

- USP of taking learners with high needs and from disadvantaged groups that their

organisations e.g. colleges would leave behind in mainstream provision.

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3.6 Question 6

What could be improved in the adult education provided to disadvantaged groups in

order to deal with the issue of group heterogeneity?

6.1. Effective teaching (DACES, UPTER, PROMEA, ENAEA)

- Finding out about learner backgrounds and experiences.

- Setting and maintaining targets.

- Using Social Pedagogy.

- Using teaching points/contextual learning topics where disadvantaged learners

have the knowledge/experience.

- Community learning.

- The potential for moving outside of a courses/class model into community projects

to engage people that might not be attracted by a traditional course format and so

skills can be exchanged.

- The active teaching methods and approaches to work with heterogeneous groups,

to hold together the needs of the individual and the group.

6.2. Targeted appropriate support and differentiation (DACES, PROMEA, IBE, ENAEA)

- Good understanding of individual needs for each group of learners.

- Pairs and buddying Mentoring.

- Childcare and other support.

- Financial support.

- Flexible and targeted learning resources.

- Meeting individual learner needs using a personalized approach.

- Learning achievements are individual, effective extension activities and overt

differentiation that is person centred and not just level labelled.

- Recognition of prior knowledge of the groups of learners.

6.3. Ethnographic approach (PROMEA, DACES, IBE)

- Use of ethnographic methods (interviews, observation, cultural mediators) to

understand each group of learners’ needs.

25

- Links with the community. The community development approach includes, in a

structural attention to the heterogeneity, coexistence and dialogue of differences.

- Effective and flexible icebreakers according to group characteristics e.g. What’s in

the news?

- Non-judgmental teaching attitudes.

- Challenging stereotypes.

- Agreed and learner owned ground rules

- Focus on the kinds of problems to solve, rather than on characteristics of specific

groups dealing with this problems.

6.4. Behavioural safety (DACES)

- Effective implementation of Safer Learner.

- Risk assessments.

- Level the playing field.

3.7 Question 7

As concerns the effect of adult education provision in the learners’ life: what are the

areas that could provide input for the assessment of the education provided?

7.1. Measures of soft skills (DACES, PROMEA, IBE)

- To include: Confidence, Anxiety, Friendship, Social skills, Self-belief, Mental health,

Physical health, Wellbeing, Attendance, Better routine.

- Use of the RARPA process to make soft skills measurable.

- Active participation in social life.

7.2. Progression and destinations (DACES, PROMEA, IBE)

- Follow up with learners after the end of the course – what else would be suitable

for them individually?

- Understanding that learning one subject can open up possibility – different for

each learner and in different but mutually beneficial ways.

- Continuing further adult education programmes.

26

- Improvement and use of ICT skills.

7.3. Employability – life transformation (DACES, PROMEA, IBE)

- Employability as a key measure, but not the only measure, see soft skills.

- Holistic approach to the learners – working with partners to help people change

their lives.

7.4. Family learning and Bringing up the Kids (DACES, PROMEA)

- Family learning linked with social cohesion.

- Use of cultural mediators to keep contact with the learners and follow up on their

progress in family issues and bringing up children.

7.5. Celebrating achievement (DACES)

- Ensuring that all learners’ achievements are celebrated locally and more widely e.g

county and National Adult Learners’ Week.

3.8 Question 8

Do you have any other ideas, proposals, suggestions, and second thoughts on the

improvement of criteria for adult education effectiveness on disadvantaged?

8.1. Ongoing support and follow up support after the end of the course (DACES,

PROMEA, ENAEA)

- The importance of checking progressions months after the end of course to make

sure that the learning was effective, identify improvements and to add to the

learners’ journey/signpost where appropriate.

8.2. Marketing (DACES, PROMEA)

- Better marketing and dissemination of the educational programmes to reach the

targeted learners.

- More extensive use of social media and YouTube.

- More dedicated marketing staff out in the community.

27

8.3. Developing entrepreneurial skills (DACES, ENAEA)

- Learners building resilience through risk taking and creativity.

- Teaching entrepreneurial skills as well as the subject, e.g. Dry Stine Walling.

- Recognising that a lot of disadvantaged learners have entrepreneurial skills from

car boot/eBay selling etc. and that this is a route out of benefits for some.

- Recognise relying on JobCentre referrals might miss some disadvantaged people

who are entrepreneurs.

8.4. Signposting (DACES)

- A key tutor skill is knowing how to signpost effectively and knowing a big range of

signposting options.

- Using gateway opportunities e.g. Making Choices to get people into learning and

then signpost more learning and support.

8.5. Outdoor learning/outdoor classrooms (DACES)

- Recognising that learning opportunities and experiences don’t have to be confined

indoors or in typical class formats.

8.6. The voice from the previous cohort (DACES)

- Potential to invite representative from previous cohort to talk to new learners at

the beginning of the course.

4. Synopsis of the categorical analysis of the focus

groups

4.1 Presentation of the main qualitative and quantitative outcomes

The question by question analysis of the 5 focus groups in main categories can be

presented qualitatively (main categories/themes per question) and quantitatively

28

(instances; number of partners that appeared to have discussed the theme in the focus

group they organized in their country) as follows in the table.

Code

Main categories/themes – Qualitative analysis Instances

(n/5)

Question 1

1.1 Identification of learners’ needs and general inclusive practice 5

1.2 Additional support for learners e.g. in place support, “Buddy up” systems in class,

social skills, integration etc.

3

1.3 Partnership working – linking with public and private stakeholders 3

1.4 Local community provision 1

1.5 Cost to learners 2

1.6 Cost to service 2

1.7 Customer Service and nurturing learners 1

1.8 Tutor skills 2

1.9 Need to define ‘disadvantaged’ groups 2

1.10 Context and pre-condition of Adult Education to disadvantaged groups 3

Question 2

2.1 Focusing course aims on ‘soft’ skills and general well-being rather than just

outcome qualifications

5

2.2 Improving learners’ progression routes 4

2.3 Using Social Pedagogy - Supporting the process of learning 3

2.4 Programming - Flexibility: individual educational path for learners 3

2.5 Language skills 3

29

2.6 Embedding eLearning and IT 3

2.7 Developing Parenting and Family skills 2

2.8 Supporting Personal planning and learning skills 2

2.9 Focus of the labour market needs and Increased Joint Practice Development

between practitioners

3

2.10 Learner reviews/tutorials 2

2.11 Uniqueness of Adult Education offer 1

Question 3

3.1 Empathy and understanding 5

3.2 Teaching skills 5

3.3 Equality, diversity and inclusion skills 3

3.4 Organisational, fundraising and community skills 3

3.5 Provision of support to trainers 3

Question 4

4.1 Teaching qualifications level 4 or 5 subject qualification as a minimum 4

4.2 Subject knowledge higher education qualifications 2

4.3 Additional qualifications/developing competencies such as Mental Health First Aid

Training, Assessors qualifications, Prevent and safeguarding, Diversity and

Inclusion etc

3

4.4 Learner Support qualifications 2

4.5 Soft training qualifications 2

4.6 Minimum Core: English, maths and ICT 1

Question 5

5.1 Good organisation qualities and characteristics e.g. feedback mechanisms,

adaptation to learners’ needs, innovation and reliability, flexibility, respect and

5

30

responsibility, continuing education to teachers/trainers

5.2 Experienced, dedicated staff, ensuring that they are looked after 5

5.3 Infrastructure and venues in the community adapted to the local needs and

learner’s needs

4

5.4 Successful training networks and partnerships e.g. liaisons with labour and

education stakeholders and with the community mechanisms

4

5.5 Good marketing 2

5.6 Small classes size (8-12 maximum) 1

5.7 Interventionist approach 1

Question 6

6.1 Effective teaching 4

6.2 Targeted appropriate support and differentiation 4

6.3 Ethnographic approach to learners’ needs 3

6.4

Behavioural safety 1

Question 7

7.1 Measures of ‘soft skills’ to include: Confidence, Anxiety, Friendship, Social skills,

Self-belief, Mental health, Physical health, Wellbeing, Attendance, Better routine

3

7.2 Progression and destinations e.g. flexible and systematic follow up with learners,

continue education, use of ICT skills

3

7.3 Employability – life transformation 3

7.4 Family learning and Bringing up the Kids 2

7.5 Celebrating achievement 1

Question 8

8.1 Ongoing support to learners and follow up after the end of the course 3

31

8.2 Improving the marketing and dissemination approach of the educational

programmes to reach the targeted learners using modern communication

channels such as social networks and youtube

2

8.3 Assist learners developing entrepreneurial skills 2

8.4 Signposting 1

8.5 Promoting outdoor learning/outdoor classrooms 1

8.6 Promoting the voice and feedback from the previous cohort to current learners 1

5. Annex

5.1 PROMEA’s synthesized focus group data form

Question Main Points / basic

Ideas

Indicative quotes to

illustrate basic ideas Debate points Aligned Opinions

Other significant

notes / issues

1. What could be improved in the adult education programmes for disadvantaged groups in order to improve its effectiveness?

1. Categorization of learners’ groups. 2. Prior understanding and identification of learners needs. 3. Improvement of the incentives for learners (credits, money, certification, help in finding a job). 4. Improve methods to approach the group of learners and understand their needs. 5. Quantitative and qualitative criteria for the evaluation of the training results. 6. Flexible, smart and innovative follow up process.

”Which are the groups we are talking about? We must categorize these groups according to their characteristics and needs’’ ”Who are they? We must explore, understand and map the specific learners’ needs for each group prior to any training intervention”. ”Training organizations should approach the groups of learners to explore their training needs using flexible methods and then they should be evaluated based also on their innovation and flexibility. The follow up process should be also innovative, smart and flexible”

Regarding the necessity and effect of monetary incentives for learners: ’’Monetary incentives for learners could have a double bind effect, since some learners may choose to look for systematic training and become some kind of “programme junkies’’ just for the money, without focusing on learning and on the other benefits of training provision”.

1. Need to categorize learner’s groups. 2. Need to understand and approach from inside the group of learners group using flexible means of approach such as interviews, observation, cultural mediators, more ethnographic means of mapping and analyzing needs.

1. Internal and external motivation for learning. External motivation should be supported by providing incentives such as monetary, credits, accreditation etc) depends on the cultural identity of learners.

33


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

2. What should be included in the adult education for the disadvantaged training programmes? Probe: What are the training needs of adult learners from disadvantaged groups?

1. Specific learning outcomes: knowledge, skills, competences adjusted to their needs. 2. Social inclusion. 3. Psychological support. 4. To belong in a group. 5. To acquire a new kind of knowledge and view of the world. 6. To have and acquire a positive perspective and attitude in life.

“It is about the importance of inclusion: not social inclusion necessarily, but the sense of fulfillment and psychological security of the come-back to a school environment”. “It is really important to belong in a group with a common need and purpose and to have someone there (the educator) who knows some things and is in a position to tell you beautiful stories about the world. It is as if you have an access to an interpretation of the world that allows you to filter your reality and your identity from the beginning…”. “Adult education for the disadvantaged first should be a response to the psychological needs of the individual. Did you have a good time? Did you have the chance to be for a while in a nurturing environment

n/a

1. Post training evaluation should evaluate (and somehow measure) the level of satisfaction and psychological fulfillment of learners, and not only their acquired knowledge, skills and competences.

n/a

34


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

that helps you breath?”

3. What kind of knowledge, skills and competences do trainers for adult learners need in order to provide effective education to learners from disadvantaged groups?

1. Good understanding of the group of learners they serve and their needs (ethnographic approach, psychosocial perspective, cultural knowledge of the learners’ group). 2. Emotional intelligence skills. 3. Empathy skills. 4. Group management and conflict resolution skills. 5. Competence to get funding for the development of training programmes. 6. Mentoring and teaching skills.

”Educators should be familiar with the culture of the respective group of learners, to “speak and understand” their language; they need to do some kind of research, have a psychosocial understanding of various groups and the flexibility of an ethnographer”. ‘’Above all, the educators need empathy skills and high emotional intelligence”. 3. “It is very important to be in a position to find money for the organisation to develop training programmes”.

1. As regards including self- funding in the evaluation criteria: The ability of educators and training providers to ensure funding for training depending on own resources (e.g. writing proposals) eventually it may harm training providers excluding them from the governmental funding schemes and financial support. In addition, self-funding skills, if included among the evaluation criteria for the effectiveness of adult education programmes, may introduce a biased approach against training providers that although are doing a good job in providing good quality of training, they appear weak in ensuring adequate and continuous funding based on own resources.

