Apologies For Cross Posting.

ADULT LEARNING IN RURAL AREAS:  LANDSCAPES OF CHANGE

Wednesday 15 November 2006

Megacentre

Bernard Road

Sheffield S2 5BQ

Although rural communities often seem more prosperous than their urban counterparts, this appearance can mask the reality of low wages, under-employment, low skills levels and low investment within the rural economy.

This national conference will raise challenging questions about the changes facing rural communities in England and their implications for adult learning in rural areas.  Critically, it will explore what the risks are for rural areas of not understanding, and addressing, how change will impact upon them. For instance:

• The age profile in many rural areas is rising and is markedly older than in urban centres

• Migration to the countryside, both from English towns and cities, and by migrant workers from overseas, is a growing phenomenon in some areas

• Provision of key services is increasingly patchy as providers withdraw from rural locations.  Agricultural decline and the push towards diversification have brought a need for new skills and training.  Rural employers are overwhelmingly small with little history of investment in workforce development. 

Meanwhile, messages about the ‘state of the countryside’ are mixed. This conference aims both to explore and influence its future development and, through workshops, will provide a platform to showcase recent development work undertaken by NIACE on adult learning in rural areas.

The target audience for this conference is all those with an interest in adult learning in rural areas, including: LSC; national, regional and local policy makers; local authorities (parishes, districts, and others); Regional Development Agencies; Government Offices; Learning Partnerships; Local Strategic Partnerships; Sub-regional Strategic Partnerships; learning providers; adult learning practitioners; adult education researchers; IAG providers; employers and those that work with them; learning champions; voluntary and community sector organisations working with rural communities.

If you would like to reserve a place for conference Ref C14-24 online and view the programme for the day, visit the NIACE website:

http://www.niace.org.uk/Conferences/RuralAreas.htm

Enquiries to: Gurjit Kaur on Tel: 0116 2042833

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