This paper focusses on peer education and specifically on young women peer educators working within the charity Home-Start in the north of England. This work is undertaken in a social context where educational achievement is increasingly measured by certification and occupational hierarchies have been 'professionalised' whilst notions of…

The objective of the paper is to explore the relationship between participation in senior organisations and ways of ageing among older people. Moreover, the author focuses on determining whether the type of organisations (religious/non-religious) distinguish different groups of seniors in terms of lifestyle and perception of ageing. The analysis…

Interviews with 36 adult learners in information-communications technology (ICT) settings, using the concept of learning trajectories, revealed barriers to widening participation through ICT. In addition to technical shortcomings, social, economic, cultural, and political issues hinder the process, including lack of innovative instruction and…

A life history approach can give better understanding of adult motivation to participate in education than quantitative surveys can. Interviews with 30 adults entering higher education illustrate the technique but also raise methodological questions about this form of research. (SK)

A survey of enrolled students and withdrawers from a certificate program at the University of Exeter showed that this type of provision is meeting the needs of adults who have not previously benefited from higher education. (SK)

A sample of 1,000 Polish adults identified their chief life goals; most believed education played only a moderate part in achieving them. Only a tiny percentage of those wanting to improve skills actually participated in education. Collapse of the old economy and poor preparation exclude a significant portion from participating. (SK)

Analysis of patterns of participation of 1,104 adults in South Wales shows that socioeconomic background, more than educational attainment, plays a crucial role in educational participation. Over time, immediate and later patterns of participation are determined by separate influences. (SK)

Interviews with striking sheet metal workers explored working class men's nonparticipation in continuing education. Key issues included the unpredictability of their working patterns and lives, employers' failure to accept continuing training as part of the workplace contract, and lack of access to free, comprehensive vocational guidance. (SK)

Evidence from a large-scale survey of adult learning experiences in Wales suggests there are serious flaws in policies for postsecondary education, including target setting, economic rationale for learning, and technology to overcome barriers. Data show the causes of nonparticipation may not be addressed by the policies being implemented.…

A survey of 765 adult learners who funded education through the British government's Individual Learning Accounts showed the program brought in new lifelong learning participants, encouraged more demanding learning, and increased participation of underrepresented groups. Advice and guidance played an important role. (SK)