1. Psychosocial and emotional intelligence skills, as well as teaching and mentoring skills are considered most important.

n/a

4. What kind of qualifications,

1. Relevant to learners needs.

‘’Educators should hold formal qualifications

n/a 1. Lifelong Learning education of adult

1. An issue of transparency may arise

35


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

should trainers hold in order to provide effective adult education to disadvantaged groups?

2. EU accredited (EQF, EQVET) to address their mobility needs. 3. VET qualifications provided by Academic Institutions (Universities, Institutes etc). 4. Lifelong learning education, participation in seminars, training programmes etc.

accredited by higher institutions (universities)”. “Because of the increased mobility of educators within EU, it will be better to hold qualifications responding not only to the National Standards but also to the European Qualification Framework (ECVET)”.

trainers is necessary and it will be best to be also provided to them by the organisation they serve (via a network of lifelong learning organizations that continuously provide vocational education and training to the organization’s educators and stuff.

in some cases and in some countries (e.g. Greece).

5. What characteristics should training institutions have in order to provide effective adult education for the disadvantaged? Probes: In terms of training staff, infrastructure, values, funding? Other?

1. Ability to get consistent and continuous funding. 2. Good definition of scope and plan. 3. Infrastructures adapted to the specific needs and characteristics of learners. 4. Connections with networks for getting pedagogical support for the continuous training of the educators (e.g. universities).

‘’Continuous funding in of major importance for the success of adult education programmes. Many ambitious programmes failed because the funding stopped or because of long breaks of funding”. “To have a project plan, clear aims and objectives, a business plan”. “To have infrastructures adjusted to the needs of learners is very important (he provided an example).”

1. Again the biased issue of including among the evaluation criteria the ability of the organisation to ensure adequate funding based on own resources; a biased approach against training providers that although are doing a good job in providing good quality of training, they appear weak in ensuring adequate and continuous funding based on own resources. 2. The ability of the organisation to keep a

1. Emphasis to the provision of counseling and lifelong learning support to educators by the training organisations. 2. Emphasis to follow the infrastructure standards adapted to the learners needs. 3. Great importance for organizations to exhibit methodological innovation and flexibility as regards the follow up process after the completion of the programme, keeping a

n/a

36


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

5. Network of networks with institutions responsible for employment and social inclusion. 6. Provision of psychological support to educators (e.g. weekly support meetings, couching, counseling etc) to deal with the burn-out or any other issue of this kind. 7. Flexible and innovative follow up structures and methodology (including the use of an ethnographic approach and of a pool of cultural mediators).

“The training provider should provide support to the educators in order to deal with the psychological distress and the constant pain of addressing the needs of disadvantaged people. Weekly meetings, individual and group sessions, couching and counseling could be useful to avoid the burn-out of educators and to feed their emotional intelligence and empathy. It should be an evaluation criteria the ability of the programme to cover this need”.

network of networks with other organizations (from the private and the public sector) in order to support learners to increase their employability and social inclusion. Just one debate point here: “are training providers a kind of unemployment agencies…?”

connection with trainees and gathering qualitative and measurable data regarding the impact of the training they got by the organisation in their quality of life (e.g. involvement of cultural mediators in the case of specific groups of learners such as the Roma, ethnographic observation, often follow up meeting and interviews inside the organisation and in situ in their cultural environment).

6. What could be improved in the adult education provided to disadvantaged groups in order to deal with the issue of group heterogeneity?

1. Good policy plan. 2. Good definition of the training programme’s scope, aim and objectives. 3. Good prior mapping of the learners needs (via flexible methods such as interviews,

“They should all begin with a plan and interest from above, the U priorities for adult education for the disadvantaged”. “It is of highest importance for the organisation to have a carefully studied and

1. 2. 3. n.

1. Continuous and post evaluation of educators and programmes by learners will allow the fine-tuning of the programmes’ objectives and pedagogical means according to all participants needs. However, all focus groups participants

1. 2. 3. n.

37


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

surveys, observation etc). 4. Use of cultural mediators to map the learners needs from an insider’s point of view. 5. Continuous and post evaluation of educators and programmes by learners.

structured implementation plan, based on well defined aims and objectives. “The training provider should have a pool of cultural mediators, of people well trained, originating from the group of learners, someone whom the learners trust, in order to approach the group of learners during the selection period, as well during the follow up stage”

noted the importance for filtering and categorizing learners in specific groups, according to specific needs.

7. As concerns the effect of adult education provision in the learners’ life: what are the areas that could provide input for the assessment of the education provided? Probes: with regards to employability, financial

1. Qualitative changes in the learners’ life. 2. Well-being and personal fulfillment. 3. Employability improvement (quantitative approach and measurement). 4. Skills improvement (Quantitative approach and measurement).

1. Example of observation of Roma mothers’ change of consumption habits with the help of trained cultural mediators.

Technocratic approach (measurement of learners acquired knowledge, skills and competences) Vs humanistic approach (sense of personal fulfillment, empowerment of psychosocial identity and belonging in a group).

The focus was on the follow up methodology and the measurement approach as regards the effects of training programmes to learners’ life after the completion of the course. There was an alignment around the opinion that follow up should be based on flexible (according to the learners’ profile) qualitative and quantitative (for large scale mapping) tools.

n/a

38


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

independence, social inclusion, feeling of personal fulfillment, health and wellbeing (physical and psychological)

8. Do you have any other ideas, proposals, suggestions, and second thoughts on the improvement of criteria for adult education effectiveness on disadvantaged?

1. Comparative evaluation: before and after evaluation methodologies. 2. Focus on the mapping of learners’ needs through a process of exploration, and after a period of systematic audience analysis of needs. 3. Penalty organisations for unprepared used of resources after the evaluation process.

1. 2. 3. n.

1. Quantitative measurement of life impact Vs subjective experiential understanding of learners during the follow up.

n/a n/a

39

5.2 DACES’s synthesized focus group data form

Qu Main Points /

basic Ideas Indicative quotes to illustrate basic ideas Debate points Aligned Opinions

Other significant

notes / issues

1 1

General inclusive

practice

1 “I’ve seen big differences using the

Social Pedagogy approach in inducting

them and getting to know them.

Rather than the ‘here’s a class’,

spending some time with somebody. I

spoke to a MAT worker yesterday and

told them ‘this is what I’m going to

do’ and it was like ‘that’s fantastic’

because if you just say ‘here’s a class’

they will walk out the door. They need

a soft soft approach.”

“for practitioners planning is also

really important in the classroom.

Welcoming in the classroom.

Developing the inclusive practice so

you’ve got variety of things to make

sure you are including people. Using

good techniques…. Track the support

and identify that we do good ground

rules. All those things are really good

practice. I think they need to be more

embedded into planning.”

“Straight away nowadays, you get

people who are straight onto their

mobile phone. Every time you come

into the room there’s 9 people in the

room just on their mobile phones, no-

one wants to talk. Because they need

that icebreaker. They need that

1

Allowing roll on roll off

programme starts only after holidays, could help to integrate new

learners (especially if more than one), but can ‘lose’ learners who have to wait for

a start date.

1 Using Social Pedagogy to ensure personalised

study Flexible programme for

Roll on Roll off learning Collaborative setting of

ground rules

Planning - being welcoming in the classroom, including effective icebreakers and inductions.

Consideration of inclusion

of the disadvantaged into

mainstream learning cohorts and bespoke provision where this would not be appropriate for those learners and with careful consideration

to needs.

1

The group agreed that there are

challenges and barriers to this practice, including in and time costs where programmes

are of fixed duration and in planning time.

40

Qu Main Points /


Other significant

notes / issues

person to come and actually say, ‘this

is such-and-such, can you work in

that group, can you work with them

today’. That’s all you need to do. They

need a bit of prompting.”

“Part of what’s very effective is

embedding the ability to integrate

everyone into a mainstream

programme. And then the alternative

is that you have a bespoke

programme for a particular cohort,

say with mental health issues or being

at risk of health issues. So there’s two

ways of approaching it.”

2 Additional support for learners

2 “Learner Support can be either the

presence of a Learner Support

Assistant to work dedicated and

attached to a learner to support them

with their programme. It could be

someone in a mentor capacity who

makes contact between classes to

encourage and motivate and buddy

them to make them feel included; it

can be flexible really, It could be

support in other ways like childcare or

financial support.”

“We could do with more staff training

for quite a few of the things that

we’ve been trained in, dealing more

with the 14-19 enquiries in particular,

like making them aware of bursaries.

2 2 Support in place and that can be signposted and applied more includes:

childcare, financial (e.g. funding exams and transport costs, 14-19 bursaries), adaptive equipment, and especially study rooms available for missed

attendance (e.g. illness,

clashes with work schedule).

Check facilities for learners – not just statutory DDA

compliance, but practically helpful e.g. hearing loops available etc.

2

41

Qu Main Points /


Other significant

notes / issues

Because everyone’s doing so much,

little things get forgotten… A crib

sheet would be useful.”

“with buddying up …it’s really

important outside of the classroom

because if the learner misses a

session and then somebody can

contact them, befriend them … then

they can encourage them to come

back ‘don’t worry you’ve missed that

class, we’ll sort something out, I’ll get

your homework to you’. If nobody

was to contact them then they would

probably just disappear. If someone

were to befriend them and buddy

them, it’s going to encourage them to

keep coming.”

“[the tutor] got us to buddy up. I

remember their names. We worked in

pairs but it wasn’t the same pair

every week. By doing that, in the

break, we’d have a cup of tea …we

got to know each other. I still keep in

contact with some of them now. My

strengths became their strengths and

their strengths became my strengths.

I learned from the people in the

group. But the group wasn’t cliquey.”

Learner Support Assistants in place could be more extensive, currently selected

carefully to match learner

needs/personality and not simply equal work to each LSA.

Additional learner mentoring/buddying from staff (allocated at start of programme) including

pastoral care out of class to encourage engagement and attention (including

people to meet at centre at breaktime/before

class) – especially for young disengaged learners.

“Buddy up” systems in class, with mixing of buddies (weekly) to increase integration,

social/soft skills, achievements.

3 Partnership working

3 “a lot of the third sector and public

sector organisations’ resources are

really tight now. So they are in a less

3 Surveying/door knocking local

areas to identify

3 DACES already works closely with many

partners but could work

3 Noted that cuts in funding for local

government and

42

Qu Main Points /


Other significant

notes / issues

easy position to be communicating

with us and referring to us.”

local needs and unidentified local disadvantaged

groups was

discussed. One participant had done this in a previous employ and found it time consuming and

costly and was not of the opinion that it would be

suitable for the service. Others

identified that this is done by partners/local organisations and partnership working helps to tap into that

knowledge.

more with them to understand local area needs.

Partnership working

enables the most

disadvantaged learners to be identified and supported into learning where they would not otherwise take the initiative/have the confidence etc. to come.

Partnership working to increase learner progression to other learning and services

provided outside of the DACES offer. E.g. local

colleges etc. Better understanding of

JobCentre+ regulations and systems to reduce incongruences of rules/ systems negatively impacting learners.

partners means less resource and time to form and nurture partnerships.

Noted that, on some occasions, referrals from the JobCentre+ are placed on course and then JobCentre remove them (under threat of sanctions)

partway through courses as now deemed fit to work, or schedule

unmissable appointments during

class times (known to them on their systems), thereby disrupting their learning.

4 Local community

provision

4 “The courses that we are offering all

needs to be accessible, for example

rural isolated learners, learners that

are on benefits, that might not be

able to get to a centre through travel

costs. So it all stems from planning

where provision is put on.”

“we know that learners want to learn

but they won’t travel off the estate so

4 4 Noted that DACES’ USP is bringing provision into

the community – most especially in the most economically deprived

areas. Many of the most disadvantaged learners can’t or won’t travel outside their immediate local area so need to bring more provision to

4

43

Qu Main Points /


Other significant

notes / issues

we would therefore have to put

provision on the estate or put the

provision in one of the centres, for

example Glossop and possible end up

paying for them to travel.”

them (specifically tailored to local needs).

Noted that this is especially an issue due to

rural isolation in

Derbyshire and costs/availability of transport in rural areas.

Agreed that an alternative is to arrange and fund transport but this is not optimal

compared with local provision (costs, time, learner reluctance)

5 Cost to

learners 5 5 5 Continue to (and

review?) offer of

provision with subsidised costs tailored to economic and community need (to encourage the learners that most need it to enrol).

5

6 Cost to service

6 “is cost something that informs

planning or planning before costs.

Obviously we are working with finite

resources. Is that dependent on

planning or costs? Do we decide what

we are going to do and then put the

cost in?”

