Learningand the

Ageing Society

Professor John BenyonInstitute of Lifelong Learning

University of Leicester

Institute of Lifelong Learning

Institute of Lifelong Learning

Leicester Learning and Ageing Group (LLAG)

• John Benyon – Jo Leadbetter• Jim Soulsby – Pauline Swanton Supporters:• David Wilson - Vanessa Beck – Lois Gladdish – Bill Jones – Stan Miller – Alex Withnall

Activities:Seminars and conferences – European projects – Links with AEA and IJEA – Other work

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Current European Projects

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Previous European Projects

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Ageing World

• United Nations: ‘profound, pervasive and enduring consequences of population ageing’ are ‘transforming the world’

• In the world: 1950 – 200 million people over 60; 2000 – 600 million over 60; 2050 – 2 billion over 60

Source: United Nations (2002) World Population Ageing 1950-2050, New York: UN

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Source: Kinsella and Wan, 2009 p8

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• In Europe, half the population will be over 50 by 2030

• The old-age dependency ratio is projected to rise from 25.4% in 2008 to 53.5% in 2060 Eurostat, Giannakouris 2008

• ‘Age discrimination is the most widely experienced form of discrimination across Europe’ Age UK 2011

Ageing Europe

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Source: Demography Report 2010 Older, More Numerous and Diverse Europeans, European Union 2011, p66

1990 – 2010: Observed populations2020 – 2060: EUROPOP2008 convergence scenarioEU-27 excludes France’s overseas departments.Sources: Eurostat (online data codes: demo_pjan and proj_08c2150p)

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Ageing Britain

• In 2010 – 1.3 million people over 85 in the UK; by 2033 this is set to reach 3.2 million

• In 2050 there will be 250,000 people over 100 in the UK

• In 2007 – for the first time ever, there were more people over the State Pension Age than children in the United Kingdom. DWP 2009

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UK population grows to 61.8 million

Source: ONS 2010 http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=6

Population: by gender and age, mid-2009

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• Variation in research and policy pronouncements

• Later life is: ‘a stage in life when a person is no longer primarily involved in the labour market, raising a family or both’ Anderson 2008

• Usually, “older people” are those aged 50 and over

• “Third Age” is used for people aged 50 to 74 – but sometimes 84

• “Fourth Age” starts at 75 but sometimes 85

Who are older people?

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• Education – lengthening

• Work – intensifying

• Retirement – lengthening

• Blurring of transitions

Changing Life-course Balance

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What is Learning? (I)

“Learning is a process of active engagement with experience… It may involve an increase in skills, knowledge or understanding, a deepening of values, or the capacity to reflect. Effective learning will lead to change, development and a desire to learn more”.

Source: Campaign for Learning

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• Definitions vary between countries:

• Formal learning is typically provided by education or training institutions, with structured learning objectives, learning time and learning support. It is intentional on the part of the learner and leads to certification.

• Non-formal learning is not provided by an education or training institution and typically does not lead to certification. However, it is intentional on the part of the learner and has structured objectives, times and support.

• Informal learning results from daily activities related to work, family life or leisure. It is not structured and usually does not lead to certification. In most cases, it is unintentional on the part of the learner.

Source: http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc52_en.htm

What is Learning? (II)

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Economic activity by age

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Percentage of adult male life spent in retirement

Due to rising life expectancy, the average man who worked to age 64 in 2005 will spend the same percentage of their life in work and in retirement as a man who might retire at age 68 in 2050. In 1950 the average man retired at age 67 and had a much lower percentage of adult life spent in retirement

1950 2005 2020 2050Age of retirement 67 64 65 68

Life expectancy after age of retirement (yrs)

10.2 20.9 21.6 21.4

Percentage of adult life (18+) spent in retirement

17.2 31.3 31.4 30

Time spent in retirement (men)

Sources: Government Actuary’s Department’s UK life tables; Pensions Commission for historic retirement data

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Learning and well-being• Well-being: increasingly used in policy discussions and analysis

• Encouraging education and learning through the life-course promotes ‘cognitive reserve’. • Non-work related learning opportunities might help to delay the onset of neuro-degeneration • Cognitive skills – technical skills – resilience – self-belief – social and communication skills

