Save Adult Education
Department of Business, Innovation and Skills
Specialist Designated Institutes
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For millions of people up and down the country, the specialist designated institutions and adult and community learning organisations, provide thousands of part-time and full-time courses, designed to fit around peoples lives and work and which promote personal development, well-being, citizenship and increase employability. Courses provide opportunities for learning which support social, cultural, health and economic interests as well as pathways into vocational and Higher Education. For people who have benefited least from their initial education and training, or are disadvantaged for reasons such as disability, language or self confidence, adult learning provides opportunities to transform lives, and supports people to make positive contributions to their communities and wider society.
The sector has enjoyed a comparatively small amount of public funding to support this vital contribution to society. This funding is now under threat.
We the undersigned urge the government to recognise the wide benefits of adult learning and to protect the funding for adult and community learning. Adult learning at our specialist adult education institutions meets local, regional and national needs. It is essential if the government is to demonstrate that learning for citizenship, culture, community well-being, economic interests and the wider benefits of learning are integral to the governments skills agenda and the Big Society initiative.
Please join us to ensure that Public Spending cuts do not damage adult learning and the role of the specialist designated institutions.
The Specialist Designated Institutions are:
Working Men's College http://www.wmcollege.ac.uk
Workers' Educational Association http://www.wea.org.uk
Northern College http://www.northern.ac.uk
Morley College http://www.morleycollege.ac.uk
Mary Ward Centre http://www.marywardcentre.ac.uk
City Lit http://www.citylit.ac.uk