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The Role of Adult Lifelong Learning in Preventing Social Exclusion

Anna Rita Manca and Cynthia VillalbaAnna Rita Manca and Cynthia Villalba

European Commission-Joint Research CentreEuropean Commission-Joint Research CentreCentre for Research on Lifelong Learning (CRELL)Centre for Research on Lifelong Learning (CRELL)

Anna.Manca@jrc.ec.europa.eu Cynthia.Villalba@jrc.ec.europa.eu

6th June 2010LLAKES International Conference

University of London

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“The capacity of society to ensure the well-being of all its members, minimizing disparities and avoiding marginalization”

Council of Europe(www.coe.int)

The Project on Social Cohesion

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Social cohesion involves inclusion/exclusion, the latter of which ‘straddle’ other concepts such as deprivation, class, and poverty Omtzigt (2009:7).

Omtzigt reviews the multiple definitions of social inclusion/exclusion and their operationalization, arriving at Walker and Walker (1997:8):

Social exclusion is the “dynamic process of being shut out…from any of the social, economic, political and cultural systems which determine the social integration of a person in society”.

Overarching Concepts

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Employability: learning to gain and maintain employment and occupational mobility

The Role of LLL

Education and in particular, lifelong learning, are widely thought to facilitate social inclusion and cohesion via:

Social engagement and participation: learning about society, acquiring social and civic skills, knowledge and culture

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The Role of LLL

A Memorandum on Lifelong Learning (SEC 2000) stresses as much, that the aims of LLL are “promoting active citizenship and promoting employability” - but this marked a shift away from the economistic LLL ideology in EU policy strategy in the 1980s (Rubenson 2002).

There is an emphasis on individual responsibility for learning.

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The Role of LLL

A broad approach to learning throughout the lifespan, in different settings, lifelong learning:

"encompasses all purposeful learning activity, whether formal or informal, undertaken on an ongoing basis with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competence" (SEC 2000)

LLL for all is conditional upon “a society where people are encouraged to think, act, and be engaged.” (Rubenson 2002: 247)

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Research on LLL provides us with clues on…

“The long arm of the family ” (home)

Parental background

Initial educational attainment

“The long arm of the job”

Employment status and occupation type

Employer characteristics (firm size and type, etc.)

Previous Research

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“The long arm of the job”

Highly skilled workers are more likely to engage in learning (OECD 2005)

Employers sponsor most adult learning activity, especially firms with more than 250 employees (OECD, 2005 referring to CVTS survey)

Learning is often work-related but “lack of time” due to work (or family) is barrier (OECD 2005 referring to CEDEFOP survey)

Previous Research

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Previous Research

Low-skilled and temporary workers seek adult learning but find supply is limited (OECD 2005)

In some countries the unemployed and those not seeking work in the labour market participate more (OECD 2005 referring to LFS) but the employed engage more on average in adult LLL

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Other key individual socio-demographic determinants/factors influencing participation:

•Age (participation declines with age)(Biagetti, et al 2009; Eurostat 2009, etc.)

•Gender (diverse findings)

•Place of residence (urbanisation)(Eurostat 2009 – referring to AES)

Previous Research

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What are the main characteristics of those adults who engage (or do not engage) in learning/study activity in Europe?

To what extent do living conditions influence adult participation in further study activities?

Guiding Questions

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Methodological Aspects

The Model: Fixed effects Logistic Model

Dependent variable:Dependent variable:

Engagement in study in the previous year (yes=1)

Explanatory variables:Explanatory variables:• Gender• Age • Education level • Parental education background • ISCO • Level of Urbanisation • Role of Unemployment • Material conditions of housing • Ability to overcome economic obstacles• Poverty indicator• Durable goods

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Secondary Data Source – EU-SILC

EU-SILC (Eurostat) cross-sectional (2005). Reference year 2004/2005.