Source: Feinstein, L., Vorhaus, J., and Sabates, R. Foresight Mental Capital and Wellbeing Project. Learning Through Life: Future Challenges (London: The Government Office for Science, 2008)

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Benefits of education and learning (I)

• Personal fulfilment and empowerment

• Keeping active and independent

• Increased confidence

• Health and well-being (mental and physical)

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Benefits of education and learning (II)

• Increased creativity and activity

• Identity and meaning

• Increased social capital

• Increased self-esteem and feelings of efficacy

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Benefits of education and learning (III)

• Ability to cope with change

• Financial competence

• Reduced depression and increased happiness

• Improved quality of life

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Benefits of education and learning (IV)

• Better sense of purpose

• Improved ability to make choices

• Better able to cope with stress

• Higher levels of volunteering and involvement

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Source: English Longitudinal Study of Ageing 2006; Office for National Statistics 2009

Participation of older people

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1996 1999 2002 2005 2008 2010 2011Total sample

40 (5) 40 (4) 42 (4) 42 (5) 38 (5) 43 (7) 39 (7)

17-19 86 (42) 81 (37) 78 (34) 75 (46) 79 (52) 85 (55) 88 (65)

20-24 65 (15) 70 (25) 72 (27) 63 (29) 60 (22) 66 (26) 68 (32)

25-34 48 (2) 50 (2) 51 (2) 52 (4) 43 (2) 50 (7) 43 (5)

35-44 43 (1) 47 (1) 47 (2) 49 (1) 46 (1) 45 (2) 42 (1)

45-54 36 (1) 41 (*) 44 (1) 47 (*) 40 (*) 44 (1) 41 (*)

55-64 25 (*) 29 (-) 30 (-) 32 (-) 29 (*) 33 (*) 29 (*)

65-74 19 (2) 16 (-) 20 (-) 17 (-) 19 (*) 23 (-) 17 (-)

75+ 15 (-) 9 (-) 10 (-) 10 (-) 11 (-) 14 (-) 11 (-)

Weighted base

4,755 5,205 5,885 5,053 4,932 4,964 4,957

Base: all respondentsFigures in parentheses show the proportion of each age group in full-time education

Source: NIACE Adult Learner Survey 2011, p21

Current or recent participation in learning by age

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• Only 17 per cent of adults aged 65-74, and 11 per cent of those aged 75 and over, regard themselves as “learners”.

• Intentions to learn:18-24 = 58%25-49 = 49%50-74 = 26%75+ = 8%

• Since 2010 levels of intention to learn have decreased across all age categories

• Over a quarter of learning opportunities for older adults has been lost

NIACE Survey 2011

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Possible barriers for older learners (I)

• Lack of availability of courses

• Practicalities of timing, location etc

• Cost of course fee or travel

• Lack of provision for disabilities

• Lack of information, advice and guidance

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Possible barriers for older learners (II)

• Inappropriate course content or style

• Low self-perception of ability to learn

• View that learning is for younger people

• Lack of self-confidence

• Unwelcoming environment

Concluding comments (I)

• Changing demography is profound and pervasive • The ageing society brings challenges and

opportunities • Education and learning offer a means of meeting

the challenges and harnessing opportunities

• Barriers and obstacles need to be understood and addressed

Concluding comments (II)• Older people have much to offer including experience and

wisdom

• Older people can make important positive contributions – workers, volunteers, consumers, grandparents, community activists, teachers, leaders

• The benefits of learning need further research and explication with quantifiable evidence where possible

• Why don’t governments appreciate the need for greater investment in learning opportunities and the dividends this would bring?

Benefits of Lifelong Learning“To cope with rapid change and the challenge of the information and communication age, we must ensure that people can return to learning throughout their lives. We cannot rely on a small elite, no matter how highly education or well paid. Instead, we need the creativity, enterprise and scholarship of all our people. As well as securing our economic future, learning has a wider contribution. It helps make ours a civilised society, develops the spiritual side of our lives and promotes active citizenship. Learning enables people to play a full part in their community. It strengthens the family, the neighbourhood and consequently the nation. It helps us fulfil our potential and opens doors to a love of music, art and literature. That is why we value learning for its own sake as well as for the equality of opportunity it brings”.D. Blunkett, Foreword to DfEE, The Learning Age: A Renaissance for New Britain, 1998