Last year, representatives at NUS Annual Conference asked NUS to:

• Build a national coalition with NIACE (National Institute of Adult Continuing Education), and relevant trade unions, to campaign for a properly funded adult education and ESOL system.


• Campaign for the government to introduce an entitlement to a free first quality level three qualification for all.



• Mandate the NEC to campaign vigorously and prioritise “the mature student in education and lifelong access to education.”

In early June I contacted colleagues from NIACE and UCU and had a meeting to discuss the potential of a national campaign. By the end of the meeting it was clear we all really wanted to make this campaign happen and, following a few more formal get-togethers, CALL (Campaign Alliance for Life-long Learning) was born.

Together, as CALL, we believe that our education system should provide:

1. Equality of access to high quality education for all learners (regardless of class, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, asylum status or employment status), including a statutory right to learning in the workplace



2. Universal access to basic skills, ESOL and ICT courses and a first level three qualification regardless of age



3. Learner, teacher and community involvement in all levels of decision-making about their learning wherever it takes place



4. Learning for personal wellbeing and development and the maintenance of local authority adult education



5. A path out of poverty and disadvantage including widening participation in higher education and the provision of a second chance later in life



6. A stable, motivated and rewarded workforce of professional practitioners.



7. Since the set up of CALL, we have been promoting it far and wide on our networks, at conferences, at TUC conference, and also in the press:

The response from within the sector has been amazing, with 12 national organisations agreeing to become members of the CALL campaign.

On 30 September CALL officially launched. We had a meeting featuring speeches from a range of practitioners, policy experts and campaigners on the issues effecting adult education, and have begun to look at writing our campaign manifesto.

The manifesto will be used in the campaign, building up to the lobby of parliament we plan to have in February 2009.

I have a good feeling about this campaign, things seem to be moving at such a pace, but together we need to move and keep pushing for further acceptance from the sector, I urge you to promote this campaign, become a member - you can be a member as an individual, or get your organisation or branch to join - visit http://www.callcampaign.org.uk for more info.

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