UNESCO Institute for Education

I D I D I T M Y WAYJ O U R N E Y S O F L E A R N I N G I N E U R O P E

Published by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) and the UNESCO Institute for Education

NIACE21 De Montfort StreetLeicester LE1 7GEUnited Kingdom

Company registration no. 2603322Charity registration no. 1002775

UNESCO Institute for EducationFeldbrunnenstraße 5820148 HamburgGermany

Published 2005

� National Institute of Adult Continuing Education/UNESCO Institute for Education

Editor: Francisca MartinezSub-editors: Melissa Crane, Siân Pollock & Barry Norris Contributing editors: Bettina Bochynek, Berit Mykland & Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik

Typesetting and cover design by Prestige FilmsettersPrinted in the UK by Newnorth Print Ltd

The UNESCO Institute for Education, Hamburg, is a legally independent entity. While the Institute's programmes areestablished along the lines laid down by the General Conference of UNESCO, the publications of the Institute areissued under its sole responsibility; UNESCO is not responsible for their contents.

The points of view, selection of facts, and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily coincidewith official positions of the UNESCO Institute for Education, Hamburg.

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of anyopinion whatsoever on the part of the UNESCO Secretariat concerning the legal status of any country or territory, orits authorities, or concerning the delimitations of the frontiers of any country or territory.

CCONTENTS

I n t r o d u c t i o n 4

B e l g i u m ( F l a n d e r s ) 7

B u l g a r i a 1 0

C y p r u s 1 2

E s t o n i a 1 4

F i n l a n d 1 7

H u n g a r y 2 0

I c e l a n d 2 1

L i t h u a n i a 2 2

T h e N e t h e r l a n d s 2 5

N o r w a y 2 7

R o m a n i a 3 1

S l o v e n i a 3 3

S w i t z e r l a n d 3 7

U n i t e d K i n g d o m 3 8

I n t e r n a t i o n a l A d u l t L e a r n e r s ’ 4 1We e k i n E u r o p e a n d t h e F i r s t I n t e r n a t i o n a l A d u l t L e a r n e r s ’ F o r u m

C o n t a c t s 4 6

4

Encouraging adults to take part in learning activities has become a unanimousprinciple in international policy discourse. Upgrading skills, adapting to newtechnological challenges and rapidly changing labour markets, and contributingto overall development are the main elements in the rationale of policy makerswhen arguing in favour of lifelong learning.

While this rationale usually offers the only measurable indicators to assess outcomes of learning and education, it only reflects one side of the coin. A muchbroader picture on the motivation and benefits of learning in adult life can be gained by listening to adult learners themselves. Their stories about the transformative and invigorating impact of learning on their lives provide animpressive volume of evidence which can be much more revealing and persuasive than the results to be measured – or not – in quantitative assessments.

The insights gained through listening to learners are at the same time very pragmatic and functional, in that they can help design policies and good qualitylearning provision based on the needs and aspirations of learners. On the otherhand, listening to adult learners and making them partners in negotiation forboth policy development and improved learning provision is imperative if wereally want to achieve active citizenship and democratic cultures.

Adult learners’ weeks and learning festivals all over the world have long beenstruggling to put learners at the centre and to create spaces where they can raisetheir voices and speak on their own behalf – and are being heard by policy makers and educators. Against this background, the European Commissionagreed to support the transnational project on International Adult Learners’Week in Europe (IntALWinE), and to make possible the present publication asone of the project’s main outputs. While stories of learners have already been documented within several countries, the present publication is the firstinternational documentation including voices of learners from as many as fourteen different countries.

It is a great pleasure for UIE to see this rich collection published and made available as a powerful advocacy tool to policy makers, programme designers,educators and other learners across a large number of European countries – andhopefully beyond.

Bettina BochynekIntALWinE Coordinator UNESCO Institute for Education (UIE)

IIntroduction

Learners’ stories about the journeys that have taken them in and out and backagain into education always make powerful and inspiring reading. The benefitsof formal education are sometimes lost on the young. Sometimes people’sschooling gets disrupted for reasons beyond their control. Thank goodness foradult learning and the chance to have another go.

For many adults, getting back into learning can still feel like an obstacle race. Theopportunities, the funding implications, the systems that are in place can feel likea foreign country. Those who persevere and succeed against the odds deserve ourrecognition and respect. But it doesn’t need to be so hard. Providers of adultlearning, and those who teach, have a responsibility to make sure that everythingpossible is put in place to welcome new learners and to listen to what they haveto say about their lives and their aspirations.

The stories collected here have a lot to teach us all. The contexts and the countries may be different. The journeys are through different territories withshifting border crossings. But they share a common passion - for knowledge, fora better life, for personal development. It has been my pleasure to read them andmy privilege to introduce them.

Jane ThompsonPrincipal Research OfficerNIACE

5

6

BMijn spelen is leren, mijn leren is spelen; 't Is wijsheid, 't zijn deugden, naar welken ik haak.

My playing is learning, my learning is playing; It's wisdom, it's virtue, which I crave for.

(Naar Hiëronymus van Alphen, 1746-1803)

Jan De Vry

t all started when Sabena went bankrupt in2001. I had to retire because I was 53 yearsold at the time. I had and still have two pas-

sions, which are to travel and to be creative. However Idid enough travelling in my time when I served as a stew-ard on international flights. I wanted to do somethingcompletely different. Although I had a computer forsome time, I only used it as a typewriter mainly for writ-ing correspondence to send out in the mail and to searchfor something on the internet. I had never really proper-ly used my computer because of the irregular workinghours I had with Sabena. But after 2001 I had the timeand so I decided to start my first course, which was astarter’s course on how to use a PC. Thanks to the courseI started to learn all the different things that a computerdid and so I became more and more interested and there-fore decided to be creative with this medium! Drawingwith brush and pencil had never been a strength of minebut thanks to computer programs a whole new world wasopened up for me.

In my youth I used to be an average pupil, never reallyenthusiastic about anything but I was always aware of theimportance of diplomas so I did everything I needed tosecure my 50% without actually using a lot of effort.After my first computer course as an adult I soon put myname down for a 2nd and 3rd lesson and then anothertwo, soon I was doing three lessons a week but I wantedto do more. But then I did not do anything for a yearbecause I wanted some time to travel and I did not wantto be restricted by the lessons, but next month I am goingto start another course for five months. The nice thingabout adult education is that you take the course that isof most interest to you and you take it whenever it suits

you the best. You learn with people of all ages, from dif-ferent cultures and with different interests. Everybody isthere because they want to be there. They are motivatedbecause there is a relaxing atmosphere.

Now computer drawings, photo editing and composinganimated movies have become my greatest hobby.Thanks to the different programs I can now enjoy my cre-ativity for 100% of the time which was something I wasunable to do when I did not have the time or skills. I amworking on a huge project now. Our parents left a largearchive of 9mm, 8mm and of a super 8mm of celluloidfilms, which I want to digitalize and edit. From the timewhen I started to use the computer for the very first timethis project was the aim I always had in the back of mymind and now for the time being I can start my lastcourse to make this project happen so I can learn how toedit the videos. In a way this means I can continue withthe work of my father and what he could not do I canthanks to my computer and thanks to the lessons I attend-ed. This gives me an incredible feeling, a really great andgood feeling inside.�

I

BELGIUM (Flanders)

7

Robert PoschetID: Born in Antwerp on 18th August, 1959

y learning experience really started in primaryschool when I was lucky enough to have a fewvery enthusiastic teachers who were genuinely

eager to teach us more than what was featured on the syl-labus. I particularly remember a person in the final twoyears of primary school, Hugo Dirven, who was verygood at telling us about nature and discoveries thatchanged the world and illustrated his teaching with allkinds of tests. After being told about such people, I soonbegan reading books aboutthem, particularly biogra-phies of major scientists,their disappointments andtheir successes. Like webpages, books include lots oflinks or references to otherbooks. This is how I cameinto contact with archaeol-ogy, mythology andpalaeontology. These sub-jects occupied my mind foryears and it gives meimmense pleasure to lookback at the hours I spentwith my nose buried inthose kinds of books.

At secondary school I started to dislike learning,as there were too manysubjects that bored me andI had the feeling I wasn'ttaking much in. When Iwas 15 I decided to leaveschool to start work, muchto the dismay of my parents and teachers. As I didn'thave a profession I had to take evening classes, whichsuited me, better than day school. I qualified as a carmechanic but that was really taking the easy way outbecause I was continuing to read and amass informationabout all kinds of subjects that interested me.

Generally speaking I don't think I would have learned agreat deal, at least not in terms of formal training, as thecompany where I worked was still open in 1990.Another part of the heavy industry sector disappearedand I was out of work. I had worked as a car mechanic

and I had acquired the necessary experience over theyears but I had always worked with heavy materials so Ihad little experience with private cars and couldn't find ajob.

I then decided I needed retraining and started to lookaround for opportunities. The VDAB (Flemish Servicefor Employment and Vocational Training) offered train-ing for clerks. I enrolled and successfully completed thetraining. The people monitoring the trainees noticed Iwas quite good with computers and I was given theopportunity to train as a computer technician. As a result

of the training I finally man-aged to find a job as anemployee in a secretarialoffice because I knew moreabout computers than theaverage user. I had alsostarted a psychology coursewith the Open University. Ichose psychology for tworeasons. I did this to learnmore about myself and sec-ondly because of my keeninterest in the biologicalside of psychology. After awhile I became more inter-ested in the biologicalaspect but had to do the restof the items, as they werecompulsory subjects. I wasonce again faced with adilemma similar to the one Iwas faced with in secondaryschool but I had become abit wiser and acquired a bitmore patience.

I also had the chance to do an internship in a neurologyclinic where you had to build up a report on a particularpatient on the basis of all sorts of psycho-neurologicaltests and observations. I met a lot of enthusiastic peoplethere, neurologists, psychologists, occupational therapistsand nurses, people who were really committed to thepatients and who tried to alleviate their suffering as muchas possible. However, there is something wrong with theapproach to patients. The emphasis is simply on curativestrategies because there is no other way but it is still sadthat little is done to rehabilitate patients with brain dam-age; it is bit like making do with what is available. A lot

M

BELGIUM (F landers )

8

of research is undertaken on medication and such thingsbut precious little on rehabilitation, which is a pity.

I am now in my last educational phase; then, maybe I cantake up something in the biological field. I'm particular-ly keen on microbiology. I have been mainly busy inrecent months brushing up my biology before continuingwith my actual training, especially as I hope to say some-thing worthwhile about it in my thesis. I personally find

TRANSLATOR:

Translation Service of the Flemish Community

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Jan De Vry – personal archive

Robert Poschet – Arne Keppens

NATIONAL INSTITUTION:

DIVA – Ministry of the Flemish Community

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

Kathleen Huet

that employers fail to give enough support to people whofind it hard to undergo training, they prefer to let outsidepeople have promotional opportunities rather than com-pany employees, hence there is still a lot of awareness-raising to do to encourage more people to undergo training because if you do not get any response for whatyou do, you have to be motivated for personal reasons,whereas the approach now adopted by employers tendsto have a discouraging effect. �

BELGIUM (F landers )

9

show how it should have been written.

The Second Chance School gave me the opportunity tostudy sewing and cutting, to learn how to introducemyself, how to apply for a job and how to write a CV.

However, I could not find a job. Being able to write isnot enough. But the skills acquired in sewing and cuttinghelped me a lot. I succeeded in buying an old sewingmachine and began to sew. In the beginning I repairedclothes but after I got some practice and courage I start-ed making skirts, trousers. If I had any difficulties I askedfor my course teacher's help. Mrs Kokova always helpedme, even after the end of the programme.

I am grateful to The Second Chance School because theyhelped me to be more self-confident. Now I can makeremarks to my children when they make light of theirlessons. I am grateful for being able to contribute(though modestly) to the income of my family. �

BChovek se uchi dokato e zhiv

One learns as one lives(Bulgarian proverb)

Anna Georgieva JordanovaID: Participant in a literacy course

grew up in the gypsy quarter of the small townof Perushtitsa. My parents are very kind andgood people but in those times it was difficult

to live and there has always been a shortage of money, soI had to stop my studies.

I finished first grade and my parents decided that I had tohelp with the housework; the expenses for three studentswere beyond them. I am the youngest child. I have twoelder brothers who had the opportunity to study eightgrades.

When I was a little girl I did not realize that not beingable to read and write disabled me and that one day itwould be a great obstacle in my life. I liked helping myparents and not visiting school. I became aware of thenecessity to be educated when nobody wanted me towork for them, even as a cleaner. Then I decided that mychildren would not make the mistakes I had made. Whenmy elder daughter went to school I checked her home-work every day but the truth was I looked at her notebook without understanding many of the things written there. I was ashamed of admitting that I did notunderstand and always nodded approval - I sufferedbecause I felt doing her an ill turn.

