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What is EAEA?
• It works with adult education and lifelong learning
• It concentrates on the non-formal sector
• It is an association with 142 members, from 44 countries, representing 5000 associations
• Afdeling Sociaal-Cultureel Werk• Lire et Écrire (ordinary member)• Service Général de la Jeunesse et Education
permanente• SOCIUS: Steunpunt voor Sociaal-Cultureel
Volwassenenwerk (ordinary member)• Vlaamse Dienst van het Katholiek
Volwassenenonderwijs (VDKVO)• Ecett-Network
• Non-governmental, non-commercial, representing citizens’ interests
• The ones really working with the issues at the grassroots level
• A different outlook on policies (?)• Represent the grassroots level• Can make policies more effective (?)• Can help implement policies • Or oppose / boycott them
Advocacy: POLICIES
• Ensure the visibility and recognition of adult education – ET 2020– Erasmus+ Programme– Upskilling Pathways– European Agenda– European Pillar of Social Rights– Validation of non-formal and informal learning– Social Inclusion (Paris declaration)– Sustainable Development Goals
Advocacy: How?
• Advocacy aims to influence policy making processes
• Advocating = informing + connecting
• It needs a credible, coherent and clear message
• It requires mutual trust
• It can be campaigning, ‘classic’ lobbying, consulting… => communication!
• It includes policy monitoring and analysis
Advocacy: Why?
• Adult education and lifelong learning are still marginalized on the political agenda, whereas its benefits are evident (employability, active citizenship, health, personal well-being and development etc.) – BENEFITS arguments (OECD, Cedefop, BeLL, etc.)
• ‘general’ / ‘liberal’ ALE• Lifelong learning: from ‘cradle to grave’ that also includes
life-wide learning: formal, non-formal, informal• The power and joy of learning • Supporting innovation, exchange, infrastructure,
professional development, access … for adult education at every level – for and with our members
Advocacy: Towards whom?
• Towards European institutions and international institutions, but also other NGO networks, private sector and other stakeholders
– European Commission (DG EAC, DG EMPL, DG DEVCO)
– European Parliament (CULT Committee, EMPL Committee, DEVE Committee)
• Ideally: also to member states and regions (mainly through our members)
Advocacy: who are we working with?
• United Nations, especially UNESCO and UIL
• OECD
• Our network:
– our ‘umbrellas’, e.g. International Council for Adult Education (ICAE), Lifelong Learning Platform, Social Platform, SIRIUS Network,…
– our members
• Information and feedback: members and adult education community
• Monitoring
• Reporting the members’ feedback (country reports)
• Proposals for improvement
• Providing tools for the members
• Capacity building
Our challenges: general
• Diversity and fragmentation of adult education in Europe
• Fragmentation of governance across institutions (different ministries, levels etc.)
• Northwest vs. South and East
• Lack of understanding what adult education can achieve
• Adult education has never been more important than now (voting behaviour in Europe and beyond, skills needed for employment, refugees, etc.) but no follow-up
• Concept of adult education as a private responsibility
Our challenges: advocacy
• Civil society excluded from many political processes– little trust in civil society – not considered as serious player
– civil society’s role often limited to consulting when needed
• Measurability is new paradigm; but:– measurability of the multiple impacts of adult education and
lifelong learning difficult (e.g. better health, participation in democratic processes, better well-being, etc.)
– little funding for research
• Staff changes in European Institutions (esp EP and Council) but also CSOs – few ‘long-term relationships’
Do EU policies in education work?
Subsidiarity :
• Member states are responsible, the EU level can only work with ‘soft law’, i.e. recommendations, working groups etc.
Effect:
- Generally, the weaker a national system is, the more benefit the European level has (or could have!)
- There can be an attitude ‘let’s ignore what Brussels says’
- Nevertheless, European strategies, objectives and initiatives will influence the national discussion and direction
- They can become part of agreements, contracts, funding etc.
- They can always be used as policy arguments and advocacy
• Recognition of adult education as important part of education systems
• A driving force in countries where adult education is weaker
• Transfer of innovation for policies and programmes• Creation of a European adult education community• ePale as instrument to promote this European
community• EAEA members think a European strategy is very
important
More information needed?
EAEA Office
Rue de l’Industrie 10
1000 Brussels
Tel. 0032 2 893 25 23
www.eaea.org
Don’t hesitate to contact us!Gina Ebner Aleksandra Kozyra
Secretary General Membership Officer
[email protected] [email protected]
Raffaela Kihrer Helka Repo
Policy Officer Communications Officer
[email protected] [email protected]
Francesca Operti
Project Officer
Follow us
• on our website: www.eaea.org• on FACEBOOK: „EAEA“ • on TWITTER: „EAEA2020“• via our NEWSLETTER
