Raising Awareness for Lifelong Learning
In the area of continuing education the same facts apply as for all other parts of the education system: The educational opportunities are unequally distributed. This means that people who have the least access to further education also tend to have an increased risk of unemployment and poverty. People who do not continuously further develop their skills risk to be excluded from the progressing work market. This risk is particularly high for low-skilled workers and those with poor basic skills.
Participation in organized continuing education programms in Switzerland per year lies at about 40%. This means that about 2 out of 5 adults participate in continuing education courses every year. On the other hand, this also means: 3 out of 5 people do not participate.
In trying to raise public awareness measures are undertaken to convince all parts of the population of their learning ability and of the necessity for lifelong learning. The goal here is to significantly increase the stagnating participation quota on a long-term basis.
Organising campaings are the actions primarily taken. The so far largest recurring event has been the Learning Festivall. The second largest has been the annual International Literacy Day (September 8).
This happened so far:
- 1996: first Swiss Learning Festival. Seven learning festivals have taken place (1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010) so far.
- Various projects, aiming at raising awareness of specific target groups were undertaken. To raise awareness is one of the main project focuses of SVEB.
- Since 2009 the Learning Festival takes place once a year in September as a 24-hour event.
Outlook
- Annually on September 8th various events are being held for the International Literacy Day.
Occasionally, this event is linked with the Learning Festival.