My husband has a secondary education and works, in theevenings he is tired. Our daughter's homework, lessonsand books are my duty.

When I learned from a neighbour of ours about a litera-cy course I told my husband and next day enrolled.Three months I was studying diligently and wrote myhomework; I felt the more I studied the better I under-stood what was written in my daughter's books. I beganto find mistakes in her notebooks and this time I was real-ly proud of being daring enough to correct them and to

I

BULGARIA

10

Ivan KaragjozovID: Eleventh-grade student from The Second

Chance School

y name is Ivan but everybody calls me theDustman. Since I was a child I have always hada lot of friends and I have never had enough

time for my lessons. But my father insisted very much onmy going to school. Everyday he asked me if I’d hadexams.

When I was in the sixth grade most of my friends weretwo or three years older than me. They always truantedfrom lessons and laughed at my being afraid of doing thesame. So one day I also truanted from school for the firsttime. It was very funny. Every day my parents gave mesome money for school, I dressed, took my school bagand set off. But instead of going to school my friends andI went to the centre of the town, to the cinema, and vis-ited other friends of ours.

I lied to my father for half a year. Once, my teacherasked him why I did not go to school anymore. Myfather was very angry with me. He did not beat me. Hescolded me and told me that I thought I had outwittedhim but in fact it was just the opposite - I was the onesooner or later who would be cheated and I did not realize what harm I had done to myself.

At that time I really did not realize my father's words. Iwas happy I got off lightly and was pleased at being ableto pay my father in empty words. After that I continuednot going to school. Thus I got only the seventh gradeand was not aware of the importance of studying at leastone year more and finishing my primary education. I wasin the army, then left it, got married and the problemsbegan. I am a very sociable guy and make friends easily.People like me but I could not find any job. A few timesI was offered work in different firms but when thingswere reduced to my education and school-leaving certifi-cate nobody dared to employ me. We started arguingwithin the family. My child was growing up and beganblaming me more and more. Then I remembered myfather's words and realized how right he was. Really Iwas the cheated one. I had been outwitting myself.

When I heard of the Stolipinovo programme and TheSecond Chance School I did not hesitate to apply for it. Icovered all the requirements and what was more I wasvery strongly motivated. I received an approval and was

a student again. I wondered why I had not gone toschool before when I had to do nothing else but study.However, I was grateful for being given the opportunityto finish my primary education. I did not notice how theschool year passed. The teachers were very patient withus. They helped us very much in our individual school-ing. Many times they stayed with us after the lessons.When the time of the first exam came I was very scared.I was sure I would not cope with the task and my handswere shaking. Then I saw my mark was the highest oneand this encouraged me. I passed all my exams success-fully and got a primary school leaving certificate. I imme-diately started looking for a job but I ran into difficultiesagain. It turned out that my employers' criteria werequite a bit higher than my expectations were. So I con-tinued my secondary education at The Second ChanceSchool. I am already in the eleventh grade. All my class-mates are laughing at me because I am always sitting atthe front desk writing down everything and always ask-ing a lot of questions. I know I can finish the school andI have the ambition to make up for the missed time.Thanks to the scholarship which I have for the time of myschooling I can buy more books. At first I bought foodfor my son but soon I realized that if I finished schoolwith enough knowledge I could buy more things. Thuseach time when I got my scholarship I started buying abook. Soon I bought a reference book of the PlovdivUniversity.

Next year after I have finished school and have got myschool-leaving certificate I want to continue my educa-tion at university. I would like to be an example for myson who will soon start going to school; I want to proveto myself that the missed time can be made up for. �

M

BULGARIA

11

TRANSLATOR:

Penka Pejkovska

PHOTOGRAPGHY:

IIZ/DVV – Bulgaria

NATIONAL INSTITUTION:

IIZ/DVV (Institute for International Cooperation of

the German Adult Education Association)

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

Maria Todorova

Demetra ChristoforouBetter late than never

was born and raised in London, where Ireceived a pure English education. For the last18 years, I have lived in Cyprus. Although my

parent’s mother language was Greek, I could speak onlya little Greek and I could not write at all.

Upon completion of my studies, on aholiday trip to Cyprus, my parent’scountry, I met and married my hus-band and we decided to live there.Very soon we were a very happy fam-ily of five. We had two girls and aboy, my husband was running a smallbusiness and we were leaving in asmall but very nice bungalow.

Although I was a happy housewife, Iwas facing a problem with the Greeklanguage, which I was not usingproperly. Many people were think-ing that I was a foreigner because ofmy poor Greek and that was hurtingme very much and was making mefeel very sorry. It was also very hard for me to watch thetelevision programs, the majority of which were withGreek dialogues.

My problem became more serious when I tried to helpmy children with their homework. It was then that I tookthe decision to learn how to read and write Greek, mymother language. My desire for that was very strong, butI did not know where to go for that.

One day, looking into my son’s schoolbag, I found abrochure of the Adult Education Centres. I found outthat there were Greek lessons for illiterate adult people.I took the opportunity immediately and joined a nightclass.

The people attending were all adults of different ages,youngsters and grown-ups, coming all from differentoccupations, professionals, labourers and housewives, butall with a common desire: to learn how to read and writeGreek.

The lessons were taking place once a week, at a primaryschool near to my home. Our teacher, Mrs ChristianaGeorgiou, was very friendly, facing everybody with

patience, giving each one individuallythe required support and encouragingall of us to carry on.

It is indeed a great honour to us tohave such a nice teacher, who devotedso much time teaching us our motherlanguage. Out of that class we learnto read and write thus being able tocommunicate properly, orally and inwriting, making our lives much easierand meaningful.

We deeply thank you Mrs Christiana,for the valuable assistance you havegiven us. We have taken so muchfrom you and we promise that we will

carry on our efforts and next year, to improve ourselveseven more, for better use of the Greek language.

Learning is the biggest tool of the human power.Someone without knowledge is like a ship in the middleof the ocean without sails or a gun with blank bullets. Avery big thank you, to our teacher and to the AdultEducation Centres, for the opportunities they are givingus to enrich our knowledge. You should always remem-ber that, “Better late than never.”

The above address was delivered by Mrs DemetraChristoforou, during the ceremony for the end of works ofthe Adult Education Centre of Limassol, in May, 2004. �

I

CI live and learn

(Socrates, ancient Greek philosopher)

CYPRUS

12

(Girasko ai didaskomenos)

INTERVIEWER/EDITOR, TRANSLATOR AND

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Socrates Kountouris

NATIONAL INSTITUTION:

Cyprus Adult Education Association

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

Klitos Simeonides

Thasos Kontoloucas Learning – a new lease of life

eing the eldest child of a family with four boysand two girls, I had to get a job very early tosupport my family financially. So I chose to

become a decorator because at that timeit was a well-paid job, although I did notlike it very much.

Until the age of 45 I was a happy familyman, with a lovely wife, three charmingchildren, living in a nice house and run-ning my own business, as a decorator.

In 1974 Turkey invaded Cyprus andoccupied almost half of the island,including my hometown, Famagusta. Asa consequence we were forced to runoff, leaving everything behind, and hadto settle down as a refugee in another place, Limassol.There, I managed to start my life all over again, set up mybusiness, build a new house and looked after my children.

At the age of 57, I had another strike in my life. I lost mywife. The blow was very hard. My life became miser-able, especially after work, when I was going back to anempty house, because I was a homebody (homeloving)man.

Then, almost by accident, I heard about the AdultEducation Centres and joined a woodcarving class, whichI’d always hoped to do but never before had the chance.This changed my life completely.

At my premises I set up a small workshop, where I wasspending all my spare time. I did the same at my home,

B

where I was spending almost all my time, when I wasreturning home after work and all the weekends.

At the Adult Education Centres I met other people whohad the same interest as me. Many of those used to cometo my place and discuss ideas or just talk about woodcarv-

ing. All of a sudden my premises becamethe centre for all those people interestedin woodcarving.

Gradually, I gave up decorating com-pletely and became fully involved withwoodcarving and restoring old (antique)furniture. I enjoyed it very much,because it was the kind of job that Ialways wanted to do, but had neverbefore had the chance.

Today, I am 75 years old, and still prac-tising woodcarving, but for pleasure. I

have made many pieces of carved furniture for my chil-dren and my grandchildren. People still come to myplace to ask for my opinion and assistance or talk aboutwoodcarving, or just to pay a social visit for chatting.

My involvement with adult education, for almost 20years, at a very difficult period, when I lost my wife,proved to be a very crucial stage of my life. It has helpedme overcome all the problems of loneliness that I was facing at that time. It also made me change my job fromwhat I was in a way forced to do, to what I liked to do. �

CYPRUS

13

EMarika KreitsmanID: Marika Kreitsman (44) is the Learner of the Year

2004 of Järva County. Every county chose itslearner of the year (16 areas altogether) and submitted them for national appreciation.

y story began eight years ago, when my familyand I moved from Tallinn to Ussisoo,Järvamaa. The first setback was that I couldn't

find a job, although I went in and out of companies. Thereason was sometimes tragicomic. As I had been workingas a chief-accountant in Tallinn they told me that itwouldn't be appropriate to offer a lower position to mealthough I was ready to accept any job. My husband alsocame to work in Järvamaa and those were the hardesttwo years of my life, learning to support my family of fivewith minimal income. My husband went back to work inTallinn and I got a job in Purdi Basic School as an eco-nomic manager. It seemed that life was back to normalagain, but the school was closed down and once again Iwas unemployed. At first my former colleagues came totell their problems to me, I comforted them as I could,but when they had got jobs again and I was still withoutone, I was under a lot of stress. Nobody listened to myworries, so I ended up putting on 15 kilos. Now I wasbig and unhappy. Finally I got a job in a local shop, butI could only work for a year because of health problems.I was unemployed again, sitting at home, feeling self-pitycoming over me. I was thinking what to do. I hadn'tbeen working as an accountant for years. All the lawswere new, it would have meant starting everything new.Moreover, there were enough recent accountancy graduates where I lived.

I was considering my options, when my sons told me todo what I did best: cook. I began to enquire about cook-ery courses. Everything goes smoothly when it’s the rightthing. I could register on the very last day before thestart. I studied on the course in Särevere for threemonths. Learning had a positive effect on me, all these

venturesome people around me. This is where I got theidea of starting my own company and trying to get start-up capital from the Labour Market Board. In order towork as a caterer I had to get a driving licence.

So I went to study at a driving school, acquired necessaryskills and got the licence. Now I work as a sole propri-etor offering catering services. And there is a demand!

I participate in shorter courses each time I have a chance,where I improve my skills in cookery, compiling menusand offering services. I became known and familiar quitequickly fast among local people. People trust me and asa sign of that trust they elected me to be a village elder. Itake part in trainings organised by the rural municipalityand council. I have become an arranger of social life,who often has to support local people with my advice.

I'm glad that I've had the courage as an adult to makechanges in my life and carried out my dream of a familyventure, where my husband and sons have their rolesboth in work contribution and supporting each other. Itis very important to be and act together.

An ordinary story, like many people must have, butthanks to studying I have got a pleasant job near homeand many contacts with interesting people. �

M

Ela õppimise tarvis ja õpi elamise tarvis

ESTONIA

Learn to live and live to learn(Estonian proverb)

14

Urve MerendiID: Urve Merendi (61) was the Learner of the Year

of Estonia, 2004

am the Learner of the year 2004 ... But Ihaven’t done anything special, haven’t got amaster’s degree, done scientific research or

even graduated from the university!

I went to a university once, Tallinn PedagogicalUniversity, but I quit in the middle of the fourth year. It’snot that I didn’t want to learn but the desire to get awayfrom town to my home Hiiumaa was greater. Only manyyears later, after some years as a primary school teacherand several years of kindergarten work, I found that nowit is time to start learning again - this time in thePedagogical Seminar. It wasn’t an obligation forced fromoutside but a wish to try something else, to prove myselfand feel that hollow excitement in my tummy when themorning of the examination has arrived. And of courseto be with the others, communicate. I don’t rememberbeing so much after knowledge then. It was just fun tobe together in Räägu Street and study together. It was sogood that I graduated with a “red diploma” (honours).Now looking back at all my studies I can say that I have

always met people who are good to be with. And ofcourse it was the teachers who could make learningattractive.

Times went by, big changes came: enterprises closeddown, people were made redundant; until one day Ifound myself sitting on a rock by the sea, facing a bigquestion mark: am I at the dead end? There was no morekindergarten, where I had worked as a manager, therewas no need for me as a teacher because there wereenough of them on our 1000 km2 island (with a popula-tion of 10,000). It was terribly hard to think and evenharder to say it out loud that I was unemployed. Andtotally useless, so useless that I could have sat on thatrock forever.

For people like me, who have lost their grounds, we haveSA Tuuru in Hiiumaa, which helps you to find a soundplace, where you can stop for a moment and lookaround. An extensive course in tourism management wasabout to begin in October and finish in April. I got a lotof encouragement to participate in that course. Whatwas also important is that learning was financially sup-ported by the Labour Market Board. The subject wasnew and entirely interesting for me.

