Lifelong Learning Opportunities of Black Ethnic Minorities in the UK - Essay Example

? An evaluation of lifelong learning opportunities in UK in building strong communities: Case of Black Ethnic Minorities The age we live in, has become a stupendous complex of ethnic diversity especially in upper equatorial region of the world. This fact has roots in striding developments and galloping improvements in approximately every walk of life. From human laws to natural laws, a systematic row of discoveries and innovations has framed this immaculate picture in the minds of other nations of the world that are still in the phase of developing. This picture has been attractive in imposing a pull factor towards our part of the world. Thus today a major demographic change can be seen, and it is changing every moment. To comprehend the ultimate impact of this change, one has to view retrospectively the ethnic composition that has been there. The natives of UK are profoundly acclimatized to the dynamics of their society. Societies, today, are influenced in their disposition by many factors. Society by its very definition speaks of its composition and their general and characteristic disposition. It is this understanding that helps in reconciling such groups into a consolidated national edifice. This paper is accentuates Black Ethnic Minorities (BEM) in UK and explores opportunities, available to them, through lifelong learning in making strong communities. To understand the topic, a compositional analysis of BEM in UK is needed. In sequel to this, understanding of lifelong learning opportunities, available to them, is to be made. This understanding will, in turn, help in evaluating how these lifelong opportunities are contributing in building strong communities in UK. Rather being specific, a generalized view of the community problems that are being report will be discussed. Characteristics of learning programs and especially lifelong learning programs and initiatives will be viewed. Type of opportunities that can be exploited by the use of lifelong learning (skills development, tools usage etc) will be discussed. Before concluding all the observatory and analytical data acquired, the provision, costs and location of such LLL (lifelong learning) facility will be discussed. After an overview of general issues that are faced by locals in UK, one evaluates that they mainly pertain to four main dimensions of a locality. First issue is the involvement of local people of an area and promoting social inclusion. This factor, in the case of BEM, lags behind the aboriginals due to natural tendencies. It is actually the main factor in building up of social cohesion, as awareness and lifelong learning go hand in hand. This cohesion in its true spirit can help in building a strong community that is permissive and pluralistic. The learning opportunities that are being provided in UK are now considered to be attached to many strings. A lenient learning and lifelong learning aid to these BEMs can bridge this divide (Local-Level.org.uk.). Second factor is the promotion of citizen empowerment and establishing a strong democracy. As social scientists predicted that democratic processes will become more like other biogenic needs of any locale, the BEMs cannot be ignored once they get integrated in the complex of our multiethnic environment. BEMs that are still vying to comprehend the environment of UK, need establishing of community learning organizations. This is the way that can provide for a more consolidated community where the need of democratic locale shall be fulfilled. Third factor is the stimulation or sensitizing a locale with the responsibility of neighbourliness. It is during this epoch that the sense of community has been lost and intermingling has been retarded due to many factors like divides between ethnicities. The ostracizing of ethnic minorities has been all because of low level of stimulation and sensitivity of the aboriginals in their locale. This in turn helps in giving air to group factor. A strong community has to be interdependent not only in economic domain but also in the cultural and social domains. Community learning organizations, which can help in whetting their community people and especially BEMs, provide a good platform in shaping of this factor. A strong community build up with the help of the learning opportunities, can be strengthened by understanding what lifelong learning actually means. The conceptual dimensions of lifelong learning are actually processes that have been multi-dimensional, intangible, dense and amorphous. In literature, learning over a life span with progressive cognitive development in both the children and adults is somewhat we can say as lifelong learning. Learning actually means, in psychology, as relatively permanent change in behaviour due to experience. The experience of community organizations and other such organizational set-ups mean a lot for the locale (Field, 2005). To help forming a community learning organization, that helps acclimatizing the ethnic minorities, one should have well defined way forward. By the use of communication technologies and information sources lifelong learning should be supported. Also, the use of interactive networks and access to communication and computer hotspots (access points) can help in bridging the digital divide. This divide is actually visible because of the sheer difference in level of education or type of learning that has been imparted, generally, to the BEMs. (UKCES) Another objective that can be set into motion is the promotion of knowledge