Abstract

This open access book sheds light on a range of complex interdependencies between adult education, young adults in vulnerable situations and active citizenship. Adult education has been increasingly recognized as a means to engage and re-engage young adults and facilitate their life chances and social inclusion thus contributing to an active citizenship within their societal contexts. This collection of chapters dealing with issues of social inclusion of young people represents the first book to explicitly approach the complex interdependencies between adult education, young adults in vulnerable situations and active citizenship from the European perspective. Social exclusion, disengagement and disaffection of young adults have been among the most significant concerns faced by EU member states over the last decade. It has been increasingly recognised by a range of stakeholders that there is a growing number of young people suffering from the various effects of the unstable social, economic and political situations affecting Europe and its neighbouring countries. Young adults who experience different degrees of vulnerability are especially at risk of being excluded and marginalised. Engaging young adults through adult education has been strongly related to addressing the specific needs and requirements that would facilitate their participation in social, economic and civic/political life in their country contexts. Fostering the active citizenship of young people, both directly and indirectly, is an area where many AE programmes overlap, and this has become a core approach to integration. This book considers social, economic and political dimensions of active citizenship, encompassing the development of social competences and social capital, civic and political participation and the skills related to the economy and labour market. The cross-national consideration of the notions of vulnerability, inclusion and active citizenship underpins the complexity of translating these concepts into the national contexts of adult education programmes.

Highlights

  • Promoting the active participation and inclusion of young adults is a complex and multi-dimensional process, and might be facilitated or undermined through different contexts, including formal and informal environments, such as workplace, education and community settings

  • Meeting both the democratic changes and needs of a market economy has been a notable development that was strongly related to overcoming unemployment and the reduced economic activity of the adult population

  • The contributions of this book emphasise both the significance of and the problems associated with lifelong learning and adult education, in relation to facilitating the social inclusion of vulnerable young adults

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Summary

Introduction

Promoting the active participation and inclusion of young adults is a complex and multi-dimensional process, and might be facilitated or undermined through different contexts, including formal and informal environments, such as workplace, education and community settings. The consideration of good practice cases in Austria, Germany and France by Endrizzi and Schmidt-Behlau (this volume) shows how the development and promotion of APC can be either explicit and ‘on the cover’, as a core objective pursued through an adopted education strategy, or more implicit and ‘under cover’ They conclude that despite the more or less direct vocation for APC, those AE programmes with a more participatory and learner-focused approach and pedagogical strategy are more suitable for conveying APC values and have a higher impact on young adults’ learning experiences and attitudes, an indication that AE enables individuals to become active and resourceful members of their communities. By discussing the implications of attempts to remedy social exclusion risks above all through a labour-market driven approach, and by contrasting this with alternative perspectives (from within the selected countries and beyond), Huegler and Kersh (this volume) aim to offer a critical view on contemporary debates regarding the potential roles of lifelong learning in promoting active participatory citizenship. Future approaches to researching adult education and active citizenship need to take into account the significant challenge of the COVID-19 situation and its implications for social inclusion and life chances of young adults across Europe and beyond

Schmidt-Behlau DVV International, Bonn, Germany
Methodology
Conclusion
Discussion and Conclusions
Erdoğan Center for Higher Education Studies, Social Sciences University of Ankara, Ankara, Turkey
Concluding Remarks and Future Prospects
Adult Education as a Means to Social Inclusion in Nordic Welfare States
10 UNESCO
Motivation Student Mentoring for Roma Students
Jõgi School of Educational Sciences, Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia
Discussion
Summary
Full Text
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