At the end of the course I made a business plan aboutcycling tourism in Hiiumaa and, as it was accepted by theexamination board, I submitted it to a business consult-ant, Aivar Pere. In fact he was the one who recommend-ed it, promoted, supported and pushed it. I got the start-up money, registered myself as a sole proprietor,compiled package hiking tours and leaflets and in the firstsummer started with both cycling and hiking tours.

To qualify as a guide, I had to go to the guide’s trainingand pass the exam (now that was really tough!). Since myGerman had been quite good at school I took the examin German and had courage to advertise myself as a for-eign language- speaking guide. That paid for itselfbecause I was immediately contacted by a German touroperator, I and T Reisen, with whom and WilkingerReisen, I co-operated for several years.

Soon it became clear that my knowledge of nature was abit lacking. I have grown up in the country, trottingbehind my grandfather in forests and bogs, but it wasn’tenough for a hiking instructor. Luckily, SuuremõisaTechnical school was about to start with a two-yearcourse in environmental protection and that was exactly

I

ESTONIA

15

TRANSLATOR:

Külliki Steinberg

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Marika Kreisman with sons – Piret Sapp

Urve Merendi – Harda Roosna

NATIONAL INSTITUTION:

Association of Estonian Adult Educators (ANDRAS)

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

Sirje Plaks

what I needed. It was a little scary at first to submit myapplication. I have been living in this world for morethan half of a century and now to go to school again...When I asked the director if I was allowed to attendschool again, he told me it was the wish that mattered,not the age. I had that wish.

But learning is like a chain reaction: if you have alreadystarted, you can’t stop it. If you know something you aretrusted new tasks over and over again. Now I have pro-posals to start bird and seal tourism, and my knowledgehas helped to set up Neljateeristi nature trail in Kõpu.

I have just finished a course in accountancy and will putthe skills to use in winter, when we don’t have tourists.

I am the Learner of the Year 2004. For me it is certainlythe highest appreciation for what I have done. Thankyou everyone who has been helping! There are still somethings to achieve for me. At least two to three hills toconquer, maybe this year and if not, then the next... Andagain, who knows what may open behind these hills...Nevertheless, if I hadn’t had these jobs I have beentrained for, I would have been under that rock.

It’s never late to learn. And it’s great fun! �

ESTONIA

16

Juha PiirainenID: Adult Learner award winner 2003 in Finland

and machine worker Juha Piirainen knows forestmachines. He has made his career in the heavymetal industry since he left comprehensiveschool at the age of 16. During this time thecompany has changed owner and name and newgeneration forest machines and even theequipment have new names. But the work isstill about the same. Now the machine workshop in Joensuu, Juha Piirainen's hometown, is owned by Americans. The town ofJoensuu, 500 km from capital Helsinki, in North Carelia, is one of three Timberjack manufacturing facilities in the world.

was satisfied to get a job as a trainee here. Iconsidered myself lucky when the trainingperiod was over and I was offered a permanent

job. I had no dreams of doing anything else. We have agood atmosphere in the machine workshop. Of course inthe beginning the old workers made us young do most ofthe dirty and heavy jobs. I think it is the same every-where at least in metal industry workshops, where onlymen used to work. Still, I have always been content withmy place of work.

Beginning of studies were an experimentSome years ago the representatives from the NorthCarelian Vocational Adult Education Centre came to thefactory and spoke about the new system of competence-based examinations. The possibility of doing examsusing the experience from your work and studying in theevenings and some weekends seemed quite tempting. Atthe same time our employer took a positive attitude tostudies by allowing some days a month to be used atschool. I was not quite confident that I really would learnbut I thought: if it does not succeed, I can always jumpoff. We were some who started and finally I was the firstone to make the examinations. I got the machinist

degree. It was a surprise even for me. And after the firstexamination I was hooked.

Studying became a way of lifeAfter the machinist degree the Vocational AdultEducation Centre offered studies to special professionalmaster degree. Both the employer and my family werepositive. I decided to continue. At the same time theAdult Education Centre offered me an opportunity to bewithin the group which was developing the examinationsystem for adults having a long working experience. It isa very interesting job. I got my special Master’s degree intwo years. It was the year I was appointed to the AdultLearner in Finland, 2003.

The Adult Learner’s Award gave publicity to adults’ possibilities to studyIt was a big surprise that I got the national award. I knewthat I was appointed to North Carelian Adult Learner andI was prepared for it. But the huge publicity with televi-sion and interviews was confusing. I was asked manyquestions which I had not clearly thought through. Whydegrees, why to study. Is it a better job I have in mind, or

I

Oppia ikä kaikki! Learning is for everyone, no matter what their age!

(Proverb)

FFINLAND

17

is it money. I had to say “no” to both. The work changedonly a bit and the salary stayed almost the same. My rea-son was in the beginning to test my ability to learn. Soonstarted the desire to develop and update my professionalskills. Now I also want to develop myself, have new perspectives on life. To know more and to understandmore seems to be a challenge without an end.

Others have followedWhen I started studying my fellow workers smiled at me.After a couple of years many of them started their ownstudies. Many had bad memories from their time atschool, but by following my progress they have noticedthat many things have changed since they left school. Itmight be worth trying, they think. In 2004, 30 new stu-dents took competence-based examinations here at our

Raili KilponenFrom farmer hostess to computer expertID: Adult Learner award winner 2000 in Finland

he Kilponen family lives in the countryside farfrom big villages and towns just next to theRussian border. Their home is 630 km north

east from the capital of Finland, Helsinki. The distanceto the nearest town, county centre of region Kainuu, ismore than 100 km. Once a lively habitation, it has todaylost most of its inhabitants to big towns further south.Today it is a settlement with a couple of houses.

Both Raili Kilponen and her husband were born here inneighbouring villages. Their parents were farmers. Bothhad gone to comprehensive school in their own village.Raili Kilponen left school at the age of 16 and took acourse in home industry. Soon they got married and leftfor work on the Russian side of the border on a big construction site of new forest industry city Kostamus.

In 1985 they started as farmers on Raili Kilponen'sfather-in-law’s farm. A new cow stable was built andmore cattle bought. Faith in the future and faith of entre-preneurship were strong.

After having worked for two years with the cattle the firstsymptoms of allergy appeared. Raili Kilponen explains:

I did not take them very seriously. At that time the chil-dren were born. I spent less time in the cow stable and

workshop, most of them without any basic vocationaleducation. The teachers come here to the factory toteach. It is easy to see the benefits in your everyday work.Our employer has also organised English and computercourses. That is often the first step that changes attitudestowards studying. Our factory is a rather good place foradults wanting to study, but in many other working placesit’s not so easy; especially in small or medium size enter-prises it is often impossible to be away from work. Thepace of work is hard and if one is missing, others have todo his job. Some kind of system should be developed toguarantee the adults possibilities for vocational studyingwhile working. I am confident that studying gives moti-vation to work and gives strengths to continue workingtill pension age. �

the allergy symptoms eased. After maternity leave thework in the cow stable continued. The symptomsappeared again, now even stronger. Soon it becameimpossible either to work with animals or in a dusty envi-ronment. I had to go on sick leave without a future infarm work.

I had never done anything else but manual work. Howwould I manage to learn something else?

The possibilities were few. In the local newspaper Ifound an advertisement for an evening computer coursewhich would start in a village only 50 km from home. Idecided to apply and succeeded in getting in. Our firstcomputer was bought a couple of days before the course

T

F INLAND

18

INTERVIEWER/EDITOR,

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Johanna Korhonen

NATIONAL INSTITUTION:

Vapaan sivistystyön yhteisjärjestö VSY

Finnish Adult Education Association

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

Eeva-Inkeri Sirelius

started; the only thing I could do was to push the on-offbutton.

The beginning was hard. I lost my faith many times. Theonly thing that made me continue was my teacher whoalways had a supporting and encouraging word to say,when she saw my disbelief. Step-by step I started to bemore and more eager to learn. After I passed the firstexams for the “computer driving licence” I was full ofconfidence for the future. But at the same time I noticedhow much more I had to study. The enthusiasm to learnreally caught fire. Also my husband started to plan achange of life. The work alone on the farm turned out tobe too hard. He applied and got a student place in thevocational school in the county centre of Kajaani. A con-dition was that he would take special courses in Swedishand English, which he had studied very little at school.The change of family life was total.

A new job as computer tutorAs I had passed the computer exams in 2000, in theregion of Kainuu I started a new project named LearningCommunities. The aim of the project was to provide allvillages with “a data station” - a place in the village whereinhabitants can learn computer skills and use computers.The stations could be in post offices, libraries, schools orshops. My job was to teach and help people to learn thecomputer skills. The project lasted two years till the endof 2003.

The more skills the more possibilitiesWhen the project ended I started to study again. Kainuuis a region in Finland with a huge potential for naturetourism and with interesting history. The course intourism lasted half a year. To work with tourists is like an

insurance for me; when you live far away from every-thing you have to learn many ways to earn your living. Irealized that, if I just stayed at home, nobody would offerme ‘ready baked cake on a plate’. You have to have versatile networks and contacts and you have to makethem yourself. Studying is a good way for it.

In October 2004 I started a new job as interviewer andsub-editor of a regional history. It is a job where I can useall my new skills from computer use to local knowledge.

The dream of life is a new profession and to study abroadI must say that studying has changed me as a person; Ihave got self-confidence and courage. I am not afraid ofasking “stupid questions.” I know that every person canlearn if she or he feels that it is useful. When I first start-ed to study people used to smile a little pitifully. After Igot the Adult Learners’ Award in 2000 my interviews andpictures were in local and national media. Most peopleencouraged and congratulated me but some were envi-ous.

I have a dream that one day our family had the possibili-ty to study abroad. I have noticed how useful languagesare. To study more English in an English speaking coun-try would be interesting.

When my husband has finished his studies in a couple ofyears, it is time to plan our future again. Who knowswhat we are going to do?

Personally, I'm interested in radio journalism. It is not outof the question, that I learn a new profession in thefuture. The fact is studying has become a way of life inour family. �

F INLAND

19

HHUNGARY

Maria Géber

completed a Pedagogical Assistant trainingcourse in the academic year between 1993 and1994. My main motivation to enrol was to

gain experience in the field of education and to use theknowledge in bringing up my children. My other moti-vation was the desire and the pleasure to learn. Even atthe age of thirty-eight I knew that it was not too late towiden my knowledge. It was my own decision to obtainnew qualifications and to finance them through my ownmeans. Previously I had worked in a completely differentfield as a Book Keeper.

When I started my studies I had been on maternity leavefor twelve years. I gave birth to a son in 1981 and toanother one three years later. Following the birth of mysecond son, Robert, there were many complications. Dueto health problems, he was not allowed to take an activepart within the children’s community. For instance, hecould not go to kindergarden and I worked with him andtaught him at home when he was granted completeexemption from a tending school. At this time he wasunable to attend school full time, however, I took him, onmy bicycle, to school to attend the most important les-sons. In the first class he passed his exams on the ‘learn-ing material’ with an excellent mark. His marks were alsoexcellent in grades 2-6, which put him first in the class.Not only did he attend some lessons at school but he alsodid attend some school events and some class excursionsin my accompaniment and in his corset I still take him toa nearby town called Miskolc to have medical treatmentand to undergo therapeutic gymnastics. He is now in seventh grade and he regularly attends classes.

Being a Pedagogical Assistant has played a large contribu-tion in changing the way in which I look, observe andeducate my children. During my diploma I had to createa personality profile of a child in kindergarden. I chosea girl in the last group of kindergarden who came from afamily, which I considered an appropriate model. I want-ed to seek answers to the question on how educationalmethods and various activities affected the personality ofa child.

There were twelve of us on the course and with theexception of myself; all the others had worked in educa-tion, either in kindergarden or in schools. However, Ipassed my oral exams with the best marks in pedagogy,psychology, social care and education methods. In addi-tion, my practice and written paper were also rated asexcellent pieces of work. The certificate given to me bythe National Vocational Training Institute allows me towork as a Pedagogical Assistant and to use my new skills.According to the opinion of the chair on the examinationboard, my paper was the best on the course. I was espe-cially proud of myself because I have a sight problem.Due to my disability (which put me on the disability pen-sion), I had to use audiotapes, which meant that I was ata disadvantage. However, having overcome this barrierwhen reading and writing, the completion of the courseenabled me to become a more valuable person andencouraged me to use my knowledge and experience laterin my life.

