Versión imprimirA study of interventions to prevent loneliness (Fokkema and Van Tilburg, 2006) revealed that there were few effective interventions to counteract social exclusion. De Greef (2009) indicates, however, that there is indeed a means of preventing social exclusion, namely adult education. His study indicates that after 15 course meetings 44.2% of the participants come out of social isolation or live in a less isolated way. But when is adult education really the Eureka solution to social exclusion? (InfoNet - Maurice de Greef) Problem of loneliness is high on the political agenda. Nearly every local authority (in the Netherlands) has prevention of loneliness (particularly among the elderly) high on its political agenda. A study of the needs of the elderly in the areas of various local authorities reveals that prevention of loneliness is within the top 5 actions included in policy on the elderly everywhere.
Local authorities are increasingly looking for effective, cost-effective but lasting ways to deal with loneliness. They are seeking to prevent people living, and in the worst case scenario even dying, in loneliness. People who have fewer opportunities to develop themselves and to meet others also present physical complaints more quickly and enter the care system earlier. Adult education instead ensures that people remain involved in society and with others. But why is this actually the case? The strength of adult education: enrichment of knowledge and meeting people.
Participants in training or adult education courses, and in particular non-formal education, have the chance to continuously develop themselves and to deal with developments in society. Owing to the individualisation of society, adult education is still a group-specific activity in most cases. People meet other people, help each other and ensure in many cases that they continue to meet and support each other outside of the courses where possible. An example project is the study circle of and for elderly people. This is constituted by local study groups where elderly people decide for themselves what they want to learn and how they want to learn. Most groups have become self-sufficient in the meantime and the participants have become friends, whereby social isolation has been reduced. Success through stimulation of self-management and transfer: Why is the example of the study circle successful nowadays in preventing loneliness? How does it work so well? The study "Learning for Life" by De Greef (2009) shows that there are two critical factors of success, for being able to complete a learning path, namely "self-management" and "transfer".
Both are based upon the concept of the study circle. It is also a success story in this respect.
Firstly, there is scope for self-management. The content for the coming year is decided interactively with the participants and it is also thrashed out how the topics laid down can best be achieved (i.e. can be learnt). The group can manage all its learning itself and determine whether it is successful. Besides this, the group has a social function. The participants determine collectively what they mean to each other in practice. There is scope, in practice, for adapting the leaning (free interpretation of transfer according to Bolhuis and Simons (2003)). The individual participants support each other collectively in optimal application of what has been learnt in practice. Through the anchoring of these two factors for learning (on the basis of the research carried out) the study circle is and remains a success story and its prospects for survival are very good. Adult education can be the Eureka solution for preventing social exclusion. The example of the study circle of and for elderly people shows that adult education is a means of counteracting social exclusion. Besides, it can be seen from further analysis that the costs of this are much lower than for other interventions on the basis of the care sector. However, a correct interpretation of education must be ensured. According to De Greef (2009), consideration of self-management and transfer are thus indispensable. We thus need to look firstly at the target group and its wishes and chances in order to optimise everyday life. If that is possible in a group where people can enrich their knowledge, skills and position, it is precisely then that one can speak of the strength of adult education in preventing social exclusion.
Font: EAEA.org 4feb10
