Event Documentation: Life Skills

Life Skills - Future of Adult Education?

In summer 2020, the European Commission published the European Skills Agenda. The so-called life skills are a part of it. But what exactly is behind the term Life Skills, which has an important place in the Erasmus+ programme and thus also for EPALE and for the European Agenda for Adult Learning?

The topic of the first day of the event was the latest status of the concept of life skills from the point of view of the EU Commission and from a scientific point of view as well as the topics on life skills from the point of view of adult education practice.

Klaus Fahle and Dr. Klaus Paffrath welcomed all participants on site as well as all virtual participants. In his welcoming speech, Mr. Fahle pointed out the biggest difference between life skills and skills for life: This is that life skills go beyond basic education topics. The basic aim should be to ensure participation in society and in everyday life for everyone. The cooperation of different policy areas is of great importance.

Dr. Paffrath expressed his thanks on behalf of the State of Thuringia and was pleased to be able to bring adult education further into the centre of interest through this event in Erfurt. For him, life skills mean cooperation, communication and mobility and are important for steps towards a more inclusive society.

 

Ms Klara Engels-Perenyi presented the Adult Skills Policies of the European Commission. She emphasised that high-quality adult education is important to meet the social challenges of the future. In addition, she presented the future initiatives of the European Commission, which pursue the goal of an inclusive society.

 

Prof. Silke Schreiber-Barsch (University of Duisburg-Essen), representing science and research, takes a look at the topic of life skills from the perspective of her research. Quoting the French writer Picabia, "The head is round so that thinking can change direction", she points out the relevance of a change of perspective on the topic of life skills. Starting from the fact that the debate on key competencies already began in the 1970s, she is now concerned with the question of terminology today and also the significance for the future. Besides the definition of skills (abilities, abilities and competences), it is also important to get into action. The triad of being able to act, wanting to act and being allowed to act is an essential prerequisite for learning. Learning should not only be reduced to cognitive processes. Accordingly, learning always means learning with all the senses, including motor skills. Furthermore, Ms Schreiber-Barsch addressed the topics of the workshops "Digitalisation", "Sustainability", "Inclusion" and "Participation" and related them to the theme of the conference.

 

These inputs were followed by a virtual barcamp and an on-site barcamp on life skills topics relevant to the participants. Erasmus+ projects presented in a project market what they have already developed in practice on the topic of life skills.

At the end of the first day, the moderators Dr. Christine Bertram and Michael Marquart summarised the first day of the conference and stated that the concept of life skills should be made more tangible. What the term can mean and includes was discussed and debated by the participants in the bar camps. It is also interesting to learn and discuss how implementation can be done on a national, regional or even local level.

 

The focus of the second conference day was on the life skills of the future and the question: "Are life skills the future of adult education?", moderated by Sabine Bertram (Bildungsfrauen).

 

Gina Ebner, Secretary General of the European Association for Adult Education (EAEA), presented the life skills of the future in her lecture. She stated that adult education is obligatory in order to shape the future of Europe.

Goals such as the green or digital transition, for example, can only be achieved by learning new skills. Therefore, in order to achieve the goals of the European Commission, the pillar of adult education must also be strengthened.

 

In the subsequent panel discussion, representatives from science, practice and politics discussed the future of life skills.

Gina Ebner (EAEA): We need learning to change the future. This also implies that personal change must be driven by learning.

Elizaveta Firsova (Leibniz University Hannover): We need to establish the concept of Life Long Learning. This process must start at school and not be interrupted in the transition to vocational training or university studies and continue in adult education. For this, the offer must also be expanded, especially in the area of digitalisation.

Lars Killian (DIE): Already in the past, the acquisition of competences and knowledge was about life skills. And it will continue to be so in the future.

Evelyn Sittig (LOFT): Life skills will have a different dynamic in the future, especially in terms of climate development. For this, we should be even better positioned in the field of adult education in the future. The vision for the future also includes that education providers and adult educators recognise the importance and complexity and can thus be supported in a targeted way to strengthen life skills.

Dörte Stahl (EPALE Ambassador, Lernallee): To strengthen and establish life skills, institutions and structures have to be changed. It is not only about the participants and learners, but also about all other individuals working in the field of adult education.

Conclusion of the conference

We have come closer to the term life skills, and the European Commission's policy paper on this is eagerly awaited. At the conference it became clear that political and social structures have to change and that the implementation has to be done in practice. Education staff in adult education have a key role to play in this. Therefore, it is important to offer this professional group good continuing education. At the same time, the topic of life skills must be anchored in the educational institutions themselves and good ways must be found to inspire participants for these educational offers.

We put an exclamation mark behind the question of this conference Life Skills - Future of Adult Education? and join all forces for a strong adult education that faces up to ever-changing life skills in order to enable all people to actively participate in society.