I consider health to be the most important value next toknowledge, which is why I pay special attention to thosewho pay parts in developing my sons. I try to be strictwhen it comes to loving and being helpful and I like toplace demands on myself and on others to gain respect tocreate a profile for myself as an educator. In addition Itry to develop the ability and talents of children usingtheir initiative and sense of freedom and by giving all theassistance I can so that when they leave school, they havelearnt certain values, which are expected of them. Thiswas my ambition when I enrolled in and completed thecourse to become a Pedagogical Assistant. �

I

"...tanulni kell magyarul és világul, tanulni kell mindazt, ami kitárul,..."you have to learn in Hungarian and World, you have to learn all things unfold on earth

(Ágnes Nemes Nagy)

TRANSLATOR:

Katalin Varga

NATIONAL INSTITUTION:

Hungarian Folk High School Society

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

Zsofia Fesztbaum

20

IICELAND

Agust Thorlaksson

was born in Reykjavikon 6 February 1970. Iam the middle child of

three, from a working class family.My father is a worker at SamskipTransport Company and mymother, having gone to school inher 40s, is a Chief Accountant inthree administration departments at the Icelandic AviatorCentre. I dropped out of primary school before I finishedthe 9th grade in December 1984. I left school because Ithought I did not need any education and because itbored me. I started working with my father at Mercantilestorage for a year and then I went to Eimskip (IcelandicSteamship Company) also for one year. Then I went towork in a carwash for a couple of months and from thereI went back to Eimskip where I stayed for seventeen yearsin many departments such as Stevedoring, EquipmentFleet, Export and Container yard. I also did some workfor Dagsbrun General and Transport Workers Union as aUnion Representative and I was in the Board of Directorsof Dagsbrun for three years. In September 2003 Ichanged my field of work from a manual worker to anoffice worker. I now work for Efling-trade union witheducated people. My colleagues were the ones whoencouraged me to go back to school.

I went back to school after nineteen years and now I amin primary education for those who did not continue witheducation after primary school first time round. Theexperience is giving us extra courage to go and studysome more. With this education we can receive a matric-ulation certificate from college or go to university if wewant to. We are studying Icelandic, English, mathematics,IT and self-confidence, which is building our confidence.It is a great opportunity to be able to learn the basicsbefore jumping in the swimming pool. I am thirty-fiveyears old, a father of three great sons and I have a babyon the way. I think that the time is now for me to buildmyself up for the future. My belief is that we cannotchange our past but we can change our future. �

Helga Osp JohannsdottirID: Participant at the International Adult Learners’

Seminar at Knuston Hall, Northamptonshire,UK in October 2004

y name is Helga Osp Johannsdottir. I was bornin a town called Akureyri in the north ofIceland. In Akureyri there are about 15,000

people which makes it the biggest town in that part ofIceland. I am almost thirty two years old, I have aboyfriend, I have an eight-year-old girl, I am expecting ababy in May 2005 and I am the second oldest of six sis-ters who are my best friends. I was sixteen years old whenI dropped out of schoolbecause I told myself thatI was not a good student.I did not go back until Iwas thirty. It was verydifficult, but I went toschool for adults whohave not been in schoolfor many years like mewhich helped me verymuch.

In the beginning of January 2000 I started to work in apre-school. I liked it a lot so my ambition was to go backto school to learn more. In Spring 2003 I decided to sendan application to the Iceland University of Education andI was accepted. Presently I am completing a three-yearcourse, learning to be a pre-school teacher at the IcelandUniversity of Education in Reykjavik. I am in my secondyear so I am hoping to graduate as a pre-school teacher inone and a half or two years’ time. �

I

Sense is needed for the one who travels widely.(Havamal)

M

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Authors’ personal archives

NATIONAL INSTITUTION:

EDUCATE – Iceland

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

Gyda Dröfn Tryggvadóttir

21

LLITHUANIA

Janina SurgevicID: 47 years old, born and lives in Vilnius

f I had to write my learning story I would callit “The History of My Uncompleted Studies.” Istarted, but didn’t complete music and art

school twice; I started and didn’t complete university. SoI can only write “secondary education” in my CV.Though my teachers at secondary school thought I wasthorough and capable, I did-n’t believe it myself. I feltthat I was the ugly ducklingfrom the Hans ChristianAndersen tales. I was alwayssetting too high standards formyself and for people aroundme. I just couldn’t take pleas-ure in my achievements.

Since my childhood I had adream to become an actress.I tried to enter theConservatoire department ofActing and Directing forthree years. I didn’t succeedand now I understand why. Iwanted to become nothingbut an actress and for myauditions I always chose shat-tering pieces reflecting feel-ings I had never experiencedbefore. There are somethings that you can understand only by having experienceof life. It is unlikely that “Beggar” by P.J. Berangersounded very convincing coming from the lips of a 20-year-old girl.

I then realised there was a way I could get into theConservatoire much more simply. I was attending PolishFolk Theatre and I had the opportunity to study stage

direction. But I was frightened by the thought that aftercompletion of the course I would have to work in non-professional theatre, directing comedies for several years.I thought that comedy was mean and that I was worthmore. It was only later that I understood humour was mystrong side and that I liked to entertain people.

When I didn’t succeed in entering the Conservatoire, Ientered university to study Russian language and litera-

ture, but I didn’t attend anylectures because the subjectdidn’t interest me at all. All Iwanted was to prove to myparents that I could enter uni-versity. Later I began to studylaw. I was trying to prove toother people that I was capa-ble enough to study law. Mylaw studies only lasted for ayear. There were lots of sub-jects within the Law coursethat I didn’t enjoy at all, so Ileft the course.

I then decided to work andhad a job in an office as a per-sonnel inspector. I lived like asnail in a shell. It seemed tome that my life was passingme by. I was not developingor improving. I didn’t evenhave any need for that. If

there were no political and economic changes in ourcountry, I would probably have lived like that up untilnow.

I lost my job in the office and started a sewing businessthat was totally unfamiliar to me but very profitable inthose days. For several years I was just working andsleeping. I didn’t have time for anything else. Later my

I

Mokslo saknys karcios, bet vaisiai saldus (liaudies ismintis)

The roots of learning are bitter, but the fruits are sweet(folk wisdom)

ˆˆ ˆ

22

business became unprofitable which is when I facedunemployment for the first time. I became aware that Ididn’t have the necessary knowledge to work as an office girl. With great enthusiasm I started attendingadministration courses. There I suddenly found out thatI liked learning and I received confirmation that I wascapable. I tried a variety of jobs, but it was not easy tofind a permanent one. I was only forty but the employ-ers were saying that I was too old to work which I even-tually believed and fell into despair. I was frustrated byguilt and by dependence on other people. I didn’t wantanything. I tried to commit suicide one evening. Afterthat I found myself in hospital. I was taking antidepres-sants and didn’t expect anything from myself or from mylife. It was a long and hard period of my life. I wasencouraged to take interest in myself. I was seeing psy-chologists. I wanted to know myself and my feelings andto find out why I didn’t succeed in finding a job. In theLabour Exchange office they proposed that I participatedin the Work Opportunities Programme led by psycholo-gists. While communicating with group members, psy-

chologists and other specialists I got familiar with newaspects of my personality and I became stronger. It wasa discovery for me and I had the opportunity to learnceramics during this programme. It’s a paradox – I onceleft art school because I didn’t like the clay but on myceramics course I felt myself express my feelings whilemoulding. It’s good to feel that I’m succeeding again.

Nowadays, I think that nothing is lost. Now I work, I’mnot taking antidepressants any more, and I feel better. Iwant so many things: I want my inner changes to pro-ceed, I want to live without guilt, I want to live formyself, I want to study, I want to develop. I found out somany things for myself. I found out that there are somany things to learn and that I want to learn. I am goingto study foreign languages and attend art workshops foradults. The world is changing so fast and I must con-stantly study and learn so I don’t get left behind. Now Ibelieve that I am strong enough to turn my ideas intoactions. �

Nijole PopovieneID: Participant at the International Adult Learners’

Forum at Knuston Hall, Northamptonshire, UKin October 2004

have been working as an Engineer at a DesignBureau for many years. I graduated at college,then I started to work as a Radio Apparatus

Technician, then I worked and studied at university andthen I became a Design Engineer. There were manychanges in our society after the Lithuanian independence.My department was about to close and so I felt that I hadto do something. Once I noticed an advert in a dailypaper. The Soros International House announced it isopening in Vilnius and invited me to learn English. Yes!This is what I needed and I had always dreamed to learnEnglish, but at this time our salaries were paid with longdelay which is why I am grateful to my brother who lentme the money to attend the courses.

At this time I was thirty eight years old and I already hadthree children. My colleagues and even my mother couldnot understand why it was so important to me. Theycould not understand why I would spend money onlearning when my pockets were empty and when I was soold. They thought that this was nonsense, but not long

after I started to translate technical texts from English, Iwas able to afford to continue to learn. Then I found ajob at a Lithuanian Technical Library as a Librarian andthen as the Head of the Exhibition Sector. The reasonsfor why they hired me were because I had learnt Englishand because I had a qualification in higher education.During my time in higher education I had learnt manynew things. For instance, I could learned something 'bydoing' it and having attended the courses I learnt skills inICT and how to arrange exhibitions. In addition, Iattended a training course at the Norwegian university's

I

L ITHUANIA

23

library (NTNU), I continued to learn English and Isearched for information on adult education and its pos-sibilities because I knew that I was learning not just formyself. Having contacted the Lithuanian AdultAssociation I was responsible for the exhibitions. Westarted to organise exhibitions during all LithuanianAdult Education weeks where adult learner providerswere represented.

Two years ago I was involved in a European project dur-ing which I became a co-ordinator of the Grundtvig 2

project, 'Educational Triangles', involving people in learn-ing through the co-operation from a museum, a libraryand an adult education institution. As a result twenty-two institutions from seven countries took part in ourproject. In addition to this I was invited to hold anappointment of Head of the International RelationsDepartment at Vilnius College of Construction andDesign. Once again I find myself in a different area andonce again I am looking where I could get the necessaryknowledge. �

INTERVIEWER/EDITOR:

Janina Surgevic – Evelina Kriauzaite.

TRANSLATOR:

Janina Surgevic – Jurga Lago

AUTHORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY:

Janina Surgevic – Regimantas Tamosaitis

Nijole Popoviene – Sigita Blaziunaite

NATIONAL INSTITUTION:

Lithuanian Association of Adult Education

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

Vilija Lukosuniene

L ITHUANIA

ˆ

24

ˆ

NTHE NETHERLANDS

Annemie OpheijI have learned to make choices - for myselfand for the things which I think are important

y name is Annemie Opheij and I am fifty-fiveyears old. As well as my job in the restaurantof a consultancy firm, on my own behalf I am

taking a drawing and painting course at the Academy ofArts in Arendonk (Belgium). I have always spent a lot oftime learning. After primary school I did a domestic sci-ence course, a common choice for girls in those days.After my education in domestic science I went to work inhousekeeping and later in the catering industry. When Igot married and had children, I quit working to take careof the children. After a few years I signed up for somecourses. These were special courses for ‘society’ womenand later I held classes myself. For this I attended cours-es at Folk High Schools to learn how to teach and to learnhow to share knowledge.

As I am always quite creative, I started teaching creativecourses and so my hobby became my work. When thechildren grew up I started to work again. I worked in afabric shop and I worked up to Working Manager, but Istill felt that I had to learn so I obtained a professionaldiploma for textile (Detex) and an entrepreneur certifi-cate. Unfortunately after twelve years the shop wentbankrupt and I decided to return to catering. I got a jobin a restaurant, the same restaurant I work for now. Inow work for pleasure. However, even though the customers are always satisfied, the effort you put in is notalways appreciated enough and so it does not get you farso when I was fifty I decided to do something that I really wanted to do.

I wanted to explore my creative side, which I had neverreally done before. Furthermore I wanted to do sometraining and at the end of it I wanted to be presented witha certificate to further my job prospects which is why I

chose to attend the Academy of Arts in Arendonk whereI studied drawing, painting and the history of art. Fouryears ago I had to take an entrance examination for eachpart and fortunately I passed. I am still completing thefive-year course with great pleasure. After this course Ican continue with a two-year specialisation, but again Iwill have to take an entrance examination.

My education has given me a lot, not only in the fielditself but personally as well as professionally. I have nowachieved what I always wanted. That is a personal victo-ry, which motivates me to continue. By taking the courseon and having had the contact with other students andteachers, I have learnt to make choices. Meeting up withothers enriches me and helps me to develop my ownopinion. Previously I had always said yes to everythingbut now I know when to say no because I can make myown choices which I think is really important.

M

25

Je bent nooit te oud om te leren

You are never too old to learn(Dutch proverb)

If I could do it all over again I would not do it that differently. I would take care of the children. It is notalways possible to plan everything ahead. Things comeyour way and from there you go on. However, I wouldmake more choices and say yes or no more clearly. I seenow that my own children have to deal with so manychoices in life. My children can make their choices.

