Adult at the centre of family learning

True or False? When adults become confident lifelong learners children, families and communities benefit.

Surely true, but is 'family learning' viewed predominantly as early learning?

Adult learning has a huge role part to play and the Scottish Government have recognised this in their 2015-16 programme of Government.

"In 2014 the Scottish Government launched the Scotland Adult Learning Statement ofAmbition which aims to ensure that Scotland becomes recognised globally as the most creative and engaged learning society and that every adult in Scotland will have the right to access learning to meet their educational needs and their aspirations. The National Strategic Forum for Adult Learning is taking forward an implementation plan that will have a focus on literacy and numeracy, family learning, adult achievement awards and workforce development." (p36 programme of Government)

The Scottish Government has an aspiration for Scotland to be both the best place in the world to grow up and that this positive momentum continues through life.

The Strategic Forum referred to above has created strategic objectives which inform the implementation plans.  Members of the forum are overseeing and are involved in the four working groups.

I'm co-chairing the Family Learning working group with Eric Whitfield, East Renfrewshire Council and over an 18 month period we'll be working with a committed team of public and voluntary sector partners who have volunteered to explore ways by which adult learning practitioners use effective approaches to deliver high quality family learning experiences, through which children benefit.

We'll be:

• Gathering and analysing and sharing effective practice findings and research.
• Creating new and enhancing existing professional dialogue for adult learning practitioners who deliver family learning or who are planning to.

Please get in touch to share interesting examples, evaluations, stories. We've created a family learning padlet where you can double click and leave a document or link, or contact Eric: Eric.Whitfield@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk or myself: ewhitelock@lead.org.uk

We're just at the start of our journey and we'll be reaching out to practitioners across Scotland to share their experiences to highlight and celebrate successful adult learning approaches to family learning.

#AdultLearnScot