6 Discussion as to whether programmes should be mapped out

according to need and then

see whether they can be funded, or whether funding criteria come first and then

areas with need

6 Resources are focused to where there is the most disadvantage, in line with funding.

Reaching the most

disadvantaged can be costly (especially in

terms of time) to the service but the outcome of engaging these learners and improving their lives and the communities is worth it.

6

44

Qu Main Points /


Other significant

notes / issues

are identified.

7 Customer Service and nurturing

learners.

7 “Customer service is massively

important and we don’t do as much

training as we used to do years ago.

That front of house, that smile brings

that person in… these people clearly

are nervous if you are having an off

day, say an admin staff is having an

off day, that person [learner] might

have spent many months trying to get

into that. Then they’ve turned them

away. I’ve known many people that

have been frightened off because of

that.”

7 7 Customer service and nurturing skills from tutors and from Business

Services centre staff. Ensuring that customer service is always excellent.

Discretion taken when cancelling classes due to low numbers – consider

the implications for the learner (being put off attending in future) etc. when classes are cancelled.

7

8 Tutor skills and CPD

8 8 8 Increase tutor knowledge and skills through EDI and inclusivity training, Social Pedagogy learning and skills in personalised programming

Qu Main Points /


Other significant

notes / issues

2 1 Focusing course aims on ‘soft skills’ rather

than just outcome qualifications

1 That links into ‘what are the aims of

the course’. If it’s to achieve that skill

in English or maths or IT, that’s

inevitably where the tutor’s going to

focus in order to get success. But if

the aims of the course is the wider

outcomes that we’ve been talking

about over the last couple of years, of

1 1 To include: communication, confidence, right and

British Values, safeguarding, self-esteem, personal development.

Knowing the learners and making sure the content

45

Qu Main Points /


Other significant

notes / issues

confidence building, self-esteem,

attendance. If we can refocus our

tutors to think that those are the

things that matter, then they will

hopefully take on more of that Social

Pedagogic approach because that’s

how to achieve that.

it’s very easy for us with limited

resources to focus on what the key

curricular needs around employability

being very urban driven and that the

Government’s priorities around what

people need might be around

technology, English and maths for

working in large companies, but

because we are such a rural area,

actually our priority might be about

what’s needed in the rural areas for

employment. …So where our funding

is led by national employability

priorities, as a rural area, we also

have to respond to our own local

needs in our contexts.”

is appropriate to them, e.g. skills for local need in a rural area, and ensuring that contextual

learning is appropriate to

their lives and situations.

2 Progression

routes 2 “Appropriately identifying progression

routes. If we are identifying students

through other agencies, we’ve got to

make sure we’ve got diversity within

our provision so we can place

students appropriately so they are not

overtly stressed by the situation and

can progress. That will create

motivation whilst they are on

2 2 Focusing on the big

picture of the learner journey.

Working with the learner to ensure they know what’s next for them,

including linking with employability, IAG and careers advice.

Extending the use of

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programme.

If we have clearly identified what the

outcome of the programme that we

are delivering is going to be and the

next steps fully identified, and we’ve

made negotiations with other agencies

so we’ve got more coordination. Then

the student’s got an idea of what they

are going to be doing the next

academic year or thereafter.”

free, accessible Making Choices courses to get disadvantaged (usually jobseekers) into learning.

Embedding ‘soft skills’

habits into learning to prepare learners for progression to other learning and work.

3 Using Social Pedagogy

3 I’ve seen big differences using the

Social Pedagogy approach in inducting

them and getting to know them.

Rather than the ‘here’s a class’,

spending some time with somebody.”

“using icebreakers, like with your

people. I’ve been using the Social

Pedagogy approach to find out what’s

their big picture. What’s the idea in 5

years, 10 years? What do they want

to do? You could then incorporate the

employability side of things”

“I think with buddying up that you

talked about, it’s really important

outside of the classroom because if

the learner misses a session and then

somebody can contact them, befriend

them or tutor or admin or whatever,

then they can encourage them to

come back”

3 3 Establishing one to one time with tutors to concentrate on each learner and their wider situation, not just

reviews in class. Buddying systems (see

Q1) Use of extensive and

effective icebreakers Pastoral care (see Q1)

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“I think pastoral care definitely. Your

mentoring and buddying up and that

type of thing. I think it’s absolutely

crucial that they know they have

somebody that they know is on their

side.”

4 Personal

planning skills

4 “It’s appropriate content. When I was

teaching learners on probation, it

would have been highly inappropriate

in most instances for me to do a

maths activity around planning a

holiday because that just wasn’t going

to happen for most of them. However,

a maths activity around managing day

to day budget or a phone contract or

whether they were always in and out

of the pawn shops to get loans and

short term budgeting was appropriate.

It is about making the content of the

course appropriate to the cohort”

4 4 Embed personal

planning skills across

the curriculum,

including financial

inclusion, budgeting

and household

management.

5 Uniqueness of offer

5 “If you look at the Steers that come

through each year, we do look at - the

advice given [from DACES SMT] is

that you need to know what’s

happening locally, you need to work

with partners and you need to fill gaps

and not duplicate.”

“it’s very easy for us with limited

resources to focus on what the key

curricular needs around employability

being very urban driven and that the

Government’s priorities around what

5 5 Maximising the USP of being able to effectively include disadvantaged learners into provision

Ensure that the learning offer is not a duplication

of what is available through other providers.

Work with local partners to tie together learning offer and refer,

Ensure that the learning offer is not generic and

represents the

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people need might be around

technology, English and maths for

working in large companies, but

because we are such a rural area,

actually our priority might be about

what’s needed in the rural areas for

employment. It could be dry stone

walling to horticulture to the creative

industries, because in the Peak

District that’s a really important area

of work. Also in the hospitality

business. So where our funding is led

by national employability priorities, as

a rural area, we also have to respond

to our own local needs in our

contexts.”

geographical uniqueness – rurality as well as working within government funding

priorities and national

need.

6 Wellbeing 6 6 6 Embed and encourage

the use of learning opportunities to include healthy eating, relaxation, creativity, outdoor activities.

7 Parenting and

Family 7 7 7 To include Keeping Up

with the Kids learning, Family Learning and parenting skills.

8 Embedding eLearning and

IT

8 “Some tutors are great at embedding

the IT, and we’ve tried numerous

times. So when smart phones and

things came out we were promoting

apps. I can remember doing a session

I can think of a tutor that was

straightaway like ‘I haven’t got a

smartphone, I haven’t got the

8 Conversations around hoe

smartphones etc. can be a distraction, but also comforting to vulnerable learners, but learners can

8 Promoting the use of apps for English and

maths skills, for learners on all programmes, and assistive apps e.g. Dragon for dyslexia.

Use of IT to enable flexible learning, blended learning and catch up

8

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internet’. And we were ‘well you can

borrow an iPad’ … ‘I can’t do that, I

don’t know how to do it’.”

“I think that, looking at disadvantaged

learners, and we are talking about

isolation, that is where IT can come in

but also we’ve got to be flexible. Not

‘this is when we start in September

and this is when we finish in June and

if you can’t come on that time and

that day there is no way you can use

our classes.’ So I think we could use

IT to help disadvantaged people.

Flexibility is a plus point.”

use IT to the detriment of social and communications

skills.

while on programme Overcoming tutor

reluctance to use/promote IT through

CPD, service marketing

of IT Extend/promote ‘borrow

an iPad’ scheme.

9 Programming 9 “Bite-sized chunks so that people are

achieving frequently and developing

confidence.”

“We are getting much better at when

learners can come and learn. In what

I’ve come across, we are quite rigid.

Like resource centres where they

[learners] can do a bit of work, if they

can’t come to class then the tutor can

come in and leave them some work

for people to do drop in work between

classes.”

9 9 Ensure that programming plans in learning in bite-sized chunks so that

learners enjoy regular achievements.

Ensure that programming allows flexibility (e.g. work patterns, other commitments, zero hours contracts), including

resource centre/drop ins

for learners to use to work.

9

1

0

Staff working together

Increased Joint Practice Development between practitioners

Establish/ascertain focal

coordination between partners in local areas to

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increase referrals of disadvantaged people, MATs.

Ensure curriculum

planning to directly meet

the needs of referrals from partner agencies.

1

1

Learner reviews/tutorials

“we do reviews or [learner] tutorials

with a tutor. That could be that during

that tutorial they have a chat about

‘how are you getting on’ but they

might also flag up ‘how are things

going personally?’ or ‘are you aware

that you might get financial

assistance’. So ‘tutorial time’, I know

we talked about mentor time, but

actually having tutorial sessions,

whether that’s within class or out of

class”

“I’m thinking ‘how are things going’ so

if was that someone might be really

skint and says ‘I had problems getting

on [paying for] the bus’ and that can

turn into ‘well there’s bursaries

available or we could help you with

transport’ or that lady ‘I’ve lost my

job’ suddenly one comment can turn

into ‘they’re at a disadvantage, this is

available.’”

“if there isn’t LSA support in there,

say it was about a bus fare, they

might say that something else is

Plan in less structured one to one or 3 way with LSA learner reviews so that wider challenges for

disadvantaged (e.g. financial) can be identified, (and then later addressed to improve the effectiveness of the

learning).

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going off, they are struggling to buy

clothes. I can think of [learner name]

and it was down to food, he was

struggling to [afford to] eat. We

wouldn’t have known that. There was

nobody [LSA] in class and he wouldn’t

talk to anybody but going out and

having that little chat, suddenly there

was a lot of a bigger picture going on

here. Some people might not like

talking but it could open up.”

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3 1 Empathy and understanding

1 A lot of the issue that we have is the

people skills. The empathy and the

understanding. Quite often when

placing the 14-19 year olds, I can

place them into classes but I know

I’ve got to be selective which tutor I

put them with.

“the idea of tolerance within the

classroom is also important. Because

you will get people with lots of

differences and I’ve taught in

classrooms where I’ve not found out

the disadvantages until a lot further

down the line [into the course]. If you

put the groundwork in to make sure

that you’ve got a group that talk to

1 1 Building relationships with learners

Awareness of learner diversity

High levels of tolerance and respect

Approachable

1 Significant level of discussion was held regarding these areas as to incentivizing and motivating tutors to upskill, partake in

work shadowing and JPD and other good practice sharing

(rather than just courses). Discussion as to tutor motivations to

partake in upskilling and CPD, including financial incentives from the

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each other, and feel they can come to

you, that you can do different

activities to integrate people and you

develop that respect.”

organisation (which were identified as also helping tutors to feel valued) and

intrinsic and career

motivations. Additionally, the extra perceived workload and pressure from top down initiatives was discussed, and it

was discussed that encouraging junior managers and tutorial staff to

generate demand for and interest in

initiatives are more welcomed, enable them to feel valued and nurtures staff creativity – then better impacting on the disadvantaged

learners.

2 Communications and listening

2 2 2 Skilled in effective communication techniques and a

listening ear. Empathy and use of

Social Pedagogy. Time and the right

person to build up a supportive learner relationship

2

3 Equality, diversity and

inclusion skills

3 “I think that CPD is good, it needs to

be in place, but experience in working

with those people to understand what

skills you have already got and what

you can offer some of those groups of

people.”

“For example say that person has got

autism, unless you’ve experienced

autism, or had training about autism,

you wouldn’t know how to teach that

person because the way I teach

anybody else would be different

maybe to somebody with that. The

same with somebody with mental

health difficulties, they could be

someone with paranoid schizophrenia,

with bipolar, depression, anxiety. I’ve

touched all of it.”

3 3 Compulsory training on working with learners

with the 9 protected characteristics.

Experience of working

with people from a range of disadvantaged groups, e.g. autism, schizophrenia, bipolar, depression, anxiety and sharing good practice.

Compulsory training on

Prevent, CSE, safeguarding.

Share good practice with inclusivity.

3

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“The opportunities to share good

practice is important. That develops

tutor confidence, if they’ve been

asked to go and take the opportunity

to do some CPD and then they get the

opportunity to reinforce their

understanding by sharing it with

others.”

4 Knowledge of learning styles and learner

differences

4 “It’s understanding. It’s knowledge

that’s always key. We can only get

knowledge through training and

awareness.”

4 4 Professional and analytical approaches

Skills of inclusion

Differentiation Ensuring the learning is

flexible, dynamic and fun.

4

5 Skills and

experience in working with and integrating younger learners

5 “Working alongside somebody, I think

is really good. Not so much a tutor

meeting but we have, you’re trying to

place a young person in a class and

constantly get tutors saying ‘I don’t

want them in my group, I’m not

trained to teach young people’.