I think that lifelong learning is very important. You donot only learn at school but you learn in everything that

you do. This I now realise. I also feel that it is importantthat you keep on developing yourself and that you makechoices! Learning should not always be for work only.There comes a time in your life when you do not want towork anymore and when you are able to do the thingsyou chose to do like visiting a museum with your childrenor grandchildren just because you feel like it. I think thatit is important to pass onto them what you do know.That, I believe is great and that I enjoy! �

Coby van EsID: 68 years old, without profession

he computer age passed me by completely,until my son emigrated to Canada for his work.He is starting his own business there and I, as a

parent, want to communicate with my child. Dailyphone calls are expensive and also the time differencemakes it unpractical.

Therefore I started a computer course for senior citizensin the community centre. Actually, just to learn how touse e-mail. A whole new world opened up to me. Everymonth we have a meeting with a theme, such as Excel. Ina group we do our homework. We learn a lot from eachother.

Through fellow students I also joined the bridge club. Toreally learn well I attended a course, so I can join in withthe rest. At the moment I do administrative work for thebridge club on my computer. Who would have thoughtone year ago! And my son, he is doing well. Thanks tothe course there doesn’t seem to be such a large distancebetween us anymore. The first thing I do in the morningis check my mail! �

WritingSo simple,one thinks.We all were taught,one thinks.It is not true,I know.Not everyone can,I know.You need it,that’s true.If it were only that simple

Gr.

T

THE NETHERLANDS

26

To school againit was warsix years oldto schoolreading and writingwas the hardestnow I’m 62 years oldto school againno regrets

Herman

WordsI see words and words,but understanding themI don’t.To learn I have to read,and reading I must learn.

Ite

Poems of Dutch Adult Learners

SOURCE:

The Dutch Adult Learners’ Week newspaper 2003

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Personal Archives

NATIONAL INSTITUTION:

CINOP

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

Annelies Dickhout

NNORWAY

Damir MarasovicID: Although he is born in Norway, he spent his

childhood (17 years) in Croatia. He has considerable physical handicaps, multiple dysfunction and cerebral palsy and communicates via computer.

was born in Norway, but when I was eighteenmonths old, my family moved to Rijeka inCroatia where we lived with my grandmother.

I started school at the age of eight and I moved back toNorway in 1987 when I was seventeen years old, eventhough I did not understand one word of Norwegian. Ittook me eighteen months to understand complete sentences. I have considerable physical handicaps, multi-ple dysfunctions and cerebral palsy.My speech is not good so I communi-cate via the computer. To begin with Ihad a personal assistant, but when hehad to quit, I had to take responsibili-ty for my own learning.

In 1989 I started at Hellerud UpperSecondary School in a three-year classwith special need students. In my classstudents used a sign communicationsystem called Bliss. My first meetingwith Bliss was to prove important tome later in my life. Already in upperhigh school I started computer train-ing. I worked with a newspaper and I could draw on aMAC. During my time at Hellerud I also started to learnto live by myself. In 1992-94 I went to a folk high schoolat Moi in South Western Norway. Here too, I learnt tolive alone. I have been attending courses at Aasen AdultEducation Centre since the autumn of 1994. I have neverreally finished school. I probably will in the spring of2005.

At Aasen Adult Education Centre I started to learn howto use the Word programme. With Microsoft Publisher I

had to copy simple texts, get pictures from a CD Romand make different publications. I was the first at myschool to develop simplified operating instructions withthe word pictures that I could read myself. With theseinstructions I could remember complicated operations inWord.

In 2001 I started to learn how to use Bliss. Even thoughI am good at communicating with gesticulations, at mim-ing, at making a simple drawing and with writing keywords, I experienced a lot of frustration because I wasunable to read and write. Spelling and word pictureswere not sufficient compensation for the verbal languageI was lacking. When I started to learn how to use Bliss, Ialso started to develop a communication manual in pock-

et ‘filofax’ format, which was sys-temised and organised in topics andsheets according to my wishes andneeds. I learnt Bliss for windows veryfast. My communication manualdeveloped an increasing number ofsymbols relating to future jobs and dif-ferent social situations. I brought myfirst portable PC in 2002 and put inBliss for Windows with infovox.

By the start of the semester at Aasen in2002, I established contact with BergFarm and was given the opportunity towork there and to use my PC to

perform my tasks with the following related objectives: - picture editing and filing using the MS Power Point

programme- develop special systems using the lgel Programme

maker.

We soon understood that I needed special equipment formy work and that I had to be able to work totally inde-pendent with this equipment. This was a preconditionfrom Berg Farm, as they had no resources to follow up. Ihad to be completely independent in performing my

I

Livslang læring i et inkluderende samfunnLifelong learning in an inclusive society

(Adult Learners’ Week slogan in 2003)

27

work as an equal colleague with competence in my field.

In addition to my work at Berg Farm I also had two morejobs. I worked for a period for the ‘Retired People’sCompany’. It was intended to be a ‘day care centre’ forretired people, but it also developed into a temporaryworkplace for disabled people. Primarily this wouldimply packing work based on piece wages. It was monot-onous and boring, but I stayed for social reasons becauseit was good to get out of the apartment and to have some-thing to do. After having worked there for two years Ijoined a project helping disabled people get work so Icould get work in both private and public sectors. I hadexpressed that I wanted to work within the data field butit was difficult to find relevant tasks. The leaders of thedifferent departments did not believe that I would be ableto manage tasks like that. At the end of my time with theproject I contacted the Rehabilitation kindergarten centreat Berg Farm. The personnel department were hesitantabout me working with children, but this was overcome.I was a bit sceptical myself because I had never workedwith children, but now I think this work is really superb.

How the Adult Learners’ Award has influenced mylife in the short and in the long runHaving received an award, the Aasen Adult EducationCentre organised an award ceremony. I received extraattention. Those who attended included former andpresent teachers, people from the town, the aid equip-ment centre and others. My colleagues have tried to helpmy job become twenty percent permanent at the Berg

Farm Rehabilitation Kindergarten. This has been a slowmatter, but it is very important for me in my future devel-opment. To perform my job and with editing videos, Ineed new and expensive equipment. I can get this fromthe aid equipment centre, but they have made a tempo-rary stop in their contribution as they are waiting for thedecision as to whether I will get a permanent job or not.

Learning InvolvementI can continue my studies at the Aasen Adult EducationCentre until the summer of 2005. What will happenafterwards, I do not know, but I have asked for a PersonalAssistant to work with me after Aasen has withdrawn.

My work project would not have been possible withoutthe co-operation between the Grünerlo/ kka Township, theBerg Farm Rehabilitation Kindergarten and Aasen AdultEducation Centre and their teachers. My colleagues atthe rehabilitation kindergarten say that they find my presence nice and useful. I have participated in externaland internal courses; I have trained with my colleaguesand mixed with them in other social events. I live todayin my own apartment and have temporary work at therehabilitation kindergarten where among other tasks, Iedit videos on the computer. Sometimes my colleaguesask for help with their ICT problem. My objective is toget a permanent job, where I can work with a computeredition of film and pictures. �

Jan Helge SvendsenParticipant at the International Adult Learners’Forum at Knuston Hall, Northamptonshire, UK inOctober 2004

ID: Jan Helge, recipient of the Adult Learners' Award2003, is dyslexic. He has an interest in sportand athletic activities. He has taken lots ofcourses in volunteer organisations, and completed a lot of assignments in sport. He useshis skills in working with disabled people and heis an important person for resources for manyorganisations including the Red Cross in Oslo.He works with blind/partly sighted people andall other types of disability at all different ages - in winter: skiing/alpine/sitski; in spring:mountain walking and climbing.

NORWAY

28

had a nice childhood until I began school. Myearly years were those of good growing and joyin a fishing community. When school started,

problems came along with stammering, and it was indi-cated that I should go to a school for stammerers.

I started school anyway, and since the school was veryhomework oriented, there were a lot ofdemands of seriousness and perform-ance concerning reading and writing.I discovered early that there wereclear differences between my skillsand those of my schoolmates.Thanks to a considerate andloving mother, I learnedslowly and carefully to readand write at home at ourkitchen table. I had to readcarefully through my home-work and reproduce the content,and this gave me certainstrength, as a compensation forreading and writing difficulties,and the stammering, for thatmatter.

I felt I had my fair share ofbeing bullied alreadyfrom the first grade,both due to my lack ofreading, writing andexpression skills, andmy looks: my earswere quite conspic-uous!

I went throughprimary schoolwith a lot of chal-lenges, and feltthat I succeededquite well, my qual-ifications taken intoconsideration. But I receivedmany red marks and little understanding of my shortcom-ings.

In the 7th grade, I was offered so-called B-lessons, butthen I was too clever for that, so I went back to my class.During the nine years of primary school there were hard

fights to perform well enough, and I had many school-mates with inferior skills to mine, and they also bulliedme.

My stammering disappeared slowly, and was gone whenI was thirteen. Those years turned into certain strengthin a way, even though it was a heavy task to go through

school. I started several sports in this period,and this was a strong compensation formissing school achievements. I discov-ered that sports activities became a new

platform for me, in addition to being ahobby.

Starting upper secondary school was a serioussetback, where I flunked in several subjects,

receiving no assistance. I changed topractical matters, and mechanics

gave me good results. Workingwith my hands and my mindsuited me better. I pursuedvocational training with technical design.

Very often, with reading andwriting difficulties, you beat

around the bush without gettinganywhere, and after a few moreyears like this, I finally started atan athletics upper secondary

school at the age of 23. I gotassistance in analysing my

reading and writing diffi-culties, and they provedto be considerable. My

classmates were 16-17years old, and I was

offered oral exams when theothers had written testing.

I fulfilled a three-year long athletic educa-tion, but flunked in my final exams in the

Norwegian language. Thus, I had no formal compe-tence for further studies. I tried three times to pass theNorwegian exam, but flunked. The Norwegian dialectexam, however, I passed the first time I tried!

All along the road I have built my competence around mysports skills and the fact that I never gave up without asking for assistance - this brought results!

I

NORWAY

29

TRANSLATOR:

Astrid Thoner

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Jan Helge Svendsen – Finnmark Idrettskrets

(winter themes) and Norges Blindeforbund

(summer themes)

Damir Marasovic – Tor Erik Skaar

NATIONAL INSTITUTION:

The Norwegian Association for Adult Education

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

Berit Mykland

During my work in kindergartens and with disabled peo-ple I have been able to take an athletic education at thesame time, to get training in sports policy work and get asports trainer's education. In 1997 I chose to end thekindergarten work to focus on sports, both educationaland organisational on all levels within the SportsAssociation, and in cooperation with among others, theBlinds’ Association. I have been engaged in several cen-tral sports arrangements for disabled people, children andadults. I have also worked with the Red Cross in aNorwegian Health Centre in Spain.

My competence has been developed around sports anddisabled people and their organisations. This also result-ed in receiving the Norwegian Adult Learner's Award in2003, which has been an important encouragement, andan illustration and information to the world about how itis possible to develop skills and competences with what-ever is the starting point, and together with people withall kinds of qualifications. This is important for movingpeople with different qualifications, disabled or not, closer together. �

NORWAY

30

çRROMANIA

Ioana JalbaID: Participant at the International Adult Learners’

Forum at Knuston Hall, Northamptonshire, UKin October 2004

y strong passion for art and especially for fash-ion design and my determination to follow thispath, no matter the difficulties, are two of the

first things I could say about myself. When I look back atall that I have studied I realize that my intricate path tofashion is finally making sense.

I’m a 22 year-old student in the final year at the Academyof Economic Studies in Bucharest where I’m studyingBusiness Administration in French. Last year thanks to anequivalence system and some extracourses I attended, I graduatedfrom the Orleans EconomicFaculty in France. Alongside thatI’m teaching private classes ofmaths, English and French to peo-ple having difficulties with suchsubjects. So where does fashioncome into this?

When I look back at all I havelearned up to now I realize thateven though I had to cope with myparents’ idea of studying econom-ics and not fashion, I never gaveup. This is why I followed a half-year course of tailoring paid forwith my own money, and even gota job as a fashion designer thanksto the diploma I received at the end of the course. I alsotook part in different fashion exhibitions and participat-ed in a European project on fashion where I had thepleasure of seeing stylists and art teachers from differentcountries admiring my work. All this made me realizethat I was growing and my work along side with me, and

that even if it was not my main activity at the moment, Ididn’t have to give up.

An interesting and crucial situation for me was my partic-ipation at a fashion contest held by a famous Romanianfashion designer where I didn’t win an award. Thataffected me a lot in the short term. So much that I doubt-ed my art skills and was on my way to give up my dream.But as some say what doesn’t kill you, makes youstronger. I think that once I went over it, I did under-stand that instead of giving up I should try to grow professionally, to learn more and do better. It was afterthat I started the tailoring course. Even now I continueto learn all by myself to do embroidery and to improvethe things I already know.