Data from 15 countries included in the present models:

Austria Spain Belgium Finland Cyprus France Czech Republic Greece Germany Hungary Denmark Ireland Estonia Iceland Italy

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Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z|gender (male=1) -1.458 0.000 - - - -age -0.262 0.000 - - - -primary education -1.944 0.178 - - - -secondary education 0.635 0.642 - - - -tertiary education 0.885 0.000 - - - -father education -0.021 0.874 - - - -mother education 0.772 0.000 - - - -isco -0.090 0.000 0.073 0.000 0.044 0.000densely populated area 1.214 0.000 0.499 0.000 0.330 0.017

intermediate populated area -0.023 0.890 0.260 0.036 -0.184 0.276labour market belonging (in work=1) -1.574 0.000 -1.668 0.000 -2.084 0.000

ability to keep home warm -0.033 0.865 0.194 0.235 -0.264 0.176capacity to pay one week holiday 1.006 0.000 0.678 0.000 0.390 0.012

capacity to afford meal with meat -2.665 0.000 0.023 0.911 1.367 0.000capacity to face unexpected expences 1.011 0.000 0.186 0.089 0.110 0.418

make ends meet -0.164 0.011 -0.018 0.728 -0.099 0.120

lowest monthly income to make ends meet 0.000 0.494 0.000 0.050 0.000 0.022financial burden of the total housing cost 0.232 0.026 0.070 0.378 -0.212 0.039financial burden of repayment of debts 0.625 0.000 -0.138 0.066 0.418 0.000poverty indicator 2.173 0.000 0.729 0.000 0.932 0.000

equivalised disposable income 0.000 0.001 0.000 0.155 0.000 0.553tel 0.030 0.951 0.375 0.312 0.275 0.626tv 0.414 0.221 -0.144 0.595 -0.139 0.663pc 0.111 0.396 0.826 0.000 1.335 0.000wm -0.763 0.000 -0.160 0.478 -0.785 0.000car 0.028 0.874 -0.089 0.560 -0.678 0.000N observations 65952.000 5465 10200Log likelihood -2211.602 -1826.668 -1327.258P>Chi2 0.000 0.000 0.000Pseudo R2 0.77 0.2508 0.3089

Engagement in LLL (yes=1)Full model

age class 20-24 years old

age class 25-29 years old

The more educated, the more participation in LLL

The more they are able to overcome economic obstacles, the more they participate in LLL

People at risk of poverty are morelikely to participate

Durable goods play a role in the decision of performing LLL

People outside the LM are more likely to participate

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Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z|gender (male=1) -1.458 0.000 - - - -age -0.262 0.000 - - - -primary education -1.944 0.178 - - - -secondary education 0.635 0.642 - - - -tertiary education 0.885 0.000 - - - -father education -0.021 0.874 - - - -mother education 0.772 0.000 - - - -isco -0.090 0.000 -0.040 0.003 0.020 0.341densely populated area 1.214 0.000 1.598 0.000 0.165 0.620

intermediate populated area -0.023 0.890 -0.283 0.389 -0.106 0.799labour market belonging (in work=1) -1.574 0.000 -2.486 0.000 -1.765 0.000

ability to keep home warm -0.033 0.865 0.771 0.034 -0.867 0.029capacity to pay one week holiday 1.006 0.000 1.517 0.000 -0.467 0.228

capacity to afford meal with meat -2.665 0.000 -4.905 0.000 -0.023 0.971capacity to face unexpected expences 1.011 0.000 1.305 0.000 0.062 0.860

make ends meet -0.164 0.011 -0.096 0.459 -0.108 0.505

lowest monthly income to make ends meet 0.000 0.494 0.000 0.163 0.000 0.332financial burden of the total housing cost 0.232 0.026 0.636 0.001 -0.021 0.934financial burden of repayment of debts 0.625 0.000 0.563 0.002 -0.051 0.822poverty indicator 2.173 0.000 2.698 0.000 -0.108 0.801

equivalised disposable income 0.000 0.001 0.000 0.131 0.000 0.458tel 0.030 0.951 -0.168 0.863 -1.786 0.107tv 0.414 0.221 0.205 0.695 0.554 0.445pc 0.111 0.396 0.651 0.012 1.662 0.001wm -0.763 0.000 -0.716 0.049 -1.082 0.021car 0.028 0.874 0.437 0.184 -1.529 0.000N observations 65952.000 14490 8509Log likelihood -2211.602 -771.3005 -271.24P>Chi2 0.000 0.000 0.000Pseudo R2 0.77 0.86 0.28

age class 35-39 years old

age class 30-34 years oldEngagement in LLL (yes=1)