based economy among BEMs. It is actually at the heart of the process of consolidating a minority, in the present age of information and technology. The potential and opportunities that information and communication technology facilities provide in lifelong learning is simply matchless. It is here one can easily understand that bridging the digital divide actually means all inclusive integration (Castells, 2000). To the question of policy making and regulation of lifelong learning the governments and nongovernmental platforms are equally helpful. The policy as per the ease and requirements of the community can be the proposition of the community itself. On the other hand it can be regulated, amended and supervised by the government authorities. It is important to note that the resources that shall be required to expedite availability of learning opportunities are a totally a community building program. Therefore a survey that shall be all inclusive needs to be conducted thoroughly. The financing options can be indigenous, or government funded in uplift programmes and alike. For the locally financed and administered program, it is important that a community may have their say in the managerial and oversight body of the community learning organization (Policy-making for Lifelong Learning, 2010). The resources can be local radio and other advance medium of communication, or there can be a proper schooling, learning facility like technical schools, skill councils etc. These facilities provide for the lifelong learning activities. According to the demands, importance and availability of resources they can either be subdivided into small activity councils or be amassed as a part of a single initiative. In many cases it is seen that learning among minorities is gauged through following criteria; lifestyle learning activities, confessional learning activities, vocational learning activities, critical learning activities and a like (Wolter, 2000). They concentrate on intentional development of new skills that help the lagging minority to come up to the every growing challenging environment with new tools and skills. This is one of many ways that can bring BEMs up to the level of general progress. In critical learning activities, development of understanding and gathering information for social actions is focused. This provides for an order in social lives of the community. It further helps in reconciling the BEM class with the community which in turn builds a strong community with the feeling of being at the same page (Usher, et al., 2001). To understand the dynamics of such programs, one needs to see that the aim that is sought shall remain intact. Stronger community building is actually desired. That is why social networking is, one of the main aims to be achieved. As it is said that social cohesion is required for the feeling of we-ness, it is out of question that lifelong learning will not foster such feeling (Gierer, 2001). The engagement of BEM in the locale is only possible when they are allowed and kept under same scrutiny and other amenities that are being loudly demanded by the aboriginals. Thus as cultural, social integration is there, another need of economic equality is also desired. Knowledge based economic set-up for such communities is their justified need. As an entity in a society view its peers to judge its strata, similarly to be treated equally LLL opportunities shall be BEMs centric, if they are lagging behind. At the level of community we see that organization of lifelong learning and the opportunities from them, that can be enjoyed, are basically those outcomes that come from the knowledge and efforts of the people themselves. Thus we can see that community business within, organizations, social networking and especially the mode of socially linking up matter more. This can also be explained with the help of importance and internal benefits it possess. A symbiotic relationship, that has been helpful chiefly in rural communities, for the development of social capital, is seen. Therefore it can be transpired that the lifelong learning is a process that helps building a social capital. This capital is associated with the inter-dependability and economic betterment of the community. The ethnic minorities, being at one end, can be the major beneficiary of such opportunities. In UK social policies are contributing for the cause of lifelong learning programs but need of the hour is to make ethnic minorities understand the aims and foster the will and resolve to pursue it for their own betterment. References CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. GIERER, A. (2001). Ibn Khaldun on Solidarity (“Asabiyah”)-Modern Science on Cooperativeness and Empathy: a Comparison. Philosophia naturalis, 38(1). Policy-making for LIFELONG LEARNING (2010). The Development of Education Policy in Iceland in the context of Europe. USHER, R., JOHNSTON, R., & BRYANT, I. (2001). Adult education and the postmodern challenge: learning beyond the limits. London [u.a.], Routledge. Local-Level.org.uk (n.d.). Local Level - resolving community issues - Home. Retrieved from http://www.local-level.org.uk/ FIELD, J. (2005). Social capital and lifelong learning. Bristol, Policy Press. UKCES. Lifelong Learning Sector. Sector Qualifications Strategy. Retrieved from: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.ukces.org.uk/upload/pdf/LL K%20SQS_edit.pdf WOLTER, S. D. (n.d.). Resources for Lifelong Learning and Tertiary Education. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/edu/skills-beyond-school/1917598.pdf Read More