How do I see my future? First ofall I will continue with a Mastersin Marketing in an effort to bringtogether my economic side withmy creative one. I’m also hopingthat in order to continue my fash-ion studies I will obtain a scholar-ship at a well-known fashionschool from abroad in a few years’time. I’m hoping that doing botheconomics and fashion will helpme open my own fashion businesssomeday soon.

It is difficult to say with hindsightI would do something differently.I’m saying that, as I stronglybelieve that everything that one

does or learns can find a helpful application at a certainpoint in one’s life. Moreover, I’m thinking that the pathI have chosen has brought me plenty of experiences thatinfluenced my life and decisions in a positive way. I don’tknow whether my life would have been better had I chosen fashion studies from the very beginning but I do

M

Invat,area nu valoreaza o let,caie când curajul sibucuria sunt pierdute pe drum

Learning is not worth a penny, if thecourage and the joy are lost on the way

(Pestalozzi)

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31

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know that having a diploma in economics, being creative,learning tailoring and speaking two foreign languages fluently will always help me to have more opportunitieswhen finding a job.

If I was to propose a suggestion in order to improve adulteducation it would be to have national campaigns inorder to make the idea of lifelong learning more attrac-tive. I’m saying that as I realize that usually people dolearn all their lives but when it comes to the concept of

INTERVIEWER/EDITOR:

Ioana Jalba

TRANSLATOR:

Ileana Boeru

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Ileana Boeru, Mina Bauer

NATIONAL INSTITUTION:

ANUP – ASOCIATIA NATIONALA A UNIVERSITATILOR

POPULARE, ROMANIA

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

Ileana Boeru

Sanda LazurID: economist, teacher of ikebana

could say that being born and having lived justacross from Herastrau Park was a privilege thatbrought a lot of joy into my heart, and had

facilitated the discovery of an art called IKEBANA.

My childhood was dominated by the nature, the spaceand the pure air from this park. I remember coming backhome and starting to arrange flowers in vases and addingbranches - things that I hadn’t seen elsewhere but I wasfeeling.

When I started to study Ikebana I already had a profes-sion. I had finished at economic high-school and gradu-ated from the Academy of Economic Studies. I was, inother words, an economist. I was working with numbersand I have to admit that I didn’t have much satisfactionin the field.

When I found out about the Ikebana course I knew thatby joining it I would learn to bring nature’s magic into myhouse and into my life. The main reason I continue toattend the classes year after year was the Japaneseteacher. She taught us the spirit of ikebana. Many timeswe look at things, but we see little. We have stereotypedideas and we move in patterns already created. If wechange the viewing angle our mind starts to discover newcharacters in the same materials and we become surprisedby new and fresh ideas. In other words we have to really depict things by using our own eyes.

Now after 20 years of learning ikebana, I have become ateacher of ikebana. I’ve never received an award and I’venever been to Japan. I have always been a self-teacher,but I learned during my life that there are a lot of ways in

lifelong learning they step back (I’ve noticed that espe-cially with younger generations, like mine, where a lot ofpeople are happy to know that school is finally over). Ithink that for this kind of people the concept is not clearenough and definitely not too attractive. So it would beinteresting to promote this concept in a more pleasantway so that the young adults will react in a positive way.After all, if they grow up in this spirit they will certainlybe very good promoters to their own children someday.�

which one can travel (reading, watching a movie) andthat you don’t have to wait for any award in order to continue doing something.

Now after a certain age I have the attitude that you cansurvive this world only by learning or trying to discoversomething new. �

I

ROMANIA

32

SSLOVENIA

Marino Kacic: I'm not seeking a path to people, but with them

ID: Marino was blinded in an accident at 23. Later,he studied social work, receiving the highestaward of the faculty for his diploma. He completed 7 years of training in psychotherapy,became a yoga trainer and a healer. He is in themanagement team of a society helping childrenwith behavioural and learning difficulties. He works with and develops programmes to rehabilitate people who become blind later inlife. He occasionally works as an outside expertat the faculty, where he tries to enable studentsto experience and understand handicaps. Heplans to enrol for a master's degree. He’s livingon his own.

fraction of a second before the accident, thatday in May, I realisedwhat would happen in the

next few moments. I knew that oneof the mines we'd just placed to blastthe rocky Karst terrain and make anexcavation would explode. I knewthat something terrible would hap-pen to us. I heard a deafening explo-sion, and at the same time I wasthrown far back, injuring my arm,face and eyes. While this was hap-pening memories were flashing by:the vegetable soup I'd eaten a fewhours earlier; how scared I was whenI was cross-country skiing; howdespite being ill, I went to take mygraduation exam and was delightedby my success; how I tortured myself in sixth year learn-ing English; how enthusiastic I had been about a blackand white checked cap I got for my third birthday. Andso on back, experience by experience, all the way to my

birth. Later, as I lay in the clinic in a twelve-day strugglefor survival, the same thing happened, ending with whatis termed clinical death. Life literally ran out.

Since then, I've been driven by curiosity and a desire tolearn. On the other hand, it was the need to survive,since I was socially and occupationally incapable of liv-ing. A feeling of joy for being alive, and a feeling of suf-fering because I couldn't live the way I used to.Something whispered inside me: Just keep going, keepgoing, keep going. As soon I was allowed to stand up inthe hospital, drip bottle in hand I groped my way to theend of my bed and back. A real achievement. An hour'srest later, I set out on another adventure, this time acrossthe passage to my neighbour's bed. A marathon effort.After a short break, and encouraged by my previousachievements, I extended my journey to the door, thenlater to the corridor and after that to the stairway. I hada clear goal – the payphone on the ground floor. I made

it the next day. All I had to discov-er was how to insert a token and totype a telephone number. A newhorizon opened up to me, drivingme to new learning. I had enoughstrength in my hands to push awheelchair carrying my room-matewith a broken pelvis. He lent mehis eyes, steering me as I pushed thewheelchair, while I contributed myarms and legs. We went to the hos-pital park and even to the canteen.We joked: “Two of us flat out, justenough for one normal person.”

My helpless circumstances forcedme to learn everything anew: from

movement, basic perception and communication skillsand a new profession to how to find my own placeamong people, in social environments. I suspected that ifI didn't succeed, I'd be doomed to vegetating and margin-

A

Only that culture do I count as trueWhich concerns the will, heart and head – all three!

(Simon Gregorcic, Slovenian poet)

Le tisto omiko jaz stejem za pravo,ki voljo zadeva, srce in glavo – vse troje!

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33

alisation. And on top of all that, the accident destroyedmy view of the world. I had dozens of unanswered ques-tions, and I wanted to know what had happened to me,where the limits of life are, how people live, what is spir-ituality? I had to seek, seek, seek… In books, among heal-ers, Yogis, scientists…I encountered the special (sub)cul-ture of the blind and partially sighted, where at first in myown way I ruffled some feathers with my alternativeviews, searching and ideas. I enrolled to study socialwork, although I never imagined I would ever do suchwork. I come from a technically-minded family on myfather's side. The men in our family were innovators. Onmy mother's side, the door was always open to the home-less and hungry, and those in need of understanding.

I was faced with a new, unknown life. I had to learn fromday to day. It's not easy to go to school until you learn tosee by sound and touch. A professor at the faculty invit-ed me to be a student volunteer at a summer camp forchildren and young people with learning, behaviouraland other mental problems. At the first camp, I managedto establish good contacts with three or four. Over thecourse of the year, and with great effort, I developed a

way to remember greater numbers of people. I gradual-ly became a group leader for children, colleagues, self-help groups ... The unimaginable happened. I'm nowfinishing my ECP psychotherapy studies (EuropeanCertificate for Psychotherapy). In recent years, I've beenworking as a trained therapist with individuals, familiesand people with disabilities. Learning has become fuelfor my soul, like food is for my body.

Nature gave me my life back. I'm gradually, albeit withdifficulty, becoming more established in official circles.And sight isn't the only barrier, handicap is just as diffi-cult an obstacle. Handicap is a barrier in relations, aris-ing from doubts, fear and prejudice. I recognised thatpatience is one of the best responses to such barriers. Itry to give myself and other people enough time so thatwe can recognise each other's potentials and qualities.Although I can't see, I do just about everything I need fora normal life. You become “normal” when a seeing per-son forgets that you don’t see. Sometimes people say tome: “When things were tough, when I felt I couldn’t goon, I thought of you. I said to myself: if Marino can doit, it’s only right that I should try too!” �

Dusica Kunaver A broken bone heals strongerParticipant at the International Adult Learners’Forum at Knuston Hall, Northamptonshire, UK inOctober 2004.

ID: Dusica, a retired English and Russian teacher, is67. For thirty years, she taught foreign languages in primary school. She wrote twotextbooks for extra English lessons, and published numerous articles on education. Shebegan to write seriously after the tragic death ofher husband. Her literary opus now extends to60 volumes. She founded her own publishinghouse, which publishes English-teaching materials, books on Slovenian folk traditionsand professional education literature. For 15years, she has also lectured in the form of uniquemotivational workshops for a whole range ofpeople: children in nursery schools, primary andsecondary school students, teachers, parents,professionals, elderly, patients, people in spas,libraries, retirement homes. As long as she’shealthy, she has no intention of slowing downher hectic pace.

earning accompanies me in all walks of life.Sometimes it is even a refuge. When my hus-band died in a helicopter accident twenty years

ago, learning was my solution. I couldn't “afford” tomourn. I couldn't burden three children with my sadness.Apart from my regular job, I took a series of part-timejobs, and if I had any spare time I'd spend it in theNational Library, among the ethnography books. I stillwasn't thinking of ever writing a book. I started to pro-duce notes and extracts in great quantities. This was asort of logical continuation of the life I had with my hus-band. We were always typing something, writing articles,particularly about our Himalaya expeditions. He led sixSlovenian mountaineering expeditions to the most diffi-cult Himalayan rock faces.

Learning is a basic component of my life, leading to acareer, a place in life, satisfaction, self-confidence, a goodself-image and much else besides. I'm driven by a primarycuriosity, but there have been many obstacles in the way;hardly anything can wither an old oak tree, while asapling bends and breaks in the slightest wind. My youthwas not an easy time – the war and its aftermath. WhenI began my studies, I wanted to study ethnography, but ina family with three children, it was inconceivable that our

L

SLOVENIA

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34

parents could educate all three of us. I got a job in anexport company and began studying part-time – English,which I needed for my work. But I wanted to become ateacher – it's just something I was born for. I'm happy atthe desk. Even today, after almost forty years, I still loveteaching, although I haven’t reached this profession easi-ly. I studied part-time all the way through.

Learning is a lifelong necessity, involving not just learningmaterials, but also human connections. The latter is evenmore important for teachers than for other professions.Once, when my pupils hurt me so much that I stormedout of the class, slamming the door behind me, I swal-lowed my tears and expe-rienced one of those bit-ter moments that noteacher escapes. “Comeback to class, Miss,” Iheard a voice sayingbehind me, “I’ve calmedthem down already!”

Robi was one of thenaughtiest boys in theclass. His voice waspatronising but also gen-tly friendly, something I'dnever noticed in himbefore. I followed himquietly back to the class.He opened the door andheld it for me – as I hadtaught them at one of ourclasses. When I enteredthe classroom, all thepupils were standing qui-etly, without a word. Iturned towards the blackboard, on which there was writ-ten in large letters: LOVE US.

“But I do love you, my pupils!” I burst out. We said themagic words, each in our own way. There were no win-ners and no losers, but in a classroom that had just suf-fered a wild storm, warm sunshine had returned. Howmuch I have to learn from children! I had the best job inthe world.

The third age of life brings new challenges. Two areascome to the fore: in addition to education, patriotism.Whenever I give a talk in a retirement home, I often

encounter the following situation: when I arrive, they sitdown unwillingly and wearily. I usually begin by talkingabout what some wedding celebration, such as those inGorenjska, was like. I already see how their eyes begin tolight up, how they raise their heads, and start to explainwhat weddings were like in their village ... we sing folksongs, and suddenly songs reverberate around the room,and when I forget the words, someone knows a tenthverse, another the eleventh ... and then suddenly we havea little piece of folk treasure. All of this must be pub-lished, written down, preserved ... We only have five,maybe ten years left, and this generation will die. We willlose the last generation that have lived the life of the old

Slovenian village.

