The term ‘barriers to learning’ refers to all those things that might get in your way and prevent you from returning to education. When adults were asked to discuss these ‘barriers’ the four most common were financial problems, lack of time, childcare responsibilities and negative perceptions and misconceptions. In this chapter each of these barriers is discussed along with possible ways to overcome them.

OVERCOMING FINANCIAL PROBLEMS

Many adults say that lack of finance is the most restrictive barrier when returning to learning. It is true that some courses are very expensive and well beyond the financial means of most of us. If you find a course which is far too expensive, look for something else. There are so many courses available that you should find something more suited to your budget.

Adults also ask how they can justify spending so much when they are not sure of how the course will benefit them in the long term. Many adults find that if they cannot justify the expenditure to themselves then it is even harder to justify it to spouses or other members of the family, as Jane illustrates:

As a researcher on the outside of this family, it’s easy for me to see that Jane is being far from selfish – she’s constantly thinking about her husband and family, so much so that she is suppressing her own interests and desires in favour of theirs. Obviously there are many more issues involved in Jane’s quotation, but at the moment we are concerned, like she is, with the financial issue.

Jane says that ‘money is tight’. If, like Jane, you are on a low income, there are various courses that are free or offered at a lower rate:

• Taster courses or ‘bite size’ courses – check with your local college or adult education provider to find out whether they offer free short courses. These are designed for people who may not know exactly what they want to study, but who might want to try a few different courses without spending any money.
• Concessions – speak to staff at your chosen learning provider to find out what concessions are offered for people on low incomes (see Chapter 5).
• Grants and bursaries – there are various grants and bursaries available for people on low incomes (see Chapter 6).
• Adult residential colleges – through a bursary scheme places on courses at adult residential colleges are free. Meals, accommodation and childcare may also be free (see Chapter 6).
• New Deal 25 plus – this has been designed to help people who have been unemployed for at least 18 months. Under the Education and Training Opportunity scheme you can enrol on courses and learn new skills. Speak to your personal adviser at your Job Centre.
• New Deal for lone parents – with this programme you may be able to qualify for financial assistance for education and training, including childcare. Visit your local Job Centre or Citizen’s Advice Bureau for more information.

For many employed people who wish to return to education, it is impossible, financially, for them to give up their full-time paid employment. If this is the case with you, there are still options open to you to help overcome financial barriers:

• Find out whether your employers will help finance you through your studies, for example, they might operate an employee development scheme through which money is administered for education and training. Some companies even arrange their own courses for employees.
• Look into obtaining a Career Development Loan (see Chapter 6 and Appendix 2).
• Choose courses that allow you to pay in instalments which will help you to spread the cost – ask your chosen learning provider for more information.
• Choose courses that allow you to study on a modular basis – you can take a module when you can afford it and build up your credits towards your final qualification. Ask your chosen learning provider for more information.

Financial barriers are often the most commonly discussed reason for people not returning to education. Often, however, ‘lack of money’ is an easily explained reason when really, as we can see in the above example from Jane, the reason is much more complex. She is battling with the value of education – will the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term expenditure? Can she justify spending money on herself when her children might have to go without? Will her children benefit if she completes the course? Will the whole family benefit?

There are many personal and family benefits to be gained by returning to education (see Chapter 10). When you are trying to justify the financial expenditure, think very carefully about these benefits. If you are still unsure about whether the long-term benefits will outweigh the short-term expenditure, try some free courses first, or speak to a friend or relative who has returned to education to gain an informed, personal opinion. This will help you to decide whether returning to education will be the right course of action for your personal circumstances.

DEALING WITH LACK OF TIME

The next most common reason people give for not returning to learning is that they do not have the time available. Obviously, for some people this will be true. If you are rushed off your feet every minute of every day you will find it difficult to fit in some study time. However, if you really want to return to learning, you will make the time. Even so, you must be realistic about what you can achieve. If you have a very demanding job, for instance, you would not enrol on a course which takes up too much of your time and puts you under more pressure.

