Life is for Learning, Learning is for Life Delivering Lifelong Learning in Disadvantaged CommunitiesNational Conference

Thursday 21st January 2010Royal Hospital KilmainhamMilitary Road, Dublin 8

E.U. Programme ‘’Raising Awareness of Lifelong Learning StrategiesEducation and Training 2010’’

Conference Aims and Objectives

Aim To provide a space for deepening our awareness of lifelong learning, reflecting on the Irish priorities, and considering the challenges posed by the current economic climate.

ObjectivesTo increase our awareness of E.U. and Irish •Lifelong Learning priorities

To identify recent current challenges in •implementing Lifelong Learning

To discover innovative and creative approaches to •making Lifelong Learning earning a reality

To learn from each other through sharing thinking •and experiences and by identifying opportunities for ongoing networking

To work together creatively to generate insightful •discussion, debate and new learning

Who should be there?

This conference is primarily focused at policy and decision makers and at Directors, CEOs and managers of organisations. Participants will be drawn from across the education and Lifelong Learning spectrum. It is particularly relevant to:

Those working across the Lifelong Learning •spectrum – from early years care and education, to primary and post-primary education, to further and higher education, to non-formal and in formal provision, as well as youth provision and other areas of lifelong and life-wide education and learning;

Key community and voluntary organisations •working in the above areas;

Relevant Government Departments, Public Bodies •and other agencies.

Life is for Learning, Learning is for LifeConference Programme

9.45 Registration,Tea/Coffee

10.30 IntroductionandWelcome ProfessorTommyCooke,Chairman,Pobal

10.40 OpeningAddress-LifelongLearninginIreland Mr.SeanHaugheyTD,MinisterforLifelongLearningandSchoolTransport

10.50 KeynoteAddress-LifelongLearning,SocialInclusionandEquality Mr.NiallCrowley,EqualityandDiversityExpert

11.50 Questions&Answers

12.15 LifeisforLearning,LearningisforLifeDVD

12.30 Lunch

1.45 Roundtablediscussions

3.00 Plenary

3.45 Mr.FergusFinlay,CEO,Barnardos

4.15 Closeofconference

Conference Methodology

The conference will facilitate participant interaction by utilising a round table discussion format and creative participative methodologies. Round table discussions, facilitated by experts in a range of Lifelong Learning subthematic areas will provide an interactive and dynamic experience for participants.

On the Balcony In order to animate the conference and facilitate new learning, insights and understandings, a panel of people will come together to take up the role of observer / commentator on the conference as it unfolds. They will do this by going ‘on the balcony’.

The metaphor ‘on the balcony’ or above the dance floor, describes a situation whereby individuals or groups are observing from above, or at a distance from the site of the action, rather than being caught up in the interactions/bustle of the group.

This methodology enables a different perspective to be formed as the observers are better able to problem-solve and analyse as they can more easily see the connections between various parts of the system, or in this case, the Lifelong Learning conference, in the context of the big picture backdrop.

This ambitious and experimental approach will facilitate a creative and potentially cohesive look at the different elements and sub –themes of the Lifelong Learning continuum as reflected in the round table compositions.

WebcastThe conference will also be available by webcast to extend the proceedings to a wider Lifelong Learning audience.

How to get there

The conference will take place in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Military Road, Dublin 8. There is unlimited free parking available at the venue.

Please see the link below for directions and a map: www.rhk.ie

About Pobal

Pobal’s mission is to promote social inclusion, reconciliation and equality through integrated social and economic development within communities. Pobal is a not-for-profit company with charitable status that manages programmes on behalf the Irish Government and the EU.

For further information about Pobal and the programmes it manages, please visit our website at www.pobal.ie

Delivering Lifelong Learning

Education has been acknowledged as playing a crucial role in breaking the inter-generational cycle of disadvantage. The highest levels of early school leaving and the lowest levels of educational attainment are to be found among the most disadvantaged groups in society, and poor educational outcomes in turn raise the likelihood of social exclusion in later life. Social background strongly affects participation in education – from pre-school right through to higher education – as well as educational outcomes. Increasing equality of access to education and of educational attainment is of key importance in breaking the inter-generational cycle of social exclusion.

Priority areas of action within Lifelong Learning from an EU perspective focus on knowledge, creativity and innovation to facilitate full economic and social participation by all EU citizens. From an Irish perspective, the national Lifelong Learning Strategy covers all phases of education from early childhood care and education, to primary and post-primary education, to further and higher education, and also includes youth provision.

Pobal, working collaboratively with the Department of Education & Science, the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and the Network of Education Personnel, is very pleased to be hosting this timely conference to deepen awareness and facilitate reflection and debate on a range of lifelong learning themes.

Life is for Learning, Learning is for Life

The Project has been funded with support from the European Commission.