Perhaps to have a day with the study

programme, or a day might allay all

their fears so we might not have to

worry so much, like ‘I really enjoyed

that, let them come’. It might be

something as simple as that.”

5 5 Allaying tutor fear and

inexperience of working with younger learners [additional government funding can be obtained for working with this cohort]

Challenging purely

negative (behavioural) reports from other tutors who work with young vulnerable learners,

balancing with positive things also

5

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4 1 Teaching qualifications

1 1 1 Must have level 4 subject qualification as a minimum.

Discussed that QTLS

status still exists and

guarantees yearly CPD, this is not currently requisite.

1

2 Subject knowledge

2 “Because it’s depending on what

they’re teaching isn’t it. Because if

they are teaching English or maths or

whatever, then they need to have the

qualification higher than what they’re

teaching. If they are teaching

jewellery making, it may be that they

are an expert and has got their own

business. That’s the experience but

may not be the piece of paper

qualification.”

2 2 Must be qualified to one level above that teaching or have significant

experience as appropriate.

2

3 Additional

qualifications/developing competencies

3 “There also has to be evidence of, I

don’t like the word CPD, but

developing competencies. You don’t

just do something in 2007 and it stays

there, it’s changing constantly.”

3 3 As appropriate:

Mental Health First Aid Training

Assessors qualifications Prevent and safeguarding EDI CSE

3

4 Minimum

Core (English, maths and ICT)

4 “It does depend, of course, on what

people are tutoring and how often

they tutor. There are practical,

outdoors courses that people are

tutoring where they have argued that

they teach for such short spots of

time because they are specialist one

day courses that actually it’s not

4 Is it necessary

for very occasional sessional tutors who are teaching

outdoors subjects to have level 2

4 Tutors must have level 2

in English, maths and IT. Noted that English and maths at Level 2 are a requirement to sign up for the Certificate in

Education and Training course.

Noted that, due to

4

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relevant. I’m not sure that I agree but

I think it’s a discussion point, that.”

English and maths. How does that effect their ability to

embed in short

sessions?

changing legistation, there may be some existing tutors on the tutor pool who do not

have Level 2 in English

and maths.

5 Learner Support

5 “I think we should reintroduce the

Learner Support qualification. I used

to teach that many years ago and it

was a really good qualification. City &

Guilds. Now, when we recruit learning

support, we recruit on their

experience of working with adults. We

don’t ask for any particular

qualification, but we do like Learner

Support to have English and maths at

Level 2.”

“I know we are having cuts, but we

shouldn’t be hearing negativity

because the disadvantaged groups are

hearing that. So I enter the

classroom, whatever’s happened at

home, I’m there for that student, and

other students as well. You hear it

from people, they get a bit too

friendly, tutors get friendlier and they

start saying things they shouldn’t say

and LSAs say things as well. It’s

boundaries”

5 5 Bring back a requirement for LSAs to have a Learner Support qualification. This will incentivise applications.

Noted that many applicants don’t have supporting adults experience, only nursery.

Establish a tiered system

of Learner Support where

established and qualified LSAs are at a higher level and can help and mentor other LSAs.

LSAs should also have Level 2 English and maths where possible.

5 Discussion around ensuring staff positivity in sessions and ensuring that professional

boundaries are maintained re discussing financial cuts etc. in class. Negativity from staff

can impact

especially on disadvantaged learners.

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5 1 Venues in the community

1 “Venues in the community. What

makes us different from Chesterfield

College or Derby College is that we

have our own premises in 23 of the

towns across the county and we are

working in anything up to 100 venues

each year and that we will go to

where the learners are.”

“Scale is another one. Our premises

aren’t that big if you compare us with

a college. We’re much less

intimidating for them.”

1 1 Small, accessible venues in the communities with the most disadvantage and

the greatest need.

Learning that is based where the learners are (not necessitating travel to a campus)

Small scale and cozy buildings, less intimidating to

disadvantaged than big institutions.

1

2 Class sizes 2 “it’s the class sizes. When I do the

tours and I say ‘the biggest class sizes

we have are about 8 or 10 or we have

an odd childcare that goes to 15’ ‘oh

it’s not like college then, it’s not 30’.

There’s only like 5 classes at one time

going on. ‘I like that’. Some people

don’t but for some, that’s a real

selling point.”

2 2 Small classes – between 8-12

maximum intake depending on type of cohort – accessible and attractive to disadvantaged learners

and means more support time for those in most need.

2

3 Interventionist approach

3 “a learner commented to us the other

week ‘I don’t know anywhere that

bends over backwards or helps as

much as you do’. Whereas other

places have just said no, we need to

take them because it’s EDI or it’s not

discriminating, whereas somebody

else would just say no.”

“part of the reason we have that

ethos [of inclusivity] is because if

3 Concern that by being so

inclusive and catering for all

needs could mean that the staff them feel under-resourced and

spread too thinly. It was questioned

3 Targeted advertising As part of a County

Council, knowledge that helping

disadvantaged people with early intervention will reduce cost on other services and society further down

the line. An ethos of ‘bending

over backwards’ to

3

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we’re not supporting these people

then our own organisation will have to

support them in other ways. So in a

way, we’re a cost cutting option

because it’s cheaper for us to teach

people than it is to deal with all of the

services they might need if they

become more disadvantaged.”

“a learner commented to us the other

week ‘I don’t know anywhere that

bends over backwards or helps as

much as you do’. Whereas other

places have just said no, we need to

take them because it’s EDI or it’s not

discriminating, whereas somebody

else would just say no.”

“Quite a lot of our concerns were

about levels of resource, and having

the time to do it, whereas actually we

are in a position where possibly the

boundaries that stop us doing aren’t

high enough so that we focus in on

using our resources more selectively.

Because we are being funded and

because we are encouraged to do

everything for everybody, we do, and

we spread ourselves very thinly and

then we feel under-resourced.”

whether greater specialisation or more specific boundaries

would mitigate

this.

meet the needs of learners

USP of taking learners with high needs and

from disadvantaged

groups that ther organisations e.g. colleges would leave behind in mainstream provision.

4 Good organisation

4 “It’s a listening organisation. One

thing I’ve been very impressed with is

when a learner comes forward with an

4 4 An organsation known to listen to learner

voice

4

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issue or a complaint or a comment or

a suggestion is dealt with and if it’s

not dealt with at this level, it moves

up to that level or it moves up to that

level, but it’s the sense that the

people have the confidence to come

forward and not just sit there and

mither about it. It’s the sign of a good

quality organisation when people feel

they can voice something honestly.”

“Even though we are very diverse

across the county, we do work as a

team. That is a big strength of ours.

We are not working in isolation. When

I worked in a college it was ‘you’re on

the second floor, you’re on the fifth

floor and we only speck to people on

this floor’ sort of thing.”

Takes action to make improvements based on feedback

Robust and effective

Quality Assurance

Procedures High learner

confidence in the organisation as a result of all the above.

5 Signposting and

progression

5 “Having that progression and

signposting is important. Knowing

that if you do this, you can then do

that.”

5 5 5 Marketing was also discussed. It was

noted that discrete courses are not marketed at all and courses available to everyone are

marketed but the USPs mentioned in

all points raised are not utilised enough for marketing.

6 Successful partnerships

6 “I think the way to do that [get the

word out there] is to just build more

partnerships. It’s through the

6 6 6

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partnerships that you get your

targeted learners. But we don’t seem

to have the time to invest in the

partnerships.”

7 Experienced, dedicated staff, and

ensuring that they are looked after

7 “I think there’s quite a few tutors that

don’t do it for the money. They do it

because they love doing the job.”

“So we have lost quite a few [good

tutors] over the last few years.

There’s been people who are tutors

who now do admin because they’ve

got guaranteed work, so you’ve lost a

good tutor because they need the

income.”

“Being a dependable employer is an

important characteristic and a well-

resourced institution is important too

because without that, there’s stresses

in all directions.”

7 7 Learner centred Effective and close-knit

team

Not financially motivated workforce

Employer needs to meet the needs of the tutors so the good tutors feel valued, have flexibility as

needed and dependable income as

needed.

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6 1 Comprehensi

ve inductions 1 “That goes back to where we used to

do inductions and meet people first.

Because then you could select groups,

get to know them, pair people up.”

1 1 Setting and

maintaining targets 1

2 Effective teaching

2 “Choosing topics where the

disadvantaged people have the

2 2 Finding out about learner backgrounds and experiences

2

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knowledge so they feel that they are

contributing, they are not always the

one that doesn’t know the subject.”

“With the probation, it’s making it

appropriate content.

Find out their experiences. I found out

that a disproportionate number of

learners enjoyed fishing. I know

nothing about fishing. So they could

easily lead a conversation a literacy

activity and feel valued.”

“However much a tutor’s skills are in

bringing out a learner’s skills, actually

if you were, for example, looking at

we want to reduce the energy needs

of our village hall, your tutor might be

the facilitator of the learning that’s

shared between the group of people

learning in the community who are

bringing all sorts of other skills. It’s a

more level playing field whereby it’s

definitely not tutor focused, it’s

community members focused.”

“the learning aim is to learn to work

together to share ideas, to come up

with some practical solution to what

might happen in the community. The

learning event is that, and yet you

wouldn’t describe that as a course,

you would describe that as a group

Using Social Pedagogy Using teaching

points/contextual learning topics where

disadvantaged learners

have the knowledge/experience

Community learning The potential for

moving outside of a courses/class model into community

projects to engage people that might not be attracted by a traditional course

format and so skills can be exchanged.

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getting together to work through a

project.”

3 Targeted appropriate

support

3 “Childcare for differentiated groups

could be needed at some point. I’ve

asked for a long time now because we

only have a crèche in three centres, if

we can start to use DCC staff on a

pool, nursery staff, so that we can

have crèches in areas that don’t have

childcare facility.”

3 3 Pairs and buddying Mentoring

Childcare and other support

Financial support (see earlier questions re these)

3

4 Dfferentiation

4 Learning activity in order that in one

classroom different people can start

form the same basic starting point but

there’s opportunities for people to go

much further and extend themselves

into more challenging work, and yet

it’s not a sense of failure if somebody

only goes a short distance along that

journey.

So the resources that we can provide.

Differentiation of resources is a big

thing and there are a lot of tutors that

are really good at it.

They can say well you need this but if

you haven’t got that, you bring that.

I’ve noticed in the flower arranging

class, I was there the other day, she

was saying ‘these roses are lovely to

put in this display but just go into the

hedgerow and get some of this’. She

was coming up with various different

4 4 Resources Meeting individual

learner needs using a personalized approach

Learning achievements

are individual, effective extension activities and overt differentiation that is person centred and not just level labelled.

4

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ways of supporting you.

Someone who can only come every

other week for instance, that maybe

they get the opportunity to attend

different classes, an alternative class

as well, so that flexibility

5 EDI 5 “that comes up so much in class, and

you have to say ‘that’s not

appropriate, you are not allowed to

say things like that.’ But they don’t

know that, because they’ve not been

educated and they don’t mean it in a

racist point of view it’s just that they

don’t know.”

“One English teacher does an

icebreaker every session about what’s

been in the news that morning. To get

everyone talking to each other, and

that works well.”

“You need all the learners in the

group to have that investment in the

ground rules and to revisit those

regularly so that when you have got

roll on roll off, sometimes ground

rules have been set at the beginning

of the term and they are on the wall

and everyone in the group has had

their say and mutually agreed it but

you don’t just point to them and say.”

5 5 Effective icebreakers that incorporate EDI e.g. What’s in the news?

Non-judgmental teaching attitudes

Establishing what levels are okay.

Challenging stereotypes

Agreed and learner

owned ground rules.

5

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6 Behavioural safety

6 We’ve also been looking at

Behavioural Safety as an extension of

risk assessing. Looking at how the

behaviour of one person in that class

can create an un-level playing field

and can influence someone else’s

learning negatively. Even adult ed

classes, if you’ve got somebody who

is using certain noxious paints, you

have to say that is not appropriate

because that person with asthma over

there has got to leave the room.

6 6 Effective implementation of Safer Learner

Risk assessments

Level the playing field.

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7 1 Measures of soft skills

1 “I know we concentrate solely on

achievement but we don’t assess or

monitor the soft skills. We do if it’s a

non voc course like yoga, somebody’s

posture might have improved or

staying the same might be an

improvement for them if they’ve got a

disability. But things like maths,

English and IT, it’s whether they pass

or fail it. For some people, they are

not capable of passing but the rate of

attendance, their confidence has

improved.”

