A Sharp Reverse : NIACE Survey on Adult Participation

The 2003 NIACE participation survey shows that, despite modest but steady progress in recent years, adult participation has fallen back to the levels of the mid-1990s.

Is this a minor blip in an upward trend or should this highlight cause for concern?

This survey continues the series documenting adult participation in learning in the UK.

Using responses of 5000 people, this summary offers key findings, breaking down participation, trends in participation and future intentions to learn by gender, social class, age, employment and the regions.

It provides up-to-date data as well as a valuable means for comparison over time.

Other surveys in the series include: Business as Usual - The NIACE survey on adult participation in learning 2004; A Sharpe Reverse - The NIACE survey on adult participation in learning 2003; Two steps forward, one step back: The NIACE survey on adult participation in learning 2002; and Winners and losers in an expanding system: The NIACE survey on adult participation in learning 2001. Reports in the series include: Adult Learning and Social Division: a persistent pattern Volume 1; Naomi Sargant and Fiona Aldridge, 2002; Adult Learning and Social Division: a persistent pattern Volume 2, Edited by Naomi Sargant and Fiona Aldridge, 2003; The Learning Divide Revisited, Naomi Sargant, 2000; and The Learning Divide, Naomi Sargant et al, 1997.