The more I work,the more I'm ableto do. The more Ilearn, the more I'mable to teach. I'vebecome so used tothis that I can't liveany other way. Atthe moment itwould be very dif-ficult to stop thisengine. As long asI'm healthy, as longas I can meet allmy obligations, Idon't want to stopit either. Workstrengthens andmaintains health,and drives out illf e e l i n g s .Retirement is far

from being the end of everything, rather it is the start ofsomething new. This period opens up new horizons.When you retire, things see the light of day that for vari-ous reasons you couldn't achieve before. I now give talksall over the place, I write ethnographical and educationalbooks, publishing them myself. So far, this has led tomore than sixty independent literary units. Self-publish-ing is also learning how to realise your own plans despitethe obstacles. Of all my plans, I would most like to makea film about the Himalayan expeditions led by my hus-band Ale‰. It's about the right to grow – but someonehas to enable it. Some pensioners feel like experiencedmasters who want to teach young people how to do var-

SLOVENIA

35

INTERVIEWER/EDITOR:

Petra Javrh

TRANSLATOR:

Amidas, inc.; lines from Gregorcic translated

by Alan Duff

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Learners’ personal archives

NATIONAL INSTITUTION:

Slovenian Institute for Adult Education

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik

ious things. Others feel that they must withdraw, sincetheir flowers have stopped blooming. Older peopleshould have the right to guide, which means that theycould openly pass on their experience to younger people.We continually learn from one another. As older people,we also have much to learn from the young. Particularlytoday, in the electronic age, grandchildren often teachtheir grandparents. Without my children or grandchil-dren, I'm sometimes completely lost in front of my computer. �

SLOVENIA

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36

SSWITZERLAND

Laurenz Wirz A carpenter studies economics

s an independent carpenter and sole earner fora family of six, I had to admit one day that mysevere health problems would quickly make it

impossible for me to do my job as a carpenter. The finan-cial and time pressure that was created left me only oneway out: forward. I decided on rather short notice that Iwanted to study economics, and get my qualification asan economics teacher. I had to struggle because I was stillrunning my own carpentry business on the side, but fouryears later I graduated. These four years saw a lot of upsand downs: I broke both of my feet during my studiesand therefore could not meet a deadline. My family

helped out whenever theycould. Another major worryI had during my studies washow to make ends meet, butthen the canton and the cityhelped me to get the biggestpossible grants. One of myformer employers lent memoney, without charginginterest. And I also got great

support from my lecturers.

I am a teacher now, grateful to all those helped me, andto myself for biting through. �

A

Lernen ist wie Rudern gegen den Strom. Sobald man aufhört, treibt man zurück

Learning is like paddling against the current - as soon as you stop you go backwards

(Benjamin Britten)

37

Maria Bamert-Widmer A woman goes her own way

hat does a woman do after being a mother andhousewife for 20 years? When she doesn’t havean official professional qualification? When the

people around her find her current position to be all rightthe way it is? She has to go her own way. And so I wentmy own way. It was a bumpy, tiring road that cost me alot, but in the end brought me to where I wanted to be.My first education was training as a postal operationsassistant which wasn’t officially acknowledged. When Itried to get back into the labour market after 20 years I

noticed that I wouldn’t getfar without a basic educa-tion. I gathered all of mystrength and courage and atthe age of 40 got my degreeas a sales manager. My realgoal was to teach otheradults, and so I took a fur-ther education course tobecome an adult educator.

The new found self-consciousness, which I got from myfurther education courses, helped me to achieve financialindependence. And I kept getting closer to reaching mygoal: I went to the United States and was coached tobecome a qualified instructor.

Today I am where I wanted to be. On the long road thatlies behind me now, I kept going forward, one step at atime, not giving up when times were hard, and keptdeveloping myself. �

W

INTERVIEWER/EDITOR AND TRANSLATOR:

Ruth Jermann

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Hugo Neuhaus

NATIONAL INSTITUTION:

Swiss Federation for Adult Learning (SVEB)

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

Ruth Jermann

UUNITED KINGDOM

Chris FairgrieveParticipant at the International Adult Learners’Forum at Knuston Hall, Northamptonshire, UK inOctober 2004

ID: Chris is involved at a local level with the BordersAdult Learners and Students Association as wellas the Scottish Adult Learning Partnership. Heis interested in promoting adult learning as wellas enabling adult learners.

y story begins with the unremarkable and fairlystraightfor-

ward progressionthrough primary andsecondary education touniversity where Icompleted a BachelorsDegree in Ecology andWildlife Management,and after that a Ph.D.in primate ecology. Asa learner I was fortu-nate in terms of theopportunities affordedme, able to face thetask of learning withenthusiasm, and wasfairly successful in all Iundertook. This learn-ing took me from mybirthplace in ‘theBorders’ in SouthernScotland viaEdinburgh eventuallyto North West Uganda to work in the Budongo ForestReserve. As a route through learning, I opened upaspects of life that I had never predicted experiencing,gained a high level of confidence and elevated my career

prospects considerably. If things had gone as smoothly aspreviously I would probably now still be working in thefield of conservation in some far flung tropical forest putting into practice all that I had learned.

However, all was not to continue as planned.

I finished my thesis in Scotland (1994-5) and then to con-tinue a new relationship, moved to Amsterdam. There Ihad time on my hands waiting for my then partner to fin-ish her university education and survived taking low-skilled jobs in a bar, then painting and decorating a four

storey canal housewhich was being reno-vated. At that time, Iwas not ungrateful forwhat I had achievedand the position I nowfound myself in, butdisillusioned, without aclear direction andfaced with makingsome important andhard decisions aboutmy future. Comparedto my smooth, relative-ly pre-determinedcourse in life I floun-dered and in conjunc-tion with the failure ofthe relationship and agrowing pattern ofdrug use, I had whatcan best be describedas a form of mentalbreakdown. Returning

from Amsterdam to Scotland in 1997, I was diagnosedwith severe mental health problems and experienced acomplete detachment from normal life. Unemployed,depressed and suffering from mild psychosis, I was a

M

Learning isn't a solitary road... there are always others to travel with.

Attributed to The Ripon project, York (Adult Learners' Week European Social Fund Group Award Winners, 2005)

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UNITED K INGDOM

shadow of my former self. As the years went by andopportunity after opportunity passed me by in mydetached and insecure state, I gradually found all of thecontacts, enthusiasm, and possibility of returning over-seas and continuing my career gradually disappear. I wasunsuccessful finding work whenever a slight improve-ment in my health might have allowed. I was often inwork of any kind just to maintain some progress but hadto leave or was asked to leave due to deterioration in myhealth. In short, the learning experience, quality of lifeand opportunities that I had held in my hand had crumbled to dust and blown away on the winds of discontentment.

What has become of me since then? Well, throughinvolvement with First Step Trust, an organisation help-ing people with mental health problems back into work,I carried out voluntary work in garden maintenance,landscaping, and painting and decorating. This stabilisedmy recovery into work and taught me about the healthproblem I had in relation to those of other people. I alsotried out with First Step Trust to begin the reconstructionof life, routine and applying oneself to new and existingchallenges. Then in 2001 I was fortunate to be employedin a short-term contract conducting surveys for badgersin Gloucestershire and subsequently during that year, two3 month trips back to Uganda where I had studied for my

Ph.D. In addition to this I continued to find myself writ-ing poetry, and as a way of expressing my feelings,thoughts and experiences, came to have a real interest inbecoming a creative writer. Later, through a colleague atFirst Step Trust I was introduced to Wendy Ball, theBALSA (Borders Adult Learners and StudentsAssociation) facilitator, and my now colleagues who wereinvolved in setting up BALSA in the early days of theorganisation. Since then I have continued to be involvedin establishing BALSA as a local forum, building links tothe Scottish Adult Learning Partnership.

Throughout these better years I have found the slow butinexorable return of my confidence in relation to all man-ner of things ranging from the prosaic to the profound,the trivial and the challenging. In effect, when I becameill, I had not lost the skill of learning, or the capabilitythat learning had bestowed upon me, but had to re-dis-cover what it was I had learned and teach myself to putthis to use in a different way. It became a situation whereI was learning how to live each day, how to overcome myproblems, and value experiences again. I am now gettingalong in life, living a rich and varied existence and havemy mind set on becoming a writer. �

Janine WakemanParticipant at the International Adult Learners’Forum at Knuston Hall, Northamptonshire, UK inOctober 2004

ID: Janine has been a member of the NorthWarwickshire Learners’ Forum for two years. She was involved in an audit of libraries to trackhow accessible they are for different groups ofpeople: young mothers, wheelchair users, people with literacy needs and people with sightimpairment.

hen I was at school I was bullied and wenthome not telling anyone, as I was ashamed thatI had problems learning. I found out I had

dyslexia when I was in Year 11 at school. Because of thebullying I could not concentrate at school and at homebecause I was scared to ask for help. I thought everyonewould think I was stupid because I did not understand.

The reason I went and got help was because I was fed upof being pushed around by people. One day I flipped(lost my temper) with my family and then I realised thatif I asked, I would get the help I needed to better myselfand get back the confidence I had lost.

When I met my partner I helped him get back on trackwith his life. He said I needed to go out and learn so Icould get qualifications and a job and look after myself,instead of everyone else. When I was learning I got somuch confidence and started to feel better about myself.I also lost my shyness through doing presentations andslide shows (for inspectors). I have done my slide showfive times. I’ve also more confidence in voicing my opinion.

I would not change what I did because everything takestime and patience to learn and you need time to gain confidence.

W

I have achieved my vocational access certificate and mybudgeting certificate. When I started with the Prince’sTrust I did my placement at Hatters Space. I got a jobworking first fifteen and then 30 hours. I got my first aidcertificate. This changed my life because I had morerespect from people and more opportunities in life.

I started doing English at Barnsley Court, Atherstone. I learned synonyms and grammar and that gave me theconfidence to go ahead and do my CLAIT (computer literacy and information technology) course and mathswith Connexions. I started work at Atherstone Library. Iaim to do more training and get more qualifications. I feel that anyone with learning difficulties can get helplike I did. �

UNITED K INGDOM

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PHOTOGRAPHY:

Chris Fairgrieve – Sue Duffen

Janine Wakeman – Nuneaton Evening Telegraph

EDITOR:

Francisca Martinez

NATIONAL INSTITUTION:

National Institute of Adult Continuing Education

NATIONAL COORDINATOR:

Francisca Martinez

41

fter the European Commission had acceptedthe proposal for a regional network of learningfestivals across thirteen European countries,

put forward and coordinated by the UNESCO Institute ofEducation (UIE), the learning festivals coordinatorsbegan their networking activities towards the end of2003. At the time of this publication (May 2005), theoriginal network partnership between Austria, Belgium,Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Lithuania,the Netherlands, Norway,Romania, Slovenia, and theUnited Kingdom has grownand now includes partnersfrom Hungary, Spain andSwitzerland.

The overall goal of Inter-national Adult Learners’ Weekin Europe (IntALWinE) is toshow the value of and tostrengthen learning festivals asmobilisation and advocacytools for learning and fordemocracy building. As adultlearners are at the heart oflearning provision and promo-tion, one of the workingstrands of the network is to give space to adult learners toexpress their needs and aspirations, and to help developpolicies and programmes that are learner-centred andneeds-based.

In order to shape and develop this working strand, UIEworked mainly with the National Institute of AdultContinuing Education (NIACE), which is the UK partnerin the network and has a lot of experience in how learn-ers and potential learners can make an active contributionto decisions and planning of adult learning provision. UIEand NIACE also collaborated very tightly with the net-work partners from Norway and Slovenia, and all othernetwork partners contributed to the working strand.

In the UK…In the UK, the adult learners’ forum started as a party for

learners who had been nominated for Adult Learners’Week awards over many years of the annual learning fes-tival. Under the dynamic chairmanship of one of thoselearners, this small group turned the idea of a party intoa national platform for the Voice of the Adult Learner.With the support of NIACE this group, which becameknown as the National Adult Learners’ Forum, has sinceorganised a raft of events for learners and providers andhas provided a pool of learner representatives to sit on

national policy committees.

…and internationallyWithin IntALWinE, NIACEorganised a forum for an inter-national group of learners atKnuston Hall, Northampton-shire, between 4 - 6 October2004. All network partners hadnominated an adult learnerfrom their respective country.Two experienced facilitators,Sue Duffen and Val Saunders,guided the learners through thesessions and discussions duringthe international forum.

The aims of the InternationalAdult Learners’ Forum were for the learners to:• share experiences of being consulted from their

perspective as a learner;• improve a number of skills when working as the mem-

ber of a team or group (confidence building; presenta-tion and listening skills);

• come up with recommendations for professionals andpolicy makers of involving learners in consultation;

• explore possibilities for the future cooperation amonglearners locally, nationally and internationally; and

• act - later on - as a multiplier and initiate the first stepsto set up a national Adult Learners Forum in theirrespective countries.

The forum was the first ever international meeting oflearners from different countries and excited everyonewho participated in it. Some of the objectives of the

A

IInternational Adult Learners’ Week in Europe (IntALWinE) and the First International Adult Learners’ Forum

42

THE F IRST INTERNAT IONAL ADULT LEARNERS’ FORUM

forum have, indeed, been achieved, while others remainto be completed or tackled in the future, such as the multiplication of learners’ forums in the IntALWinEpartner countries. On the occasion of the UK AdultLearners’ Week in May 2005, the group had the chanceto meet again and to review what they had experiencedafter the International Adult Learners’ Forum, as well as to explore possibilities and concrete steps for a

continuation of the regional and national adult learners’forums movement.

