EUROPEAN E URO NA AGENDA GE DA FOR ADULT LEARNING F OR A DULT L EARNING ((AEFA) AEFA) French coordination Adult education and training, a challenge for European training systems There are still currently 73 million low-skilled adults1 in Europe (about 25 million of whom are out of work as a result of the economic crisis). Many of these have difficulty with reading and writing, but only 3.9%2 were following training in 2011. The year 2012 was a turning point because the population of working age (15-64 years) in Europe began to decrease for the first time. Over the next few decades, the proportion of the population aged over 60 years will continue to increase and will reach 30%3 of the total population in 2060. 1, 2 and 3 Source: European Commission/ Education and Training With the labour market undergoing constant evolution, a longer working life and an aging population, access to lifelong learning is crucial for the management of jobs and skills, as well as in the fight against social exclusion and poverty among the aged. 73 million low-skilled adults A European Resolution to support the Member States On 28 November 2011, the Council of the European Union adopted a Resolution “setting out a renewed European Agenda for Adult Learning”, emphasizing the role of adult learning in combating these challenges. This document sets out five strategic priorities, between 2012 and 2014, for Member States: - Improving the quality and efficiency of education and training for adults; - Making lifelong learning a reality for the least-skilled adults; - Promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship; - Enhancing the creativity and innovation of adults and their learning environments; - Improving the knowledge base on adult learning and monitoring the adult learning sector. Particular attention is paid to the acquisition of basic skills by the least-skilled adults, via schemes such as “second chance” schools and the “one step up” initiative. A network of European coordinators The European Commission supports a network of 34 national coordinators designated by their national authorities. Their role is to serve as a relay between national participants and the Commission, to pass on information about the Agenda’s priorities, to raise awareness about EU policy and to facilitate cooperation with the other Member States. The Europe-Éducation-Formation France Agency (2e2f), represented by its Director, Antoine Godbert, has been designated as national Coordinator of the Agenda. >> The 2e2f Agency at the centre of an action plan for promoting the European Agenda in France Backed by a Steering Committee composed of 7 Ministries and 11 key national and regional players*, the Agency organises various consultation and research activities on basic skills for low-qualified adults and the job market: work groups, conferences, experiments, publications and field visits in Europe. This action plan has three phases: *Members of the Steering Committee: French Ministry of Labour, Employment, Vocational Training and Social Dialogue (DGEFP)/ Ministry of National Education (DGESCO)/ Ministry of Defence (EPIDE)/Ministry of Justice (DAP)/ Ministry of Agriculture, Agri-foods and Forestry (DGER)/Overseas Ministry (DEGEOM) /Ministry of Sports, Youth, Popular Education and Collective Activities (DJEPVA)/ Pôle Emploi/The National Agency for the Flight Against Illiteracy (ANLCI)/ Association of French Regions (ARF)/ National Council of Local Missions (CNML)/Network of Second Chance Schools (E2C)/AGEFOS PME/Permanent Assembly of Chambers of Trades and Crafts (APCMA)/French National Chambers of Commerce and industry/National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts (CNAM)/The Joint Fund for Rendering Career Paths Secure (FPSPP) /Institute for Training and Research into Lifelong Learning (INFREP) -> January to December 2013: a period of observation and consultation with four work groups. -> 13-15 November 2013: National and European Convention on Illiteracy (Lyon) during which the work groups shared their results. The Convention was organised jointly with the ANLCI, and contributed to the European Agenda for Adult Learning. -> January to December 2014: experiments in the field run by operational committees, concluding with a stocktaking seminar. The issues involved range from a study of the conditions for successful alternance training to the best way to guide into training those adults who are most marginalised by the labour market, via the professionalisation of those involved in guidance and the assessment of transversal skills; all these subjects are of immediate concern and the results will benefit the maximum number of people. Four groups, supervised by members of the Steering Committee, worked from July to December 2013, with input from different experts and resource persons: -> Group 1: Promotion of alternance learning and employability: a study of the conditions for bringing dropouts of all ages back into successful alternance training. Supervisors: Albert Parisot, DGEFP Bertrand Derouineau, INFREP/IP2A. Experts: Thibaut DOUAY, Picardy Regional Council - Catherine Belotti, Socialinnovation. -> Group 2: Guidance (into, during and after training) of those most marginalised by the labour market. Supervisors: Laurent Lacour, PACA Regional Council - François Hiller, DIO. Experts: Françoise Divisia, ELGPN (European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network). >> -> Group 4: Assessment of transversal skills: tools, techniques, methods. Supervisors: Jacques Bretaudeau, CAFOC of Nantes - Mathieu Carrier, AGEFOS-PME. Experts: Amaria Sékouri, National Committee of Local Missions Mariela De Ferrari, CO-ALTERNATIVES. A cycle of observations, comparing European practices in rendering career paths secure (FPSPP, CNML, Overseas Ministry), is also scheduled. -> Group 3: Professionalisation of guidance counsellors for low-skilled adults. Supervisors: Gilles Schildknecht, CNAM Patrice Granier, ARF. Experts: Laurent Balmer, DGEFP - Véronique Duchaud-Fuselli, DIO - Laurence Merlin, National Council for Vocational and Lifelong Learning. Are you interested in these issues? Do you have experiences or innovative practices you’d like to share? To get involved: http://www.2e2f.fr/agendaeuropeen-adultes.php The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the position of the European Commission, which cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. The project receives funding from the European Commission and the French Ministry for Labour, Employment, Vocational Training and Social Dialogue (DGEFP) Photo credit: ShutterstockImages. December 2013.