‘because i love it’ older people and learning at leicester professor john benyon

‘Because I Love it’Older People and Learning at Leicester

Professor John BenyonDirector of Research

Institute of Lifelong LearningUniversity of Leicester

Institute of Lifelong Learning

‘Because I Love it’Older People and Learning at Leicester

• Background

• Topics and speakers

• Who participates?

• Why do they attend?

• What do they think?

• What impact do the seminars have?

• What is the future for the series?


Lifelong Learning, Older People and SocietyBackground

• First seminars – 2005 – 29 seminars held so far – over 1,100 attendees

• Aim: To provide an opportunity to explore the benefits of learning activities for older people and wider society in different areas of public policy

• Aim: To try to influence policies in this field and to improve and increase the provision of lifelong learning for older people

• Funding: Learning and Skills Council

• Potential audience: Older people and those working with them, U3A, Age Concern, academics and researchers, local authority officers, community groups, WEA, adult educators


Lifelong Learning, Older People and SocietyFirst Series – 2005

• Older People and Employment: The Learning Agenda27 May: Professor Stephen McNair (CROW, University of Surrey)

• Ageing and Mental Health24 June: Susan Benbow (Staffordshire University)

• Empowerment of Older People30 September: Mervyn Eastman (Better Government for Older People)

• Researching Older People’s Learning21 October: Alex Withnall (Warwick Medical School)

• Older People: Citizens not Social Casualties25 November: Eric Midwinter (Centre for Policy on Ageing)


Lifelong Learning, Older People and SocietySecond Series – 2006

• Intergenerational Learning – Everyone Benefits 5 May: Professor Norma Raynes (Intergen; University of Salford)

• A Place to be Parked or a Place to Grow? 2 June: Nigel Appleton (Contact Consulting)

• Learning for Life: Lifelong Learning and Older Women

14 July: Sue Jackson (Birkbeck Institute for Lifelong Learning)

• The New Dynamics of Ageing Programme22 September: Professor Alan Walker (Director of the NDA; Sheffield University)

• Ruralwide: Supporting the Needs of Rural Elders20 October: Vanessa Burholt (University of Wales, Bangor)

• Living Later Life to the Full: Are We Getting There?24 November: Paul Cann (Policy and International Affairs, Help the Aged)


Lifelong Learning, Older People and SocietyThird Series – 2007

• The Premature End of Lifelong Learning? 27 April: Jonathan Hughes (Open University)

• Education and Ageing: An Enduring Effect? 25 May: Professor Carol Jagger (Epidemiology, University of Leicester)

• From a Rest to a Responsibility29 June: George Leeson (Oxford Institute of Ageing)

• Whither Adult Education Policy and Older Learners 28 September: Professor Alan Tuckett (Director, NIACE)

• Creativity and Lifelong Learning26 October: Reemer Bailey (Voluntary Arts England)

• Minority Ethnic Elders: Learning Full Cycle30 November: Professor Naina Patel (Ageing and Ethnicity, UCLAN)


Lifelong Learning, Older People and SocietyFourth Series – 2008

• Educating Rita – No Thanks!25 April: Jim Soulsby (NIACE; University of Leicester)

• Combating Social Exclusion23 May: Amy Swan (Help the Aged)

• Lifelong Learning, Equity and Inclusion27 June: Andrea Baron (Age Concern)

• Learning to Self-Direct26 September: Mick Connell (Leicestershire County Council)

• Living and Learning – Our Biological Roots 31 October: Professor David James (University of Surrey)

• Effective Research = Older, Louder, Stronger5 December: Attracta Cosgrove (WEA Northern Ireland)


Lifelong Learning, Older People and SocietyFifth Series – 2009

• Equality, Human Rights and Later-Life Learning Learning1 May: Baroness Greengross (Equality and Human Rights Commission)

• Exercise and Ageing: Is it Too Late for Me?29 May: Bob Laventure (Heart Foundation Centre, Loughborough University)

• Informal Adult Education. How’s it Shaping Up?26 June: John Gibson (Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills)

• Empowerment in an Ageing World25 September: Mark Gorman (HelpAge International)

