BACKGROUND

Changes in demographic patterns throughout Europe have been well documented. European and national policies confirm the need for new ways of accommodating new generations of older people.

In its Green paper: “Confronting demographic change: a new solidarity between the generations” the European Commission refers to the need to ensure a balance between the generations in the sharing of time throughout life and to find new bridges between the stages of life. An increasing number of "young retirees" want to participate in social and economic life, this alters the frontiers and the bridges between activity and inactivity. And the European Union’s Charter of Fundamental Rights affirms that: “An active society for all ages requires a strategy which both enables and motivates older people to stay involved in working and in social life.”

Strategies that promote productive longevity should begin long before old age sets in. Learning has its part to play in ensuring that adults are equipped to remain engaged and purposeful in older age as well as to meet and overcome the challenges that may occur en route. The need for a continuum of social, political, community and family engagement that lasts well into later life demands lifelong consideration of what skills, knowledge and understanding will provide the necessary underpinning. The assumption that preparation for being old begins early on generates the need for adult educators to recognise and respond to the ageing process.

Teachers in adult education may be trained in the delivery of a subject but have not had the opportunity to acquire skills that enable the development of learning targeted at specifc agendas or cohorts of learners. An understanding of the key issues to do with ageing and of the skills, knowledge and understanding that adults need to remain healthy, active and engaged will be necessary to the development of learning that has a place and a right to be among the other initiatives that prolong, enhance and sustain long life.

The LARA project arises from work undertaken within the previous projects LISA and LENA, which were concerned with the learning needs of older adults and how best to provide for them. The work of these projects was principally about creating and sustaining regional networks in support of learning and in the curriculum development process. The outcome of LENA was a fundamentally different way of conceiving learning for older adults. The ability of the partners to effect change of this nature relied heavily on altering teacher behaviours. LENA partners arrived at two key conclusions:

• that learning is not usually sufficiently configured with the real needs and aspirations of learners
• and that teachers and planners need support and training to be able to do this effectively.

The LARA project enabled the partners to capitalise on their findings to date, to broaden the focus from old age to ageing and to formulate essential and practical training for adult educators that aligns with key political concerns and addresses something that affects every individual.

For more information about ageing and the relationship of ageing and learning follow the link to the LARA research report