Network website: www.unesco.org/education/uie/InternationalALW/ IntALWinE.htm �

Knuston Hall is part of the Adult Residential CollegesAssociation (ARCA)

The learners and facilitators at Knuston Hall.

John GatesID: In 1998 John was selected for one of the Adult

Learners' Week Individual Awards. Since then hehas belonged to the National Adult Learners'Forum in England and is the Chairman of theWelsh Adult Learners' Forum.

or thirty-five years I worked for the NationalCoal Board and then British Coal. At the timeI left school (at 15) if you didn’t have any qual-

ifications there was only one place for you to go – ‘downpit’. I entered the mining industry as a mining trainee.That meant that I should have ended up as a collier. I didthe training but found the shovels were too heavy (I did-n’t enjoy the hard work). I took up spanners instead(much lighter) to look after the machinery. I worked asan underground worker for nineteen years.

By the end of the nineteen years my wife was on at me tofind work above ground because of the dangers I facedwhile working underground. I applied for and got a jobin the Training Centre as an instructor and worked therefor the next ten years. It was working at the TrainingCentre that showed up my lack of education. To try toimprove the situation I went to literacy classes and thatstarted me on the road through “O” levels to aHumanities degree with the Open University.

In 1984 they closed the Training Centre. Then came theminers’ strike that lasted for twelve months. At the endof the strike I was refused a redundancy and transferredto another job introducing computerised personnel sys-tems into collieries. I was told later that I was given thejob because I had shown through my studies that I wascapable of learning new things and of seeing thingsthrough on my own.

In May 1998 I was awarded an Adult Learners’ WeekAward, which made me known as a Learning Champion.Since then I have been approached by providers of edu-cation to sit on their committees as a learners’ represen-tative and by people in the street asking for advice onhow to get back into learning.

In May 2001 I was elected Chairman of the All WalesAdult Learners Forum. In this capacity I am invited tospeak to Local Learning & Skill Councils, at conferences,functions and meetings where I meet policy makers, prac-titioners and learning providers. I would like to see theprinciple of involving learners accepted at all levels ofprovision.

Learning has given me a great deal of pleasure and it isdue to the skills that I have acquired that I have been ableto continue employment, and not only that, but employ-ment I enjoy. I used to be shy but my education has givenme the confidence to speak in any company and to teachcourses that only a few years ago I wouldn’t have had thenerve to join as a student. It has made me feel a muchhappier and fulfilled person.

Now I also have a City and Guilds in Fashion and aPostgraduate Certificate in Education. I now teachembroidery both in the community and in my localchurch. I took up embroidery while I was still workingunderground at the colliery. What started out as a hobbybecame a passion.

I don’t attend formal classes anymore, the things I wantto learn are not catered for in my locality. If I want tolearn a new skill it is usually around needlecrafts. I amcapable because of my education of researching it myselfand finding and meeting people who have those skills. I

F

Here two of the participants on the original National Adult Learners’ Forum (England) tell theirstories. Both Winifred and John were tutors at the International Adult Learners’ Forum inNorthampton, England, in October 2004.

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THE F IRST INTERNAT IONAL ADULT LEARNERS’ FORUM

Winifred Hignell ID: Winifred is the Learner Representative on the

NIACE Executive and on the Learning and SkillsCouncil's Adult & Community Learning PolicyForum. She has also been a learner representative on an advisory group for theAdult Learning Inspectorate.

y early educational experience was adequatebut my achievement was basic. After leavingschool, I found it easy to find unskilled low-

paid employment doing menial work, in shops, restau-rants, bars etc. At that time I did not see the necessity forfurther or higher education. Like many of my peers thenext logical step was to get married, have children andstill continue with part-time low paid work, which wasconvenient. Looking back I had no expectations or aspi-rations as far as changing the way my life had panned out.My life situation was viewed on a par with my socialgroup.

When I was 33, and my youngest child was at nursery, acommunity liaison officer from a local college came topromote educational taster courses for parents. Over theperiod of a year she came regularly, once a week, toencourage parents to attend and participate in education-al opportunities. My response to this liaison officer wasdefensive because I found her intrusion patronising. I feltthat she dismissed my life as inadequate and I had nointerest in hearing what she had to say. Any pamphletsand information booklets she gave me were thrown in thebin. The liaison officer's approach, in order to inspireparents, was to organise introductory sessions whichinvolved arranging transport for any parents who wouldbe prepared to look at what the local college had to offer.However, my interest in attending these sessions waspurely social and I never intended to join or participate inany form of education.

During the educational sessions, I was introduced to amaths tutor (Marie), who made me feel that the educa-tional environment was not a threat and this made mefeel more at ease. Through Marie's encouragement andsupport I was persuaded to join a basic skills course,studying English, Maths and IT.

During my attendance at the local college, the reality ofthe extent of my limitations became obvious and thismade me feel vulnerable, yet the realisation that I couldalso achieve gave me the incentive to attempt to broadenmy abilities. Towards the end of this experience Mariesuggested that I remain in college and do GCSEs, whichforced me to admit to her (and myself) that my numera-cy and literacy knowledge was extremely poor and I wassure that I could not gain formal qualifications; the lastthing I wanted to do was set myself to fail, thus highlight-ing the level of my self-esteem at that time.

Marie persuaded me to meet the learning support co-ordinator. I had mixed feelings about continuing withthis course of action. Firstly, the thought of trusting morepeople and exposing my vulnerability was daunting andsecondly, leaving my secure zone and venturing into azone which stimulated aspirations highlighting the nega-

get a great deal of pleasure meeting like-minded peopleand sharing our skills together.

Winning the Adult Learners’ Week award has given melots of opportunity to pursue my aims to help those whoare just starting out or considering going back into edu-cation. I believe that learning for whatever reason isnever wasted. We must get over to learning providers,policy makers and politicians that learning is not justabout employment it is also about living a better, health-

ier, richer (not only in the monetary sense) lifestyle.

I am convinced that the life of my family and I wouldhave been poorer in money terms, health-wise and social-ly if I had not returned to learning. It is often said thatthose with a higher education are able to help and pro-mote their communities. I believe that learning for thegood of the community is as important as learning foremployment and should be given equal funding. �

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THE F IRST INTERNAT IONAL ADULT LEARNERS’ FORUM

44

tive aspects of my quality of life. But this opportunityalso highlighted the possibility of advancement, changeand growth, which compelled me to continue. The learn-ing support co-ordinator (Beatty) recommended aDyslexic assessment, which I took and discovered that Iwas dyslexic. This was a turning point in my life becauseI now had the understanding that my learning difficultieswere not the result of my ignorance but a recognised con-dition, which I allowed to restrain my activities and inter-actions without realising it.

Beyond all my expectations, and through the support (i.e.extra time, a scribe, and a personal tutor) I obtainedGCSEs in English, Maths, Law, Human Physiology andHealth. Studying at this level and the experience of mypersonal journey to this point increased my self esteemand confidence. Furthermore, it also increased the selfesteem and confidence of my three children who becameaware of my development and were subconsciously andconsciously influenced by my behaviour and persever-ance. Fights around the kitchen table for the use of thefamily dictionary became commonplace as homeworkneeded to be completed and deadlines met.

At this time my husband and I parted and I found myselfa single parent with three children. Therefore in somerespects education became not only academic but also anemotional lifeline. I then applied to a local college to joinan access to higher education course. This was, for me,the next major step into the world which I had not beena part of previously. It was by no means an easy progres-sion, as this period in my life was an emotional and trau-matic time, besides my personal circumstances thedemands of education at this level were exhausting. Allthe same my aspirations continued to increase and withthe support and encouragement from both staff and fam-ily, I was able to take my time and develop at my ownpace gaining confidence throughout, enabling me tofocus on a positive direction, which stabilised my familylife.

The longer I stayed within education the more I becameaware of my personal abilities and the influence I couldhave on the wider community. I became self motivatedand active with regard to becoming a member of theParent and Teacher Association at my children’s schooland progressed to becoming the Chair. I became a Clubleader in the Scout Movement, I initiated and set up alocal youth group, initiated and set up a local CreditUnion Community Bank, I won the Helena Kennedy

Award, and I became a committee member for aSafehaven group within my local community. The resultof this involvement, which stemmed from further educa-tion, led me to achieving a greater goal than I would everthought possible, my Bachelor of Philosophy Degree.

While at university I became a member of the NationalAdult Learners’ Forum, which is sponsored by NIACE(National Institution of Adult Continuing Education).This organisation concentrates on learner involvementand empowers learners to have their voice heard.Initially, I joined the Adult Learners’ Forum after meetinga representative of NIACE (Sue Duffen). Sue's enthusi-asm for getting learners involved in education provision,inspired me to become more active on a national level.Despite having reservations about working at that level itwas an exciting concept and the idea of encouraging oth-ers to take those first steps to get involved and developthrough education, like I had done, seemed a natural progression.

In addition, I became a member of the advisory group pfthe National Adult Inspectorate (NAI). This organisationinspects all the education provision throughout Englandand monitors and evaluates standards within the educa-tion system. My involvement with the NAI is consideredto be a new approach for governing bodies as far as learn-ers being represented and has a fully integrated memberwith a voice for change. The shift in my objective haschanged dramatically, from acceptance to creating atransformation, both internally and externally. My trans-formation through change has lead me to acquire a senseof belonging by being an active member of society, whichin turn is beginning to transform the concept of adultlearners being active, with their voice being central to anyeducational provision.

My outlook on life since returning to education has beenrevolutionary not only for myself and my children butalso for the wider community including the AdultLearners' Forum, which has now progressed to becomethe National Adult Learners' Network. I feel that mycontribution through my activities within the educationprovision gives me a sense of stability, equilibrium andfulfilment, which impacts upon others.

The only thing that I would like to see in the future is thatlearners have a permanent active representation on thehierarchical ladder at every level of educational provi-sion, in order to ensure that learners remain central. �

THE F IRST INTERNAT IONAL ADULT LEARNERS’ FORUM

45

CContacts

International Adult Learners’Week in Europe (IntALWinE) –Partners and Contacts

BELGIUMKathleen Huet Ministerie van de VlaamseGemeenschapHendrik Consciencegebouw –7CO4Koning Albertlaan II–laan 151210 BrusselsBelgiumkathleen.huet@ond.vlaanderen.be

BULGARIAMaria TodorovaSofia Office of the Institute forInternational Cooperation/GermanAdult Education AssociationUl. Knjaz Boris I 1471000 SofiaBulgariatodorova@iizdvv-bg.org

CYPRUSKlitos SymeonidesCyprus Adult EducationAssociationPO Box 24019NicosiaCyprusklitossy@cytanet.com.cy

ESTONIASirje PlaksAssociation of Estonian Adult Educators ANDRAS (AEAE)Valge 10Tallinn 11413Estoniasirje@andras.ee

FINLANDEeva-Inkeri SireliusFinnish Adult EducationAssociation (VSY)Annankatu 12 A 1500120 HelsinkiFinlandeeva-inkeri.sirelius@vsy.fi

HUNGARYEva Zsófia FesztbaumHungarian Folk High SchoolSocietyPuskin Utca 12Budapest 1088Hungaryzsofi@nepfoiskola.hu

ICELANDGyda Dröfn TryggvadóttirEDUCATE – IcelandGrensavegur 16a108 ReykjavikIcelandgyda@mennt.is

LITHUANIAVilija LukosunieneLithuanian Association of AdultEducationGelezinio vilko 12-440VilniusLithuanialssa@takas.lt

NETHERLANDSAnnelies DickhoutCINOPPostbus 15855200-BP Den BoschNetherlandsaDickhout@cinop.nl

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NORWAYBerit MyklandNorwegian Association for AdultEducationPO Box 560 Sentrum0105 OsloNorwayberit.mykland@vofo.no

ROMANIAIleana BoeruUniversitatea Populara BucurestiBd. Nicolae Balcescu 18Bucaresti Sector 1Romaniaupdalles@pcnet.ro

SLOVENIAZvonka Pangerc PahernikSlovenian Institute for AdultEducation (SIAE)Smartinska 134a1000 LjubljanaSloveniaZvonka.Pangerc@acs.si

SPAINIsabel García-LongoriaSerrano/Montserrat MoralesCorralizaFederación Espanola deUniversidades Popularesc/ Los Madrazo 3, 1°28014 MadridSpaininfo@feup.org

SWITZERL ANDRuth JermannSwiss Association for AdultEducation SVEBOerlikonerstrasse 388057 ZürichSwitzerlandruth.jermann@alice.ch

UNITED KINGDOMFrancisca MartinezNational Institute of AdultContinuing Education (NIACE)Renaissance House20 Princess Road WestLeicester LE1 6TPUnited Kingdomsica@niace.org.uk

UNESCOBettina BochynekUNESCO Institute for EducationFeldbrunnenstraße 5820148 HamburgGermanyb.bochynek@unesco.org

ANUP

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UNESCO Institute for Education