How can lifelong learning contribute to poverty reduction

1
How can lifelong learning contribute to poverty
reduction?

• Dr. Jittie Brandsma
• Brandsma Training Learning Research, the
  Netherlands

2
Structure of the presentation

• Definitions of poverty
• Concepts related to poverty
• Dominant perspective on combating poverty
• Functions of lifelong learning and its potential
  contribution to poverty reduction
• Social and identity capital and lifelong learning
• Contribution of lifelong learning to poverty
  reduction (from the perspective of social,
  identity and human capital

3
Definitions of poverty

• Multi-dimensional/multi-faceted concept
• Encompassing economic, social, cultural, and
  political elements
• Both a relative and an absolute concept
• Can be chronic as well as temporary
• Affecting not only the standard of living, but
  also other civil, cultural, economic, political
  and social rights

4
Poverty contributes negatively to

• Life chances
• Educational achievement
• Gainful employment
• Health
• Housing
• Social cohesion/integration

5
Poverty and related concepts

• Inequality lack of equal access to economic,
  socio-cultural, educational and political
  resources, structures and decision making
  processes
• Social exclusion the deprivation of aspects of
  full social participation in different fields
• Vulnerability extent to which people/groups are
  apt to fall into poverty due to unexpected
  shocks or risks (e.g. disabled/long-term and
  chronic sick single parents minority (ethnic)
  groups), elderly people illegal immigrants and
  refugees)

6
Dominant perspective on combating poverty

• Lack of employment or low-paid employment as main
  causes of poverty
• Gaining employment perceived as an effective
  strategy for moving out of poverty
• Enabling people to gain and sustain employment as
  the key element of anti-poverty policies

7
Limitations of the employment strategy

• Poverty is not a one-issue problem, but related
  to various different problems that tend to
  reinforce each other
• Poverty often directly related to low educational
  achievement leaving open only low-paid
  employment, which does not provide many
  opportunities to escape poverty

8
Different functions of lifelong learning

• employability (economic, labour participation)
• Active citizenship (democracy, societal
  participation)
• Personal development
• Social integration/cohesion

9
Potential contribution of lifelong learning to
poverty reduction

• Acquisition of skills and qualifications designed
  to help gain and sustain employment (single
  issue approach)
• Learning as a supportive mechanism for the
  development of social capital and identity
  capital

10
The learning pyramid
11
Social capital and identity capital

• Social capital is networks together with shared
  norms, values and understanding that facilitate
  cooperation within or among groups (reciprocity,
  trust, experience of communality and cooperation,
  participation)
• Identity capital self-assurance,
  self-consciousness, self-efficacy

12
Social capital different forms

• Bonding strengthening of ties and solidarity
  within a (social) homogeneous group
• Bridging strengthening of ties and relations
  between different more heterogeneous groups and
  networks
• Linking links spanning different social strata
  and the capacity of mobilising resources outside
  the own community

13
Lifelong learning, social capital and identity
capital (1)

• Non-formal and informal learning in different
  context (lifewide learning) learning within
  different networks, which can help built social
  capital (networks as a pre-condition for
  developing social capital but also as an outcome
  of increased social capital lifelong learning as
  a pre-condition for developing social capital,
  but also as an outcome of increased social
  capital)
• Non-formal learning in networks often
  consciousnessly planned and on the basis of own
  initiative
• Informal learning often spontaneous and not
  directed (though implicit direction by
  professionals or volunteers can enhance informal
  learning opportunities)

14
Lifelong learning, social capital and identity
capital (2)

• Less positive experiences with formal learning
  can result in negative attitudes and behaviours
  towards non-formal and informal learning, which
  can impede the forming of social capital
• Creating low threshold provisions for
  vulnerable groups as well as a save learning
  environment is of eminent importance for
  enhancing lifelong learning and the growth of
  social capital among these groups

15
Lifelong learning, social capital and identity
capital (3)

• Strengthening of social capital contributes to
  the development of identity capital
• At the same time, building identity capital is
  pre-conditional for the (further) development of
  social capital
• Link between social capital and regulative
  capacities the capacity to utilise and mobilise
  available skills, competences and external
  resources (in order to achieve ones goals)

16
What is the contribution of lifelong learning to
poverty reduction? To make LLL more effective we
need to

• Achieve a better balance in the use of public
  resources to support learning of disadvantaged
  adults recognition of the need to support
  development of social and identity capital as
  well as human capital
• Strengthen the role of different infrastructures
  and partners in enhancing lifelong learning
  (national and local governments, local
  communities, volunteer organisations, enployers
  and employee organisations)

17
LLL contribution to poverty reduction (continued)

• A comprehensive approach to a family learning
  architecture (enhancing the learning of all
  family members as part of the support to families
  vulnerable to poverty)
• Enhancement of non-formal and informal learning
• Enhancement of community learning, participation
  and change (helping people to access connections,
  create networks, become social innovators and
  entrepreneurs, releasing individual and
  collective action that can achieve real change
  for individuals, communities and areas)