A lot of the time it’s confidence. They

might come with mental health issues

1 1 To include: o Confidence o Anxiety o Friends o Social skills

o Self-belief o Mental health o Physical health o Wellbeing

o Attendance o Better routine

Use of the RARPA

process to make soft skills measurable

1

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initially. I’ve had people that have had

anxiety and they’ve started coming

for 6 months, can’t believe the change

in themselves.

2 Celebrating achievement

2 “Celebrating achievement. Would you

include that in there? So it gives the

learners opportunity to reflect on their

progress in the wider outcomes.”

“The wider outcomes case studies,

which we can share, there’s Adult

Learners’ Week, learner stories, and

celebrating in class.”

“For everybody to celebrate, in class,

we choose the best achiever at the

end of it. Everybody’s an achiever and

it’s reflecting on that, the WOW

words, the wellbeing, a better place

mentally and physically”

2 2 Ensuring that all learners’ achievements are celebrated locally

and more widely e.g county and National Adult Learners’ Week.

2

3 Transforming lives

3 “We are not working against each

other, it’s not a competition, They can

get away from the barriers at home,

in a different environment, if we work

together we can help individuals in

their own lives. They are getting the

care and support from that side and

we are giving them the education, this

is where this signposting comes into

effect.”

3 3 Holistic approach to the learners – working with partners to help people change their lives.

3

4 Family learning and Bringing up

4 “you go to the Eco Centre, mum, dad

and the kids, and their friends’ kids.

They all learn together. You don’t get

4 4 Family learning linked with social cohesion

4

65

Qu Main Points /


Other significant

notes / issues

the Kids that opportunity. I’ve worked so much

with my children because I’m their

teacher, but am I their teacher? They

are my teacher.”

“Family Learning gives that

opportunity to let them see what they

can do. When you teach at home, I do

it with my kids, it’s easy to say what

you are going to do, we are going to

do the alphabet or whatever, but the

other day I just sat and watched to

see what they could do and it was

‘you can do that on your own’. I’ve

got a perception of what they can do

but actually Family Learning lets you

see what they are capable of.”

5 Progression and destinations

5 That’s not just about doing the

physical thing because the physical

affects the mental, the mental affects

the physical. It’s a holistic thing, in a

better place and for a lot of them,

better intellect as well. Something

opens up in them and it moves on. It

opens them up to be able to move on

to somewhere else.

We do now the follow up where

people have left we are supposed to

follow up. So far along the line, so

many months later. That is what we

are supposed to do when people

leave, we are supposed to contact

5 5 Follow up with learners after the end of the course – what else would be suitable for them individually?

Understanding that

learning one subject can open up possibility – different for each

learner and in different but mutually beneficial ways.

Employability as a key

measure, but not the only measure, see soft skills and RARPA above.

5

66

Qu Main Points /


Other significant

notes / issues

them later with if they’ve got a job or

whatever was the impact of that

learning.

“It’s the fact that afterwards, say

you’ve got 6 months, you follow up,

you chat to them. Say they are not in

the job they want to do, is there

anything else we can do for them, is

there another course? And then we

build into another step and another

level.”

Qu Main Points /


Other significant

notes / issues

8 1 Marketing 1 “We’ve got people that see brochures

or listings so they are aware of us but

they are disadvantaged, like financial,

a lot of people don’t like coming in

and don’t like discussing I’m on a

benefit.”

“We don’t go out there and say if you

want to do a course or if you’ve got a

learning disability, we can help, if

you’ve got financial issues we can

help, if you’ve got transport issues,

we can help. When they come in and

say ‘is there any help, can I get a bus

ticket’ then we’ll flag it up, but we

don’t market that and go out there to

1 1 Better marketing of USPs (see earlier question)

More extensive use of social media

Think you can’t? Marketing

Use of YouTube (own YouTube channel?)

More dedicated marketing staff out in the community

1

67

Qu Main Points /


Other significant

notes / issues

say. Unless there’s partnerships and

then you go in there straight away

‘yes, we can do this’ but to sell

ourselves with the publicity we don’t.”

“The people who come to us have to

have already got over self-confidence

barrier in order to find that we are

actually very inclusive. So they have

to have the confidence to come and

ask. Many people who experience

those disadvantages will be used to

disappointment, they will be used to

not being able to get or not being able

to afford or not being welcomed, and

so that gives a depressive tendency

towards asking in the first place.”

2 Signposting 2 “Our Making Choices help. They are

led by the referrals that come from

the JobCentre referrals so we know

that predominantly many of those

learners are disadvantaged. That’s an

ideal opportunity that we do take to

discuss options with them to

overcome the barriers and put things

in place for support.”

2 A key tutor skill is knowing how to signpost effectively and knowing a big range of signposting options

Using gateway opportunities e.g. Making Choices to get

people into learning and then signpost more learning and support

2

3 Outdoor learning/outdoor classrooms

3 “what we have been doing with Forest

Schools and learning at the Eco

Centre is the value of outdoor

classrooms and that learning doesn’t

3 3 Recognising that learning opportunities and experiences don’t have to be confined indoors or in typical

3

68

Qu Main Points /


Other significant

notes / issues

have to be within 4 walls, it can be

out. That’s something that we are

quite good at here but there’s certain

scope for much more.”

class formats.

4 The voice from the previous

cohort

4 “there is nothing that can compare

with having that student on a course

and you have heard about all their

past and how negative it was they

built up and when they get that

qualification, that certificate, when

you see them ‘I passed!!’ The feeling

for me as well because you know that

they are in a better place. Getting

that to the people at the start of the

journey, saying to those learners

‘keep coming get to the night class’.”

“somebody from the last group came

in on the first session and said this is

how this could change your life. I’ve

been there.”

4 Discussion that this might be appropriate in

free manths and English courses but some think may be less appropriate in full fee payers’

courses as takes time away

from learning

4 Potential to invite representative from previous cohort to talk

to new learners ant the beginning of the course. They are listened to much more and can vouch for experiences.

4

5 Ongoing support and follow up support after

the end of

the course

5 “where we have people learning

hands on skills of different sorts,

whether it’s upholstery or walling or

whatever, that we can provide (and

this has been done through heritage

lottery funding) ongoing support to

that person once they have finished

their course. From either their tutor or

from another tutor who is a business

person, that they can help someone

who’s learned to do dry stone walling

become more confident at pricing and

5 5 The importance of checking progressions months after the end of course to make sure

that the learning was

effective, identify improvements and to add to the learners’ journey/signpost where appropriate.

5

69

Qu Main Points /


Other significant

notes / issues

following up non-payers and being

tidy in the way that they work so that

the self-employment outcomes are

stronger.”

6 Developing entrepreneurial skills

6 “Many of the Level 1 Dry Stone

Wallers who are coming back to do

Level 2, they had intended at the end

of Level 1 that they would go off an

be in business in their own right but

actually they were going off and

struggling to find work, and yet

people who were Level 2 tutors were

saying there’s bucket-loads of work

out there, there’s so much work so

what people were doing was using

their entrepreneurial skills well

enough. They might be good wallers

but they haven’t got those additional

skills. That’s another way of removing

barriers for people.”

“Because of the rise in self-

employment, many people don’t

actually get to the JobCentre at all

because they don’t want to go

through the benefits system. They

don’t want to be stuck in that

treadmill so they do what they can to

set up businesses, either effectively or

not so effectively, so business failure

is quite high.”

“There are also people, and this was

6 6 Learners building resilience through risk taking and creativity

Teaching entrepreneurial skills as well as the subject, e.g. Dry Stine Walling

Recognising that a lot of disadvantaged learners have

entrepreneurial skills from car boot/eBay

selling etc. and that this is a route out of benefits for some.

Recognise relying on JobCentre referrals

might miss some disadvantaged people who are entrepreneurs.

6

70

Qu Main Points /


Other significant

notes / issues

very much the case with ex-offenders,

who are already really struggling and

on the benefits treadmill, doing bits

that they would regard as ‘on the

side’ because they are going to car

boots or they’re like selling on eBay or

Gumtree. Tapping into that and

saying ‘do you know you have got

quite a skill’ in developing and guiding

them down a route that opens

opportunities for them. It’s what it’s

about, taking that skill and

transferring it.”

“People in financial difficulties often

become risk takers and

entrepreneurial. Part of risk taking

and being entrepreneurial is being

creative”

71

5.3 ENAEA’s synthesized focus group data form


Ideas



Other significant

notes/issues

1 1. identification of

learning needs;

2. higher motivation

and sense of

responsibility;

3. valuing learning in

society;

4. guidance and

counselling;

5. learning support

measures;

6. linking formal and

non-formal learning.

1. guidance and

counselling at

education providing

institution/organization;

2. learners point of

view: somebody else is

in charge for my

learning, not me;

3. more information

about learning values in

media etc;

4. guidance and

counselling at

education providing

institution/organization;

5. childcare in school;

social support;

6. To make learning

more attractive

combine formal courses

and non-formal courses

1. the need for

guidance and

counselling: we need

it vs we have too

much counselling;

2. who is

disadvantage learner?

1. guidance and

counseling service

should be at school

2. the disadvantage

learners group is very

broad. There is not

possible to list all.

1. curricula in 2nd

chance schools are

too complicated and

long;

2. It should be link

between theoretical

subjects and “real life”

3. Maybe it can be a

benefit if

disadvantage and

advantage learners

study in the same

course? They can

learn from each other

72


Ideas



Other significant

notes/issues

2 1. more labor market

related topics in the

programmes;

2. knowledge about

labor market needs;

3. active social life;

4. civic education;

5. entrepreneurship

education ;

6. learning to learn

courses

7. ICT

1. skills for coping with

everyday and labor life;

2. study trips to

enterprises;

3. study trips to

museums etc and

participating in cultural

events;

4.

5. Basic knowledge

about establishing

small enterprise;

6. L2L includes: time

management, self-

directed learning;

motivation; RPL etc.

1. the general

programmes are

overwhelmed – where

include additional

needed topics?

1. the solution can be

phenomena based

teaching;

1. to start debate with

decision makers about

special general

programmes for

disadvantage groups

73


Ideas



Other significant

notes/issues

3 1. planning and

organizational skills;

2. skills to activate

learners;

3. knowledge how to

integrate different

subject

4. skills in preparing

programmes

5. knowledge how

adults learn and

understanding the

psychology of adults;

6. team working

skills.

1. skills to plan own

and learners activities

and to implement

these;

2. the process of

fulfilling learners’

potential on the bases

of interest and through

RPL

3. something like

phenomenon based

teaching

4. good knowledge of

the subjects;

5. understanding adults

specifics; helps learners

to achieve better

results;

6. teachers ability to

work together towards

the common goal.

1. Should the teacher

be always high

qualified adult

educator? E.g

practicing cook

teaches some hours

cooking.

1. The practitioners

can teach but they

must have some

knowledge about

target group.

1. Teacher should

belong into subjects

association e.g.

Association for Math

Teachers;

2. The bases of

activities of the

teacher should be zeal

or zeal based

teaching;

74


Ideas



Other significant

notes/issues

4 1. Teachers must

have qualification. At

least minimum level

(5 level);

2. The teacher should

have strong desire to

be teacher (adult

educator);

1. In Estonia exist in

NQF qualification “adult

educator”

1. Formal qualification

versus personal

characteristics;

1. Sometimes

personal

characteristics are

more important that

formal qualification;

2. Most important

qualification: the

teacher at heart:

1. Educator should be

open minded.

75


Ideas



Other significant

notes/issues

5 1. feedback after end

of programme;

2. second feedback

after ½ a year;

3. Good premises and

equipment, study

material;

4. Qualified teachers;

5. “human touch”;

6. Different learning

methods (paths?);

7. flexible approach in

learning activities

(programmes)

8. continuing

education courses for

teachers

1.

2. The system that

school asks feedback

from students 2 twice:

right after the

programme and after ½

a year;

3.

4.

5. the tolerance,

openness,

understanding etc are

highly valued in school;

6.-7. the school is

flexible in offering

different learning paths

for students according

their needs: e-learning

or face to face learning

or blended learning;

8. School offers to

teachers opportunity to

participate in

continuing education.

1. E-learning versus

face to face learning

1. Solution blended

learning

1. Video lectures from

high level professional

as added value.

76


Ideas



Other significant

notes/issues

6 1. personal learning

plan for students who

needs it;

2. module based

learning;

3. teachers must have

knowledge how to

handle the group

process;

4. recognition of prior

knowledge;

1. Learners in the same

group can have

different learning plan:

they can learn some

topic together, some in

the different group;

2. different topics is

possible learn in

different groups;

3. special technique for

working with groups;

4. recognition of prior

learning helps cope

with learning.

1. -

1. -

1. Teachers who work

with heterogeneous

groups must pass

regularly the

continuous education

courses to update

their skills and

knowledge.