Full model

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Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z|gender (male=1) -1.458 0.000 - - - - - -age -0.262 0.000 - - - - - -primary education -1.944 0.178 - - - - - -secondary education 0.635 0.642 - - - - - -tertiary education 0.885 0.000 - - - - - -father education -0.021 0.874 - - - - - -mother education 0.772 0.000 - - - - - -isco -0.090 0.000 0.050 0.041 0.040 0.266 -0.033 0.206densely populated area 1.214 0.000 -0.145 0.697 0.846 0.081 -0.031 0.938

intermediate populated area -0.023 0.890 -0.034 0.933 -0.584 0.469 -0.349 0.514labour market belonging (in work=1) -1.574 0.000 -2.798 0.000 -3.128 0.000 -1.195 0.006

ability to keep home warm -0.033 0.865 -0.306 0.572 0.481 0.655 -0.159 0.806capacity to pay one week holiday 1.006 0.000 -0.905 0.031 -0.358 0.540 0.769 0.150

capacity to afford meal with meat -2.665 0.000 0.420 0.561 0.378 0.742 -0.168 0.838capacity to face unexpected expences 1.011 0.000 -0.173 0.654 0.095 0.864 -0.113 0.799

make ends meet -0.164 0.011 0.299 0.085 -0.360 0.174 -0.378 0.061

lowest monthly income to make ends meet 0.000 0.494 0.000 0.487 0.000 0.129 0.000 0.521financial burden of the total housing cost 0.232 0.026 0.133 0.624 0.743 0.068 0.100 0.748financial burden of repayment of debts 0.625 0.000 -0.139 0.584 -0.090 0.809 0.008 0.979poverty indicator 2.173 0.000 0.431 0.337 -0.099 0.889 0.395 0.471

equivalised disposable income 0.000 0.001 0.000 0.746 0.000 0.084 0.000 0.676tel 0.030 0.951 -1.505 0.070 - - - -tv 0.414 0.221 1.235 0.290 - - -0.239 0.826pc 0.111 0.396 0.665 0.209 0.839 0.242 0.731 0.142wm -0.763 0.000 -0.087 0.904 0.193 0.882 -0.874 0.289car 0.028 0.874 -0.738 0.150 -0.364 0.619 0.614 0.379N observations 65952.000 9349 9186 20562Log likelihood -2211.602 -237.5567 -118.3261 -214.5384P>Chi2 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000Pseudo R2 0.77 0.2957 0.3372 0.2078

Full modelage class 40-44 years

oldage class 45-49 years

oldage class 50-65 years

oldEngagement in LLL (yes=1)

