Dr Nathalie Huegler, Research associate, Dr Natasha Kersh, Local co-ordinator Institute of Education, University College London

1. ECER 2018
Bolzano, 4-7 September 2018
Inclusion, lifelong learning and active
citizenship: some examples from England,
Ireland and the Netherlands
Dr Nathalie Huegler, Research associate
Dr Natasha Kersh, Local co-ordinator
Institute of Education, University College London
EduMap – Adult Education as a Means towards Active Participatory
Citizenship

2. Research contexts: Active Participatory Citizenship (APC)
 Purposive sampling: highlighting APC-related practice in diverse contexts;
both implicit and explicit focus on APC
 UK – richest data sample; four ‘good practice’ case examples:
 Mentoring programme (focus of next presentation)
 16-19 VET programme
 ESOL programme
 ‘gateway’ programme for young people who are unemployed / ‘NEET’
 Ireland – specific context of diversity and equality / participation
opportunities for ethnic minority young people:
 Participation project focusing on barriers in education and employment
 Sports-based / socio-cultural programme
 Netherlands – VET focus
 Coding skills development programme for refugees, migrants and other
young adults at risk of social exclusion; based on immersive learning

3. Dilemmas – sampling / definitions
 Qualitative research – snapshots which provide rich data about specific
programmes rather a representative picture
 Diversity of settings – aim to cover different types of adult / further
education (e.g. basic skills, second chance, vocationally-focused,
informal, etc.)
 Problems of comparison (among programmes and between countries)
 Problem of defining ‘vulnerable young adults’ - working definition
draws on UNDP (2014):
 multidimensional, dynamic and relational
 restriction of choices and capabilities
 embodied and embedded (Fineman, 2015 / Abrisketa et al., 2015)
 links to concepts such as social exclusion, marginalisation and
discrimination
 risk of acting as a label / stigmatisation
 self-definitions of young adults?

4. Perspectives on APC: practitioners
UK
 Hierarchy of needs – socio-economic participation as a
prerequisite to political participation?
 Young people may have a contextualised / localized
understanding of rights (e.g. police powers /being arrested)
 APC linked with belonging (to a community, society, etc.)
 APC linked with aspirations, confidence and opportunities
 ‘Prevent’ duty – ‘Fundamental British values’
IE
 Active participation distinguished from civic engagement;
understanding what participation means is a prerequisite for civic
engagement
 Risk / concerns that opportunities for participation may be
tokenistic
 Engagement at community level is most relevant; concept of
‘citizenship’ might be contested
NL
 Making contributions to society – “drive change” and “give back
and share”
 Focus on skills development and on socio-economic contributions
(having a job)

5. Perspectives on APC : young adults
UK
 Helping and supporting others, often linked to own experiences
of having received support
“…looking after your family, raising children, talking to them about what
is right and what is wrong. Respect. Being honest. Help other people.”
[Young adult, ESOL programme]
 Socio-economic participation and autonomy
“Be independent and on my own and not ask my mum for stuff and
making sure I do it by myself” [Young adult, ‘NEET’ programme]
 Identity and belonging
• For some this included a national “sense of pride” [Young adults, 16-
19 VET and ‘NEET’ programmes]
• ESOL learners linked this to a growing confidence in their capacity to
communicate and participate:
“In a new country […] we are coming from start, from zero, but we
are trying to reach something. First through education, and then
through work. I would like to think of myself as a citizen- not
necessary for the whole country, but community, family”

6. Perspectives on APC : young adults (cont’d)
IE  Emphasis on equal rights
 Helping to highlight issues that affect them and others:
“what happened to me doesn’t necessarily need to happen to
the next generation”
 Contributing to change in society
 Passing on skills to others and supporting communities
NL  Contributing to society – through work or as a volunteer
 Accomplishing something that will ‘later serve the community’
 ‘duty’ and ‘giving something back’

7. Skills and competences for APC: examples (1)
UK
16-19 VET
programme
 Explicit focus on skills for socio-economic participation
 Socio-cultural participation is promoted through
enrichment activities (e.g. theatre visits) which help
young people connect with their city in new ways
 Skills for politico-legal participation are developed
through learning units which address topics such as crime
and its impact on young people or extremism
UK
‘NEET’
programme
 Explicit focus on socio-economic participation and
‘engagement’
 This is considered instrumental in helping young people
become ‘more active in their lives with everything that
they’re doing’ [Programme manager]
 Young people report that their confidence and self-
esteem has risen through taking part in the programme

8. Skills and competences for APC: examples (2)
UK
ESOL
programme
• Language learning is embedded in everyday life contexts
and includes learning about socio-cultural and political life
• Learners emphasise how their improved communication
skills have enabled them to manage day-to-day tasks such
as a doctor’s visit or a conversation with their child’s
teacher independently – helping them feel less of an
‘outsider’
Ireland
Informal
education
project
experiences of
ethnic
minority
youth
• context of equality / diversity
• Informal / participatory approach supported sense of
‘ownership’ of the project among young people
• Emphasis on promoting young people’s capacity for
critiquing exclusionary structures and practices
• Follow-up: engagement with policy makers and companies
• APC practice

9. Skills and competences for APC: examples (3)
Ireland
Informal
programme:
Anti-racism in
sports
 Promotes a range of APC-related skills using sports as a
key medium
 Focus on equality and diversity ‘one race – the human
race’
 Embedded skills: team work, leadership, communication
 Specific focus on gender and diversity
Netherlands
VET
programme
 Focus on employment-related skills (computer coding),
with an approach based on immersive / peer learning
alongside masterclasses and placements delivered in
partnership with external companies and NGOs
 Socio-economic participation is in the forefront, but the
programme also provides socio-cultural skills (networks
and integration / acculturation)
 Learners develop IT projects which support the
community / NGOs (e.g. translation app for refugees)

10. Some issues and dilemmas
Problems with labels – ‘vulnerable’, ‘NEET’
What level / kind of participation is expected of young
adults?
Normative versus critical concepts of APC
APC can be a value-laden concept susceptible to political
instrumentalization
Dominance of socio-economic participation – risk of
perpetuating the neoliberal status quo?

11. References
Abrisketa, J., Churruca, C., de la Cruz, C., García, L., Márquez, C.,
Morondo, D., Nagore, M., Sosa, L., Timmer, A. (2015) Human rights
priorities in the European Union's external and internal policies: an
assessment of consistency with a special focus on vulnerable groups.
FRAME Project Fostering Human Rights among European Policies: Work
Package No. 12 – Deliverable No. 2., http://www.fp7-frame.eu/wp-
content/uploads/2016/08/24-Deliverable-12.2.pdf
Fineman, M.A. (2015) Equality and Difference - The Restrained State.
Emory Legal Studies Research Paper No. 15-348.
https://ssrn.com/abstract=2591689
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2014). Human
Development Report 2014. Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing
Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience
http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr14-report-en-1.pdf