7 1. all areas

1. E.g. employability,

social life, wellbeing,

finances…

1. how to reach to the

information what

concerns different

areas of life?

1. Good method is

success stories of

learners.

1. We can use

different areas of life

for learning

assessment but it

needs lot of recourses

and schools usually do

not have these.

2. Local authorities

should order the

inciuries.

8 1. -

1. - 1. - 1. - 1. -

77

5.4 IBE’s synthesized focus group data form


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

1

What could be improved in the adult education programmes for disadvantaged groups in order to improve its effectiveness?

1. Lack of

continuity.

2. It is necessary to

change the paradigm

– learning not

teaching. Motivation

is the key to success

– that’s why the

component of

change (learners’

beliefs and

attitudes) should

be prior to the

component of

delivering new

knowledge and

skills. Training

programmes should

include it.

3. It is important to

change the way of

thinking about the

responsibility for

projects’ results.

1. “In case of my

work, which is aimed

at helping adults with

autism and

Asperger’s

Syndrome, money

are a very important

factor. Without

money we do not

have a chance to

achieve long-term

results (e.g., in

increasing these

people’s

independence). At

the moment we’ve

finished one big

project, we have

professional

therapists and a

training house – we

have everything BUT

money (we would

have to get funds for

new project) and

there is a huge risk

that our (our

learners’) former

effort will be wasted

3. But, at least

according to ESF

decision-makers, the

responsibility is not

on a learner, but on a

beneficiary (e.g.,

training provider,

NGO etc.) that

implements

educational project

aimed at resolving

this learner’s

problem(s). It is this

institution that is

actually accountable

for the results of the

project. In such case

it is in fact impossible

to shift true

responsibility for the

results of learning

process on learners.

If there was an area,

within which

trainers/teachers

could give

responsibility to

participants, allowing

them to experience

1. In case of EU

funds it is hard to

receive funding for a

learner, who

participated in

another (former)

educational project.

Unfortunately, it is

naïve to think, that

participation in just

one project will allow

someone so far

excluded to function

normally, without

giving him/her

additional support.

Adults from

disadvantaged

groups should

participate in

numbers of – planned

and lasting a certain

amount of time –

activities (from those

that focus on

strengthening their

self-esteem and self-

agency, as well as

their motivation to

One of the most

important and often

overlooked issues is

the way, in which one

should communicate

the reasons for that

specific actions

(projects) are aimed

at certain groups

(individuals). Both

decision-makers and

educational projects’

implementers (NGOs,

training providers

etc.) should pay

particular attention to

avoidance of using

stigmatizing terms,

that can lower

projects’ participants

self-esteem (and

drastically reduce

their belief that any

action can change

their situation, and

thus reduce their

motivation to learn).

We don’t have in

Polish language the

78


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

because of the lack of

funds (and lack of

continuity).”

2. “Every process

that leads to a

change starts from

the definition of what

a person (project’s

participant) wants

and why (not what a

trainer/teacher or

educational project’s

organizer/administrat

or wants).”

“I know an example

of a project that

eventually has not

been founded. The

project was meant to

aim at long-term

unemployed and

most of its budget

was planned for

canoeing and

kayaking event. The

point was to change

– during this event –

project’s participants

way of thinking, to

change the way they

see themselves and –

consequences of not

being active,

projects’ results

would be much

better. Some of

trainers/teachers try

to do it (e.g., by

threatening inactive

participants to

remove them from

projects), but it

implicates the risk of

developing problems

with achieving

defined outcomes

(e.g., participation

indicators) – despite

this risk it is often the

only way to stimulate

learner’s motivation.

learn, to those that

allow them to

enter/return to the

labour market). It is

rarely possible during

only one educational

project (especially if

there is a need to

support not only a

learner, but also

his/her members of

family).

2. Education should

be understood not as

putting knowledge in

someone’s head or

training him/her

practical skills, but

primarily as helping

these people

change themselves

(changes should

include areas such

as: self-perception,

perception of one’s

situation/opportun

ities, stepping into

new roles, setting

new goals etc.). It

should be taken into

account when making

decisions whether to

term easily used as a

substitute of the word

‘disadvantaged’. We

can use either the

term "excluded" and

in this case we prefer

to use much ‘safer’

characteristic ‘at risk

of exclusion’, or we

can use the term ‘in

difficult situation’ and

this seems to be the

best solution

(because it defines a

situation, not a

specific person or

group).

79


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

as a consequence –

to change their lives

(with the help of

instructors,

psychologists etc.).

The project’s idea

was based on the

assumption that

changes will begin

(and then last) only

when participants will

be wiped from their

comfort zones – it

will give them the

opportunity to

redefine themselves

and regain appetite

for positive changes,

for being ‘someone’,

doing something with

their lives. The

'proper learning’ was

scheduled only after

that event. Project

was canceled

because of

‘budgetary

imbalances’ (most of

money was to be

spent on canoeing

and kayaking, and

relatively little on

'appropriate'

give or not to give

funds for the

implementation of

certain adult

education

programmes for

disadvantaged

groups.

3. Organizations

running

educational

projects (especially

beneficiaries of ESF

funds) tend to take

whole responsibility

for themselves, while

they should be

responsible only

for arranging

learning situations

in the way that

allow projects’

participants to

learn as efficiently

as possible in the

given

circumstances

(facilitation

approach). An adult

must be aware of the

fact that his/her

educational success

80


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

educational

activities). Decision-

makers have not

taken into account

the fact that this kind

of experience could

be the best for

‘getting’ to these

people.”

3. “It is not good

when people/

institutions

implementing

educational projects

put themselves in the

role of ‘Mother

Teresa’ ('WE can help

you with everything,

WE will put you back

on your feet.'), while

people (projects’

participants), who

should be most

interested in the

results of these

projects, feel less and

less responsible for

them.”

“If it’s possible, start

with experience, lean

on learners’ everyday

depends primarily on

him/her – otherwise

he or she will not

have enough

motivation to actively

participate in the

learning process. For

this reason

education

providers should

avoid not

specifying in their

projects who is

responsible for

what (and agree

special “contracts”

with learners).

81


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

activities – switch

responsibility to

learners.

Trainer/teacher

should not step into

the role of

'presenter', the most

important person in

the room, he/she

should be an

organizer of the

process. Of course,

he/she often has

knowledge/skills to

share, but it’s not the

clou of the learning

process, the clou is

taking by these

people responsibility

in their own hands

(not

trainer’s/teacher’s

work – he/she should

encourage learners to

work, not let them

'sit and listen’). "

2

What should be included in the adult education for the

The group identified a

set of interrelated

success factors of

education aimed at

adults from

disadvantaged

groups. These are:

1., 2., 3. “We must

be willing to follow

situations that

happen during a

learning process, we

should not

thoughtlessly direct

None. See column 1, and:

4. A particularly

important factor are

people met by

project’s participant

after classes

(parents, spouses,

There are no

universal methods,

tools and approaches,

that will always work

in case of education

of adults from

disadvantaged groups

82


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

disadvantaged training programmes?

1. individualized

approach, including:

treating project’s

participants with

care and respect

(trainer/teacher

should put

himself/herself

in the role of

their partner, not

simply instruct

them),

individual

diagnosis of

participants’

educational needs,

work on

strengthening each

participant’s self-

esteem, as well as

his/her belief in the

possibility of

achieving

educational

success, based –

on one hand – on

appealing to the

unique resources

of each person

and his/her

strengths and on

the other hand –

the entire process, regardless of the

circumstances. It is

not easy when we

talk about spending

public money (when

a beneficiary needs

to define the scope of

a project – days,

hours, programs,

people etc.).”

“When we talk about

adult education for

disadvantages

groups, low efficiency

is often the result of

officials’ indifference.

E.g., when they have

to recruit people for

some training, they

offer it to all

registered

unemployed, without

any exceptions, apart

from their

competences,

experience, aptitudes

and interests. They

don’t offer these

people any choice,

they don’t prepare

various cafeterias of

friends, sometimes

even his/her children

or co-workers) –

whether these people

support learner in

implementing

positive changes,

whether they

motivate him/her to

further effort. In

certain circumstances

(e.g., in the case of

people with

Asperger’s

Syndrome) education

programmes should

include activities with

people functioning in

learner’s

environment.

– we can only talk

about good practices

and promote them in

relation to a specific

context (e.g.

motivating specific

types of adults or

dealing with problems

of a particular type).

83


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

on identifying

his/her potential

sources of

motivation

(dreams and

aspirations),

building trust

between

trainer/teacher

and learners (the

actual training

process should

begin only when it

is accomplished);

2. flexibility:

individual educational

path (of each

project’s participant)

should be pre-

determined at the

beginning of the

process, but there

should be also

possibility of adapting

it to the changing

needs of learner (if

necessary) – e.g. on

the occasion of

scheduled project’s

checkpoints

(perceived as

opportunities to make

trainings and

courses, they don’t

prepare members of

disadvantaged

groups to make

conscious choices (to

choose trainings that

are best suited to

their needs).”

4. “A very important

factor is the strength

of a training group

(as the learning

environment) – if a

group is 'well' created

and – along with

learners’ social

environment and

their trainers/

teachers – builds a

learning community,

it helps to achieve

good results. On the

other end of the scale

is situation, in which

a training group is

formed as a

'manufacture for the

production of training

events'.”

“… So de facto we

84


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

decision whether the

path should be

modified – e.g.,

complemented by

specific workshops –

or remain

unchanged);

3. modularity:

building educational

paths with a wide

palette/cafeteria of

possibilities – so that

each participant could

follow the path

adapted to his/her

individual educational

needs (the palette

should include

optional activities

such as: various

trainings, career

counseling, coaching

etc., various forms of

activities – individual

and collective);

4. creating

environment

supporting the

process of

learning, including:

identifying – in

don’t have one

teacher/trainer in a

group and you can

tell that the actual

trainer/teacher is a

professional, when

he/she is able to

identify among

learners those of

them, who have the

capacity to ‘teach’

their colleagues.”

“-Because they all

have their own

resources!”

“I can tell

participant’s family

that they limit

him/her by doing

certain things, but

without getting them

to some kind of

therapy (so that they

change their

perception), my

lectures will have no

effect. It’s a huge

problem in publicly

funded educational

projects – most funds

have to be spent on

project’s direct

85


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

each group – those

learners who are

able to act as

‘knowledge

distributors’

(seem to be

particularly

engaged and

popular within the

group) –

trainer/teacher

should devote them

a lot of time, so

that they were able

to ‘teach’ other

members of the

group (mainly by

their own

examples, sharing

opinions, attitudes,

beliefs, plans etc.),

searching for

'knowledge

distributors' also

within learners’

social

environment

(including

neighbors or local

authorities),

working with

members of

families – so that

participants (so they

don’t cover meetings

with their family

members and even if

they do, it usually

turns out that the

family needs

additional support

that would cost

additional money).”

"I happened to

participate in


that based on the

approach of ‘triad’

trainer/teacher –

learner/student –

family (not only

‘dyad’ trainer/teacher

– learner/student).

All activities in such

projects must be

mutually consistent,

but, especially in

case of adults from

disadvantaged

groups, it is much

easier to work with

their relatives,

because in such case

two (or more) people

work for the sake of

86


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

trainer/teacher

could build one

front with them

(e.g., they could

help trainer

motivate learner to

learn, as well as

control his/her

progress);

5. linking

educational

projects to labour

market – e.g., with

mentors who have

real opportunity to

engage learners in

activities of NGOs or

private companies

(including offering

employment after the

end of the project –

at least for some of

its participants); it is

important to schedule

in such projects

actions aimed at

preparation

mentors/leaders to

perform this function.

one person’s

success.”

5. "I would say that

also with employers."

"Yes, I’ve heard of

such project – it was

aimed at physically

disabled (including

people with severe

disabilities) –

project’s participants

knew that only some

of them will be

offered a job after

the project and that

turned out to be an

important factor of

motivation (all

participants were

very active despite

their disabilities).”

3, 4

What kind of knowledge,

1. The group

identified a set of

skills, competences

1. “Over his/her

skills, knowledge etc.

this person must

None. See column 1. None.