• The Government’s Ageing Strategy23 October: Stephen Balchin (Department for Work and Pensions)

• Neural Plasticity and Learning in Later Life27 November: Val Bissland (Senior Studies Institute, University of Strathclyde)


Profile of the participants 1

58%

42%

female male

Number of respondents: 62

13%

18%

38%

20%

8%

2%

Age

under 5050-5960-6970-7980-8990 and over


Gender



White (British)

White (Irish)

Asian (British)

86%4%

11%

Ethnicity


under 151516171819

20 and over

4%7%

9%5%

12%0%

63%Age of leaving education


Question: please describe your ethnicity


Profile of the participants 3Travelling arrangements

Distance travelled Mode of transport0 – 2 miles 28% Bus 26%3 – 5 miles 33% Car 33%6 – 10 miles 16% Train 15%10 – 50 miles20% Bicycle 6%Over 50 miles 3% On foot 20%

Number of respondents: 63 Number of respondents: 64


Profile of the participants 4Attendance patterns

1 2 to 3 4 to 6 7 to 10 more than 10

14%

25% 27%19%

14%

number of seminars attended

2009 2008 2007 2006 2005

35%25% 22%

8% 9%

when did you first attend?





Employment (current or before retirement)

Teacher/tutor: 11 Foster carer: 1 Sales manager: 3Engineer: 1 Accountant: 4 Town planner: 1Housewife: 3 Consultant: 2 Health visitor: 2Full-time carer: 2 Housing manager: 2 Nurse: 3Laboratory assistant: 1 Businessperson: 3 Lecturer: 7Doctor: 1 Horticulturalist: 1 Librarian: 1Soldier: 1 Social worker: 2 Clerical worker: 4Finance officer: 1 Social care manager: 1 Researcher: 1Careers adviser: 1 Adult learning manager: 2 Designer: 2



Current educational involvement

Teacher in primary school 1 Teach medical students 1Parenting course 1 Adult literacy volunteer 1Teach social workers 1 PhD student 4School governor 3 Work with the elderly 1Associate lecturer 1 Volunteer in primary school 3Adult learner 22 DMU 2Open University 2 Manager of Adult Learning 1

Question (open-ended): What is your current educational involvement?


Publicity

from a friendUniversity website

Leicester DioceseNIACE

Richard Attenborough CentrePensioners' Group

University brochureWomen's Institute

Adult Education CollegeChurch

Vaughan Collegeposter

NASO groupemail notice

U3A

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

16

4

1

1

2

2

4

2

1

1

3

10

2

6

12

Question (open-ended): How did you find out about the seminars?


Motivation 1

Personal interest

Interested in lifelong learning

Curiosity/gain insight

Relevant to my work/role

Sounded interesting

Gain information and knowledge

Relevant to age group

Mind-stretching/stimulate my brain

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

15

6

6

8

11

7

9

8

Question (open-ended): Why did you decide to attend the seminar?


Motivation 2

Stimulation

Up-to-date information from experts

Active retirement

Information on lifelong learning

Professional interest

Information on the ageing society

Research on ageing

New information and ideas

Social interaction

Learning and understanding

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

6

8

9

8

4

10

10

10

11

11

Question (open-ended): What do you want to get from the seminars?


Views of the seminars 1

the seminars are well organised

The standards of the presentations are high

The topics are relevant and interesting

There is sufficient time for discussion

The staff are helpful and supportive

68%

56%

57%

50%

67%

32%

42%

36%

33%

33%

2%

5%

14%

0.02

0.03

strongly agree agree neither agree nor disagree disagree strongly disagree

Number of respondents: 57 or 58. All percentages have been rounded



I enjoy my discussions over lunch

The seminars help me understand things better

I would like more seminars like these

The seminars meet my expectations

I think the seminars achieve their aim

62%

31%

65%

60%

70%

28%

33%

32%

33%

30%

9%

5%

3%

5%

0.02

0.02

strongly agree agree neither agree nor disagree disagree strongly disagree

Number of respondents: 57 or 58. All percentages have been rounded



• The talks have been first class bringing real knowledge and experience to the group.