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Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z|isco 0.073 0.000 0.044 0.000 -0.040 0.003 0.020 0.341 0.050 0.041 0.040 0.266 -0.033 0.206densely populated area 0.499 0.000 0.330 0.017 1.598 0.000 0.165 0.620 -0.145 0.697 0.846 0.081 -0.031 0.938intermediate populated area 0.260 0.036 -0.184 0.276 -0.283 0.389 -0.106 0.799 -0.034 0.933 -0.584 0.469 -0.349 0.514labour market belonging (in work=1) -1.668 0.000 -2.084 0.000 -2.486 0.000 -1.765 0.000 -2.798 0.000 -3.128 0.000 -1.195 0.006ability to keep home warm 0.194 0.235 -0.264 0.176 0.771 0.034 -0.867 0.029 -0.306 0.572 0.481 0.655 -0.159 0.806capacity to pay one week holiday 0.678 0.000 0.390 0.012 1.517 0.000 -0.467 0.228 -0.905 0.031 -0.358 0.540 0.769 0.150capacity to afford meal with meat 0.023 0.911 1.367 0.000 -4.905 0.000 -0.023 0.971 0.420 0.561 0.378 0.742 -0.168 0.838capacity to face unexpected expences 0.186 0.089 0.110 0.418 1.305 0.000 0.062 0.860 -0.173 0.654 0.095 0.864 -0.113 0.799make ends meet -0.018 0.728 -0.099 0.120 -0.096 0.459 -0.108 0.505 0.299 0.085 -0.360 0.174 -0.378 0.061lowest monthly income to make ends meet 0.000 0.050 0.000 0.022 0.000 0.163 0.000 0.332 0.000 0.487 0.000 0.129 0.000 0.521financial burden of the total housing cost 0.070 0.378 -0.212 0.039 0.636 0.001 -0.021 0.934 0.133 0.624 0.743 0.068 0.100 0.748financial burden of repayment of debts -0.138 0.066 0.418 0.000 0.563 0.002 -0.051 0.822 -0.139 0.584 -0.090 0.809 0.008 0.979poverty indicator 0.729 0.000 0.932 0.000 2.698 0.000 -0.108 0.801 0.431 0.337 -0.099 0.889 0.395 0.471equivalised disposable income 0.000 0.155 0.000 0.553 0.000 0.131 0.000 0.458 0.000 0.746 0.000 0.084 0.000 0.676tel 0.375 0.312 0.275 0.626 -0.168 0.863 -1.786 0.107 -1.505 0.070 - - - -tv -0.144 0.595 -0.139 0.663 0.205 0.695 0.554 0.445 1.235 0.290 - - -0.239 0.826pc 0.826 0.000 1.335 0.000 0.651 0.012 1.662 0.001 0.665 0.209 0.839 0.242 0.731 0.142wm -0.160 0.478 -0.785 0.000 -0.716 0.049 -1.082 0.021 -0.087 0.904 0.193 0.882 -0.874 0.289car -0.089 0.560 -0.678 0.000 0.437 0.184 -1.529 0.000 -0.738 0.150 -0.364 0.619 0.614 0.379N observations 5465 10200 14490 8509 9349 9186 20562Log likelihood -1826.668 -1327.258 -771.3005 -271.24 -237.5567 -118.3261 -214.5384P>Chi2 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000Pseudo R2 0.2508 0.3089 0.86 0.28 0.2957 0.3372 0.2078

Engagement in LLL (yes=1)age class 20-24 years

oldage class 25-29 years

oldage class 30-34 years

oldage class 35-39 years

oldage class 40-44 years

oldage class 45-49 years

oldage class 50-65 years

old

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Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z|gender (male=1) -1.458 0.000 0.890 0.000 -0.906 0.000age -0.262 0.000 -0.200 0.000 -0.400 0.000primary education -1.944 0.178 13.660 0.000 -7.385 0.000secondary education 0.635 0.642 15.402 0.000 -3.134 0.013tertiary education 0.885 0.000 0.321 0.019 2.454 0.000father education -0.021 0.874 0.461 0.003 0.725 0.000mother education 0.772 0.000 0.553 0.000 2.053 0.000isco -0.090 0.000 - - - -densely populated area 1.214 0.000 0.413 0.008 1.735 0.000intermediate populated area -0.023 0.890 0.105 0.555 1.307 0.000labour market belonging (in work=1) -1.574 0.000 - - - -ability to keep home warm -0.033 0.865 -0.584 0.003 1.176 0.001capacity to pay one week holiday 1.006 0.000

-0.006 0.969-1.437 0.000

capacity to afford meal with meat -2.665 0.000

0.323 0.255-3.243 0.000

capacity to face unexpected expences 1.011 0.000

0.601 0.0002.219 0.000

make ends meet -0.164 0.011 -0.020 0.795 -0.406 0.000lowest monthly income to make ends meet 0.000 0.494

0.000 0.7800.000 0.000

financial burden of the total housing cost 0.232 0.026

-0.141 0.2302.037 0.000

financial burden of repayment of debts 0.625 0.000

-0.057 0.598-0.220 0.061

poverty indicator 2.173 0.000 -0.027 0.872 4.499 0.000

equivalised disposable income0.000 0.001

0.000 0.5800.000 0.007

tel 0.030 0.951 0.969 0.195 0.094 0.877tv 0.414 0.221 -0.198 0.572 1.671 0.001pc 0.111 0.396 1.173 0.000 0.024 0.895wm -0.763 0.000 -0.583 0.073 -0.556 0.057car 0.028 0.874 -0.274 0.188 -0.653 0.006N observations 65952.000 16136 53686Log likelihood -2211.602 -1057.866 -1773.87P>Chi2 0.000 0.000 0.000Pseudo R2 0.77 0.4886 0.867