87


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

skills and competences do trainers for adult learners need in order to provide effective education to learners from disadvantaged groups? What kind of qualifications, should trainers hold in order to provide effective adult education to disadvantaged groups?

and characteristics

that are desirable in

case of trainers of

adults from

disadvantaged

groups. These are:

high level of energy

– with

simultaneous

ability to spend it

efficiently (and

save it for future

needs),

psychological

resistance,

inner-direction,

ability to reduce –

by using the

appropriate

appearance and

behavior – the

distance between

trainer/teacher and

project’s

participants (proper

clothes, attitude,

way to

communicate etc.),

sense of mission –

with simultaneous

ability to separate

work from personal

life,

have twice as much

energy as an average

person – our work is

a continuously

'pushing' and it is

difficult because we

get very little positive

(and a lot of

negative) feedback,

we often encounter

resistance. When

someone is not

strong enough, when

he/she does not get

any support (e.g.,

from other

trainers/teachers),

he/she will not

handle such pressure

because – in case of

this work – you can’t

simply take energy

from people you work

for.”

“Among adults from,

disadvantaged

groups we are seen

as successful people

– we have salaries

(that, according to

them, are always too

high), we are from

88


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

maturity, stability,

ability to delegate

tasks and authority

– including

identifying a group

of so-called

‘knowledge

distributors’,

classic training

skills,

coaching skills –

including ability to

ask the right

questions,

current knowledge

of psychology –

including

knowledge of

motivation factors,

ability to

understand and

influence the group

process,

ability to create

training situations

conducive for the

group engagement,

ability to create

alternative learning

situations,

sense of

responsibility –

including

different world and

for this reason we

have to pay great

attention to details

such as our clothing,

while working with

them (we must not

create additional

distance and be

perceived as

detached from

reality).”

“The language we

use is also very

important – it can

block or activate the

process of learning.”

“The ability to think:

'if not this way, that

way', to use several

alternative ways to

teach a group specific

skills.”

“When there is such

need, you must be

able to say: 'I can’t

help you, go to my

colleague'. The ability

to recognize your

weak points and

89


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

knowledge of

someone’s own

limitations,

mindfulness.

2. Members of the

group – on the basis

of their own

experience –

indicated fields of

study and types of

vocational courses

that can – to a

certain degree –

prepare to perform

tasks of a trainer of

adults from

disadvantaged

groups. These are:

training courses,

schools of

coaching,

studies in the field

of career

counseling,

psychological

studies,

studies in the field

of resocialization

3. At the same time

members of the

group agreed and

boundaries is crucial,

especially in case of

people with the sense

of mission.”

“It is someone who –

on one hand – has to

be a realist (must

know limitations of a

group, has

knowledge and skills

crucial for performing

this job) and on the

other hand – allows

himself/herself to be

a dreamer and

affects learners not

only by educating

them, but also by

creating convincing

visions of what is

possible to achieve.”

90


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

made it clear that in

this work

experience is the

key success factor

(far more important

than any kind of

degree or diploma).

They also stressed

that it is crucial for

novice

trainers/teachers to

have many

opportunities to

participate in

internships and

perform real

professional tasks

with the support of

experienced

professionals.

5

What characteristics should training institutions have in order to provide effective adult education for the disadvantaged

1. Training

institutions should be

innovative and

propose creative

solutions, but – in

order to receive

funds for

implementing their

ideas – they have to

be reliable (be able

to demonstrate

experience in

effective

2. "The more difficult

target group you

have, the more

professional support

you need."

1. The idea of giving

funds to newly

created institutions

first for

implementation of

smaller projects is

good, BUT – due to

the fact that decision-

makers have to deal

with large amounts of

money and are

expected to deliver

results on a large

See column 1, and:

1. Officials deciding

on spending public

money must be given

a guarantee that a

particular project is

not ill-conceived

experiment.

Therefore, the idea of

verifying applicants

on the basis of their

achievements seems

to be reasonable. On

None.

91


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

management of

educational projects).

2. They should

encourage their

trainers/teachers

to support each

other in performing

their everyday duties.

Organizing periodic

meetings enabling

staff to talk about

current issues and

challenges, as well as

new ideas and

successes, should be

a common good

practice.

3. A good solution is

to create training

networks – it allows

to implement in

certain area (in one

project) methods and

practices that proved

to be effective

elsewhere (were

successfully

implemented in other

project(s)), it also

enables trainers and

teachers, working in

scale – small projects

are not enough. For

this reason – if an

institution (e.g.,

NGO, training

provider etc.) wants

to prove its credibility

– it should consider

joining to a large

network and start its

activity, e.g., from

adapting to local

conditions solutions

that have been

created elsewhere

(bearing constantly in

mind the specificity of

its own country). The

idea of making

‘belonging to a

network’ one of the

criteria for

assessing the

credibility of

beneficiaries

applying for funds


is certainly worth

considering.

the other hand, a

chance must be given

also to ‘new players’

(that often prove to

be more innovative

than experienced

ones) – they should

have the opportunity

to receive money for

small projects and –

after successful

implementation of

several such projects

– they will be

perceived as credible

and receive funds for

large-scale activities.

92


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

different branches, to

share with each other

their knowledge and

experiences.

Furthermore, the

specificity of

functioning as a

network enables to

open branches in

smaller cities, where

the phenomenon of

exclusion occur on a

much larger scale.

4. The team

(trainers and

teachers) should be

varied – in terms of

age, experiences and

skills.

5. The

infrastructure is an

important factor – it

should be adapted to

the specifics of

implemented actions

and to the needs of

their participants

(trainers, teachers

and learners).

6

What could be The group sees the

problem rather in the

“Social workers focus

on helping very

BUT we have to

remember that

The problem of

exclusion is multi-

None.

93


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

improved in the adult education provided to disadvantaged groups in order to deal with the issue of group heterogeneity?

tendency for very

precise targeting of

educational

activities, which:

hinders learning by

observing and

imitating

acceptable

behaviors,

demonstrated by

people from

different

environments

(including ways of

responding to

observable

manifestations of

social control),

makes it impossible

to participate in

educational

projects for people

with problems that

were not taken into

account at the

design stage of

these projects

(e.g., because

these problems are

difficult to clearly

define).

narrowly defined

groups and because

of that they often

operate ineffectively

(using for years the

same modes of

action). They often

tend to unconsciously

classify people and

act according to

unfair assumptions

based on stereotypes

(which is very rarely

effective and builds

an invisible wall

between social

workers and their

clients).”

“We can estimate

that the overall risk

of (variously defined)

exclusion reaches

approx. 20% of the

population, but the

group of people in

extremely difficult

situation is

significantly smaller

(approx. 2-3% of the

population). It is

obvious that we can’t

base our whole

decision-makers can

spend on the adult

education only

sources that are

strictly limited, which

makes it impossible

not to target at all -

you need, e.g., avoid

the so-called

"deadweight loss"

(offering support to

people who actually

do not need it). It

applies the need to

strike a balance

between – on one

hand – the necessity

for spending money

in most effective

ways – and on the

other hand – the

need to avoid

stigmatizing those,

for whom we want to

spend them, and thus

"pulling them down"

(people

communicating with

disadvantaged

groups should

emphasis not the fact

that they are

somehow excluded,

dimensional and

complex. We are

dealing with different

types of exclusions

(e.g., exclusion from

the labor market,

social exclusion,

educational

exclusion, digital

divide etc.). Exclusion

can be searched at

different levels (from

environment to -

conscious or

unconscious – self-

exclusion). This

complexity is the

reason for that –

while designing

educational

programmes and

projects – we

should focus on the

kinds of problems

to solve, rather

than on

characteristics of

specific groups

dealing with this

problems.

Learning by imitating

is not always possible

94


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

strategy of dealing

with the problem of

disadvantage in

accordance to the

specificity of this

small group’s

problems.”

but all the

opportunities

associated with their

participation in

various types of

educational

programmes.

in all groups of

disadvantaged adults.

The example of the

group where it is

extremely difficult are

people with

Asperger's

Syndrome, who do

not react to social

control’s mechanisms

in an adequate way.

That is why –

despite of the fact

that in most cases

the heterogeneity

of learners’ group

is desirable (on the

condition of proper

selection of its

members) – in

some cases (e.g.,

particular types of

problems/deficits,

very difficult

situation of

project’s

participants etc.)

homogeneity is

better solution

(and such cases

should be, of

course identified).

However – in case of

95


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

allocation of money

for adult education

programmes – it is

very important to

avoid by decision-

makers using only

rigid criteria for

grouping (e.g.,

narrowly construed

income criterion,

zero-one approach

etc.).

7

As concerns the effect of adult education provision in the learners’ life: what are the areas that could provide input for the assessment of the education provided?

The group identified

different kinds of

exclusion and – on

this basis – areas

particularly

relevant for

measuring the

effectiveness of

education addressed

to adults from

disadvantaged

groups. These are:

employment

(exclusion from

labour market),

participation in

social life (social

exclusion),

participation in

adult education

(educational

“The fact, that – e.g.,

in case of adults with

Asperger’s Syndrome

– there is no chance

to completely

eliminate the risk of

social exclusion,

reduces support for

projects aimed at

helping certain

groups of people.

Some people need

continuous support

and in case of


aimed at those

people we need to

find adequate

understanding of the

term ‘effectiveness’.”

None. The term

‘effectiveness’ may

be defined very

differently, also in the

context of evaluating

educational projects.

We can simply talk

about efficiency of

such projects (from

the point of view of

economy), but we

can also see this

issue in a far more

complex way (taking

into account all the

long-term effects,

including social

effects). Economic

approach and using

the term ‘efficiency’

implicates one of at

Kirkpatrick's ‘Four-

Level Training

Evaluation Model’

identifies the

following levels of

evaluation:

1) reaction – this

level measures how

learners reacted to

the training (were

they or were they not

satisfied),

2) learning – this

level measures what

learners have learned

(growth of knowledge

and skills),

3) behavior – this

level measures how

far learners have

changed their

96


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

exclusion),

usage of

information and

communication

technology – ICT

(digital divide).

In addition, one of

the focus group’s

participant quoted

Robert Dilts'

hierarchical model of

'neurological levels'

(known in coaching)

and suggested that it

includes levels that

should be taken into

consideration when

discussing the issue

of adult education

from the point of

view of individuals,

not society. These

are:

environment –

including physical

environment (the

example of

educational success

at this level is to

overcome one’s

problems with

commuting from

least two possible

understanding of this

term:

1) achieving

maximum

effect(s)/result(s)

with the use of

certain inputs,

2) achieving the

desired

effect(s)/result(s)

with the use of least

possible inputs.

When we decide to

measure the

economic efficiency,

we have to accept

one of these

approaches – and

such measurement

can be properly made

only, when we

compare results of

several projects

aimed at the same

effect (same kind of

effects).

When we talk about

helping people that

are in a difficult

situation (people

from disadvantaged

behavior, how they

apply new knowledge

and skills,

4) results – at this

level one can

evaluate long-term

outcomes of a certain

educational project

(e.g., higher

earnings, greater life

satisfaction, more

active participation in

adult education etc.).

Especially in case

of adult education

programmes for

disadvantaged

groups it is

important to

distinguish pure

economic effects

(that may not and

often don’t appear

immediately) from

social effects. It

raises the question of

the best methods of

evaluating projects

from this social point

of view – one of them

are studies of

professional and

personal fate of

97


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

home to a place of

potential work by,

e.g., obtaining a

driving license), as

well as social

environment

(example: making

certain social

environment less

exclusionary

toward variously

defined ‘others’ –

e.g., decreasing

the scale of

homophobia),

behaviors/habits

(example: giving

up one’s socially

undesirable habits

and behaviors),

capabilities –

competences and

skills (example:

acquisition of new

skills useful in

professional or

everyday life),

beliefs (example:

one

changes/verifies

his/her beliefs, that

in the past

hindered his/her

groups), we actually

mean moving them

from one (worse)

situation to the other

(better) situation.

The best way to

measure – so defined

– success is to check

how permanent

was the change

which occurred as a

result of a certain

educational project.

This is a big

challenge for project

designers, because it

means accepting

indicators such as:

- ‘at least half of the

participants will have

their own profitable

company operating

for at least six

months by the end of

year X’,

- ‘at least half of the

participants will be

employed for at least

six months by the

end of year X’,

(or similar

indicators). Although

adopting this kind of

graduates

(conducted some

time after the end of

a certain education

programme or

educational project).

98


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

effective

participation in

education),

values (example:

movement of life-

long learning up

someone’s

hierarchy of

values)

identity (example:

stepping into new

roles: employee,

parent, teacher

etc.),

spirituality.

success’ quantifiers

has its advantages (it

clearly defines the

commitment on the

part of the

educational project’s

organizer and

discourages

irresponsible ones), it

can also be a trap,

because there is a

high risk that the

necessity to achieve

indicators (fear of the

consequences of not

achieving them) will

overshadow the real

purpose of the

project and lead to

performing ostensible

actions.