• I have found all the speakers and themes have left much to think about and value.

• You care well and cater for people like me with a sight disability/visual impairment.

• Thanks to all involved in organising these excellent events.

• I come to these seminars on older people and learning because I love it!

Question (open-ended): Is there anything else you would like to tell us?


Level of themes

32%

46%

22%

InternationalNationalLocal

Question: The emphasis has usually been on national/international themes and issues – which do you prefer?


Documentation

22

8

15

53

References/URLs/websites

Resume/bullet points

Handouts of slides/pre-sentation

Biographical note

Background notes in advance


Question (open-ended): What, if any, paperwork or other information from speakers would you wish to have?


Impact 1

• I feel that one of the major functions of a university should be to act as a force for change in the locality where it is based and these seminars are having an impact.

• These seminars contribute to people’s well-being.

• I often discuss topics from the seminars with my Women’s Institute Committee.

• The LILL seminars with their outward-looking focus are extremely ‘socially useful’.

Questions (open-ended): Is there anything else you would like to tell us? Did any of the seminars stimulate you to look for more information or to join in any discussions or

debates


Impact 2

• Older people are an under-used source of social capital and these seminars are full of positive ideas.

• I have shared information from the seminars with my colleagues at Age

Concern.

• Information from these seminars has given me greater understanding and helped me as we are looking at the ways our church, Holy Trinity, is dealing with the challenge of the ageing population. I have been greatly stimulated by attending these seminars and meeting people there. Excellent!

Questions (open-ended): Is there anything else you would like to tell us? Did any of the seminars stimulate you to look for more information or to join in any discussions or debates?


Impact 3Parish councillor 2 Community Centre 1Church 4Staffs Adult Learning Service 1University of Leicester 4 Women’s Institute 2AEA 3 U3A 11Age Concern/Age UK 6 Leics Adult Learning Service 1ChangeAGEnts 1 Local Education Authority 2Community Fellowship Group 1 NHS 2Cruse Bereavement Care 1 Pensioners’ Action Group 4BSG 1 Older People’s Action Group (OPEN) 1Nextstep 1 WEA 2County Integrated Partnership for Older People 1 East Midlands Older People’s Advisory Group (EMOPAG) 1

Question (open-ended): What organisations are you involved in that are relevant to these seminars?


Future topics

The ageing society 5 Older prisoners 2 Natural history 1

Poverty/social exclusion 5Psychology of ageing 2 Volunteering 3

Finance/pensions 4 Arts for older people 3 Age discrimination 2

Policy issues 2 Health and learning 4 Dementia 4

Ethnicity and ageing 2 The ageing process 1 Work and older people 3

Social interaction 1 Music and older people 1 Ageing and the brain 4

Families and older people 3 Ageing in other countries 2 Learning opportunities 9

Lifestyles/time use 2 Diet/supplements 1 Living arrangements 1

Complementary medicine/yoga for older people1

Question (open-ended): Please list themes you would like to see covered in the future


Possible future speakers

Tom Kirkwood 2 Susan Greenfield 1Joan Bakewell 3 John Field 1Felicia Huppert Bishop Tim1

Question (open-ended): Please tell us the names of any speakers you would like to hear


98%

2%

97%

3%

77%23%

Organisation


Less than £2

£2 £3 £4 £5 £7 £10

4%

20%11% 13%

35%

9% 9%

Suggested fee per seminar



Conclusions

• Seminars appear to be highly successful overall

• Seminars have achieved the aim of providing an opportunity to explore the benefits of learning activities for older people and wider society in different areas of public policy

• Seminars have had some success with the aim of trying to influence policies in this field and of improving and increasing the provision of lifelong learning for older people

• There are issues around continuing funding

• There are strong arguments for continuing the series if funding can be found

• Universities have a responsibility to engage with their local communities and to disseminate research findings, in this case on the ageing society and the benefits of learning for older people


‘because i love it’ older people and learning at leicester professor john benyon

Documents

provision of lifelong

learning agenda27

intergenerational learning

older people funding

lifelong learning26

older learners

older women

itolder people