Engagement in LLL (yes=1)Full model

Out of the labour market

In the labour market

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Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z| Coef. P>|z|gender (male=1) -1.458 0.000 -3.290 0.000 0.107 0.371age -0.262 0.000 -0.274 0.000 -0.196 0.000primary education -1.944 0.178 - - - -secondary education 0.635 0.642 - - - -tertiary education 0.885 0.000 - - - -father education -0.021 0.874 0.163 0.697 0.346 0.016mother education 0.772 0.000 0.279 0.548 0.769 0.000isco -0.090 0.000 -0.165 0.000 0.006 0.559densely populated area 1.214 0.000 1.823 0.000 0.306 0.044intermediate populated area -0.023 0.890 -0.573 0.253 -0.048 0.779labour market belonging (in work=1) -1.574 0.000 -0.224 0.546 -2.097 0.000ability to keep home warm -0.033 0.865 -0.144 0.774 -0.464 0.023capacity to pay one week holiday 1.006 0.000 1.152 0.010 0.087 0.591capacity to afford meal with meat -2.665 0.000 -3.265 0.000 0.699 0.036capacity to face unexpected expences 1.011 0.000 1.060 0.007 0.286 0.055make ends meet -0.164 0.011 -0.043 0.836 -0.182 0.008lowest monthly income to make ends meet 0.000 0.494 0.000 0.494 0.000 0.933financial burden of the total housing cost 0.232 0.026 0.115 0.723 -0.024 0.826financial burden of repayment of debts 0.625 0.000 0.848 0.003 0.247 0.009poverty indicator 2.173 0.000 2.525 0.000 0.757 0.000

equivalised disposable income0.000 0.001 0.000 0.544 0.000 0.025

tel 0.030 0.951 0.363 0.760 -0.158 0.776tv 0.414 0.221 1.834 0.113 0.173 0.594pc 0.111 0.396 -0.102 0.779 0.812 0.000wm -0.763 0.000 -1.341 0.086 -0.654 0.003car 0.028 0.874 1.382 0.019 -0.550 0.002N observations 65952.000 27430 34903Log likelihood -2211.602 -431.4862 -1355.468P>Chi2 0.000 0.000 0.000Pseudo R2 0.77 0.9338 0.3872

ISCED 0-2 ISCED 3-5Engagement in LLL (yes=1)

Full model

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Key Findings

Individual socio-demographic characteristics:

Findings in the literature confirmed – age, previous education level, parental education (social background) and occupation significant factors…

…but the picture is complex

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Key Findings

Full model presents challenges for interpretation:

Although ‘at risk of poverty’ is significant, those who are out of the LM, who do not have the capacity to eat meat to afford durable goods and cannot make ends meet still can afford a one week holiday and face unexpected expenses…

Living conditions among these groups are not extreme, but they face some difficulties relative to others.

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Findings – Age and Occupation

Age – Across the age cohorts living conditions and standards ‘improve’ though we can characterize this in different ways as they have different types of challenges

Occupation and age groups (skills level, ISCO) for youngest is significant (+) more skilled, more participation

30-34 and up (-) less skilled… 40-44 is positive again 45 and up, not significant. For lower secondary (ISCED 2)

it is negative and for upper (ISCED 3), not significant

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Key Findings

The relatively younger the more important the variables are for LLL.

‘Out of the labour market’ is more decisive for older groups, i.e., has more of an impact on participation in study.

Role of employment - Education level plays major role in respect to employment status: Low education groups out of the LM are more likely to participate. Higher education groups in the LM have an increased probability of participating.

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Conclusions – Further Research

Is ‘lifelong learning’ – participation in any kind of study – a means for preventing (own and others’) social exclusion and promoting (own and others’) well-being?

Do people participate despite or because of their living conditions?