8

Do you have any other ideas, proposals, suggestions, and second thoughts on the

1. Perhaps a part of

the funds should be

granted for a

specifically defined

goals (with parallel

guarantee of freedom

in choosing ways to

achieve it – given to

a selected

contractors). This

None. None. See column 1. None.

99


Ideas



Other significant

notes / issues

improvement of criteria for adult education effectiveness on disadvantaged?

model would give

reliable applicants the

opportunity to

continuously fit

specific actions to the

specific and current

needs of certain

groups and even

certain individuals

(on the basis of

beneficiary’s

knowledge former

experiences). Of

course, significant

decisions and actions

would have to be

registered and

explained to

appropriate decision-

makers (BUT they

wouldn’t have to be

specified before the

beginning of such

project).

100

5.5. UPTER’s synthesized focus group data form

Question Main Points / basic Ideas Indicative quotes to illustrate basic ideas

Debate points Aligned Opinions Other significant notes / issues

1 What could be improved in the adult education programmes for disadvantaged groups in order to improve its effectiveness?

1. The need to define what we mean by disadvantaged

groups, because the evaluation of educational actions can be done only by taking into account the particular needs of individuals. 2. Participants in the focus groups highlight the context data within which lies the theme of Adult Education to disadvantaged groups: 2.1- Lack of a culture of Adult Education in public, especially in the most disadvantaged citizens. 2.2- Lack of a culture of education of adults in institutions in general, and especially in education to disadvantaged groups. 2.3- Lack of awareness of its educational role also in the third sector organizations. 3. This is a pre-condition that significantly affects the role of Adult Education to the disadvantaged, both in terms of training opportunities, and a lack of a culture of education. 4. Experiences, like those made in Emilia Romagna, face with this problem

2.1 "Here in Italy we have a poor culture of education of

adults. To participate in a course, take a training course, you must know that I need. People do not really think that - once the formal education path finished - there could be the usefulness and the need for other routes. And more so, when we speak of disadvantaged adults, socially and economically, we see that these people do not contemplate the opportunity to attend training courses." (Davide Di Pietro ) 2.1, 2.2 “The foreign-born population does not know what is adult education. Those who deal with immigration in the City of Rome itself has within it those involved in adult education, is perceived as something Naife” (Claudio Rossi)

2.3 “From the experience of voluntary work, for example, you learn many things, and often even people with low prior preparation or from

1. Various contributions introduce the "historic"

state of Adult Education in Italy, also through some contextual data. 2. In particular, it highlights the existence of a dual system: on one side the institutions, on the other hand the third sector, where the two systems usually do not talk and do not cooperate. 3. Historical experiences in which the Adult Education has had significant importance are rare, especially the so-called experience of "150 Hours", which allowed many to gain a qualification, a necessity which is no longer very pressing. 4. We find in situations of migrants, the general characteristics of the Italian system regarding adult education to disadvantaged groups: a public system, not able to meet the needs; a private system that responds to the training needs but is not recognized by the public; no knowledge of the target (the migrant population is actually a kaleidoscope, not

1. Necessity, as a primary condition, to "bring" the

adults in training. 2. Italian context strongly unfavorable. Lack of a culture of education of adults in the general public, especially in the most disadvantaged citizens. Lack of a culture of education of adults in institutions in general, and especially to disadvantaged groups. Lack of awareness of its educational role also in the third sector organizations. 3. The public adult education systems are rigid, as provided substantially from formal education world. 4. The non-formal and informal systems are an important reality even if it is a difficult phenomenon to measure, that you can not easily systematize. But it can be an access point for disadvantaged adults to later undertake more structured training programs. 5. The primary need is

101

Question Main Points / basic Ideas Indicative quotes to

illustrate basic ideas

Debate points Aligned Opinions Other significant

notes / issues

enhancing, institutionally, the great non-formal and informal educational offer, in order to respond effectively to the educational needs.

disadvantaged groups, benefit from these experiences. But those who live these experiences as part of the non-formal or informal, is often not aware that we are living is also a learning experience. "(Davide Di Pietro )

all migrants have the same training needs).

therefore to develop a culture of education of adults, both in organizations (public and private), which in the population (both the general population and for disadvantaged groups).

2 What should be included in the adult education for the disadvantaged training programmes?

1. Language. There is a difficulty in adults belonging to disadvantaged categories, in the ability to understand and use the language. This applies not only to immigrants, but also for categories that have less schooling, often linked to fewer economic opportunities and social hardship. 2. Community. A transversal need of many "disadvantaged" adults is

the need for community, meant as a need to belong and to be recognized. 3. Body. The body is a further element to be considered in adult education in general and especially for the disadvantaged sectors.

1. “The problem of understanding language very broadens the population that would require an educational intervention. We do not speak of immigrants only, but of all those categories of Italian who have not the ability not just to read a text, but to understand it and explain it to others" (Claudio Tosi) 2. “I am a director of a public institution (Emilia

Romagna). We investigated, in a context of scarcity of resources, how to ensure a range of support services, especially for disadvantaged groups, and how to value the enormous wealth of the territory in terms of supply of non-formal and informal

1. Participants in the focus groups have tried to highlight those "transverse" elements, valid beyond the specific category of "disadvantaged adults". 2. The need for "community", it is certainly an important cross element. We find, for example, in relation to migrants, a need to be "recognized", and to feel part of a community. But it is a need that belongs –

somehow - to all disadvantaged groups. 3. The issue of language is presented also, in the experiences and vision of the participants in the focus group, as a transversal issue. This difficulty is expressed

1. Issues relating to language skills, as a transversal element that concerns not only the migrant category, but many other disadvantaged groups. 2. Issues related to the development of communities, in the sense of facilitating the relationships between adults and their environment, promoting integration, recognition of

these people from the community, a sense of belonging. This implies, of course, an educational activity that is not only aimed to adult recipients, but involves the whole context.

102




notes / issues

Moving from a traditional model only cognitive to one that includes the person in a holistic way.

educational activities. So we tried to "institutionalize" the informality. We have created precise output, as a "Regulation on cooperation between citizens and administration", in order to build community routes, and communities paths to effectively help solve the problems of the territory”. (Franco Cambi) 2. “There is a kind of need for be recognized as individuals and citizens that is global of all migrants, a need for community. If adult education would deal with how build communities, this would make it attractive.” (Claudio Rossi)

in aspects such as the difficulty to interact with public institutions or the world of work, difficulty expressing their own demands, things that affect - so - everyday life, ability to act, self-esteem, etc.

3 What kind of knowledge, skills and competences do trainers for adult learners need in order to provide effective education to learners from disadvantaged groups?

1. Ability to stimulate social change in the community

and the territory as a constitutive aspect of educational action (educators as "territorial agitators"). 2. Ability to stimulate adult recipients to change; this factor is crucial because of the major obstacles to the success of educational programs is the deep conviction, in the

3. "The key competences continue to be important

areas, but they are training needs that often arise only after you have created a relationship of trust, of non judgment. To me, for example, you happen to work with women who want to do business, adult women, and has happened to me in so many situations to have demands even banal, such as making a

1. The debate on the characteristics that the

institutions that deal with education of disadvantaged adults should have, has been developed, as for other issues, from concrete examples and experiences. As for the experience recounted by one of the expert focus group participants, which helps disadvantaged women as a trainer and volunteer for

1. Ability to stimulate social change in the

communities and territory, as a constitutive aspect of educational action (educators as "territorial agitators"). 2. Ability to encourage adults to change, intervening on implicit visions and the constraints that are obstacles to change. 3. Ability to create

103




notes / issues

beneficiaries, they can not change. 3. Ability to create relationships of trust with learners, as a pre-condition to the effectiveness of the learning process. 4. Ability to teach through active methodologies and methods adapted to adult learners.

percentage, but only after two years that the person knew me, that it trusted wondering ‘please, teach me how to get a percentage, because I never knew how..’." (Betty Cannova)

the development of micro enterprise; only after a long time, once arisen a relationship of trust, people come to open up and you can work on real problems and training needs. Other experiences tell by the participants bring to agree on some common points.

relationships of trust with learners, as a pre-condition to the effectiveness of the learning process. 4. Ability to teach through active methodologies and methods adapted to adult learners.

4 What kind of qualifications, should trainers hold in order to provide effective adult education to disadvantaged groups?

1. Soft training. Emerges, also according to what previously discussed, the importance of a training in some fundamental soft skills, with the aim of developing those relational and communication skills necessary to establish a relationship of trust, listening, and communication. 2. Awareness of having to do with adults, teaching specific ways.

1. "We talked about all of 'soft skills', so maybe would require a 'soft training' for trainers, ability to work not only on the content of learning, but ability to activate resources in adults" (Claudio Tosi)

1. This item was not explicitly addressed by all participants, but many of the observations made in the other questions lead, implicitly, to these reflections.

1. Soft training. Importance of a training in some fundamental soft skills, in order to develop relational and communication skills. 2. Awareness of having to do with adults, and need to develop specific teaching methods.

5 What characteristics should training institutions have in order to provide effective adult education for the disadvantaged?

1. Ability to develop participation. A consistent feature of the foregoing, the need to work not only on individuals, but on the community. 2. Respect toward individuals. This feature is unfortunately not granted. Very often the institutions that deal with education to disadvantaged groups do not start from a real knowledge and

2. "Respect and

responsibility above all. Because if the institution, and society in general, does not assume responsibility for these problems you can not have a change. We can not have a society that puts barriers, rather than open doors, and then ask to those outside to take a step alone for its inclusion in society". (Vittoria Gallina)

1. The debate on the characteristics that the institutions that deal with education of disadvantaged adults they should have, it has developed, as with other issues, from concrete examples and experiences. Here, too, the example of the immigrant population is emblematic. In fact, on the one hand it requires immigrants to acquire language skills and civic education, which are legally

1. Ability to develop participation. 2. Respect toward individuals, the need for the institutions that deal with education of disadvantaged adults, of a real knowledge and understanding of the persons. 3. Responsibility. That is, the awareness on the part of educational institutions,

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understanding of the persons. 3. Responsibility. Other items related to the above is the need for accountability in the institutions that deal with adult education, and especially those that deal with disadvantaged adults. Ie awareness, as institutions, of their role and the ethical and moral duty - as institutions, or organizations that have powers, means and opportunities to take action - to support the change and improvement of these adults.

required to obtain a residence permit, on the other hand there is no educational provision by the institutions in Italy, able to answer this need, which in fact is covered largely by volunteers and the third sector:

of their role, as organizations they have opportunities to intervene toward disadvantaged learners; hence the "ethical and moral duty" to do our best to support the change and the improvement of disadvantaged adults.

6 What could be improved in the adult education provided to disadvantaged groups in order to deal with the issue of group heterogeneity?

1. The active teaching methods include, usually, useful approaches to work with heterogeneous groups, because they are able to hold together the needs of the individual and the group.

2. The aforementioned community development approach includes, in a structural attention to the heterogeneity, coexistence and dialogue of differences. 3. Training teachers of adults toward education in soft skills, and therefore the development of interpersonal skills and communication, is another decisive factor in the ability to manage heterogeneous

1. This theme was touched, even in a manner notdirect, in many of the previous topics of discussion. The training of teachers and other professionals who deal with adult education in general, and especially with

disadvantaged groups, emerges as one of the key elements to develop a culture of education of adults.

1. Active teaching methodologies that include, usually, useful approaches to work with heterogeneous groups, because they are able to hold together the needs of the individual and the

group. 2. The above-mentioned community development approach includes, in a structural way, attention to the heterogeneity, such as the coexistence of differences and dialogue. 3. Training teachers of adults toward education in soft skills, and therefore the development of interpersonal skills and communication, is another

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groups.

decisive factor in the ability to manage heterogeneous groups.

7 As concerns the effect of adult education provision in the learners’ life: what are the areas that could provide input for the assessment of the education provided?

1.In line with the findings in the preceding paragraphs, the areas that may be sensitive and relevant to an assessment of the impact of adult education toward disadvantaged groups can be: - relationship skills, and communication among teachers (level of soft skills); - quality of the teaching methods: - ability to work even at the community level;

1. This theme was touched, even in a manner not direct, in many of the previous discussion topics

1. Soft skills. Interpersonal skills, and communication among teachers. 2. Quality of teaching methods. 3. Ability to work even at the level of the community.

8 Do you have any other ideas, proposals, suggestions, and second thoughts on the improvement of criteria for adult education effectiveness on disadvantaged?

1. given the things that we mentioned, all valid, the issue would require a discussion of what are the disadvantaged groups.

Impada o1 a2-focus groups data analysis

Education

Transcript of Impada o1 a2-focus groups data analysis