Today there are a wide variety of courses on offer which make it easier for us to fit learning in with our hectic lifestyles:

• Distance learning, correspondence courses or e-learning – these types of courses tend to be studied in your own time and at your own pace. You are not restricted to set hours and days of the week which is useful for anyone who has other demands on their time (see Chapter 2).
• Part-time and short courses – there are many different part-time and short courses available today to suit people from all walks of life. You might be interested in a morning class, an evening class or a Saturday class. Some courses may run for three days mid-week or over a weekend. Contact your local college or adult education service for more details.
• Day release and block release – you may be able to come to an arrangement with your employer which enables you to take off one day a week or one week every three months for a course. Some further education courses and postgraduate courses are designed with this in mind.
• Study leave – some understanding employers may provide a certain amount of time off for study, especially if the course will directly benefit your work.
• Adult residential colleges – some adults find that they do not have the time at home to study because there are so many people around them making demands on their time. Some people find it easier to move into college accommodation and study full-time, even taking their children with them (see Chapter 2).

If you think you do not have the time to return to learning, you need to think carefully about this barrier. As Ned found, in the following example, ‘lack of time’ was actually another barrier, heavily disguised:

Ned is suggesting that if you have a strong enough reason for wanting to do something, time becomes available. However, if after careful consideration, you feel that you do not have enough time to enrol on a course, put the idea on hold for a while until more time becomes available. Returning to education should be an enjoyable experience and if it puts more pressure on you and causes greater stress, you are unlikely to stay the course or enjoy your experience.

COPING WITH CHILDCARE RESPONSIBILITIES

Having children should not restrict you from returning to learning. Members of the government have realised that many parents wish to return to education and they are introducing new schemes which should make the process easier. There are a number of ways in which you can fit learning around your childcare responsibilities, as the following list illustrates:

• Learning during school hours – many parents wait until their children are attending full-time education before they think about returning to learning. This means that they do not have to pay childcare costs. Today there is a wide variety of courses aimed specifically at women or parents. The courses are run during school hours and finish in time for parents to collect their children. Tutors are understanding and flexible if parents have to leave the course early if children are ill. Ring learndirect (0800 100 900) or your local college to find out whether there are any such courses run in your area.
• Evening classes – many parents register for an evening class so that their partners can look after the children, thus cutting down on childcare costs. However, you will have to make sure that your partner is happy with the arrangements so that further obstacles are not put in your way. Ring your local college or adult education service to find out what’s available in your area.
• Childcare Support Fund – if you are on a low income you may be able to apply for financial support through the Childcare Support Fund (See Chapter 6).
• Adult residential colleges – some adult residential colleges have a limited number of childcare places available for students on their courses. College staff request that you try other sources first as the number of places is limited.
• New Deal for lone parents – with this programme you may be able to qualify for financial assistance for education and training, including childcare. Visit your local Job Centre or Citizen’s Advice Bureau for more information.
• Distance learning, correspondence courses or e-learning – these courses enable you to study in your own time at your own pace. You can study at home if your children are able to occupy themselves or when they are at school or in bed (see Chapter 2).

However, as we have seen from Jane’s example above, it is not just the practical issue of childcare, but also the emotional and psychological issues that are important to parents. They ask whether they are doing the right thing for their children. They are concerned about what might happen if their children are unexpectedly ill. They worry that other people might believe them to be bad parents, abandoning their children for their own selfish ends. Some of these concerns might seem over the top, but all have been aired on several occasions during my work with adult learners.

Children do benefit in a variety of ways from their parents returning to education (see Chapter 10). And many tutors understand the worries and concerns faced by parents – they will be flexible, enabling you to leave classes early if your children are ill. Some will let you keep a mobile telephone with you, as long as it is for emergency purposes only. Talk over any concerns you might have with your tutor, and don’t worry what other people might think. You and your family almost certainly will benefit from you returning to education – that is what really matters.

OVERCOMING NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS AND MISCONCEPTIONS

I want to share with you some of the perceptions adults have had about education and the education system. Remember that all these are negative perceptions or misconceptions – in the second column I have attempted to dispel their fears.

Negative perceptions and misconceptions can lead to fear and anxiety. It is understandable that we should be anxious about something which is unfamiliar to us. This is why it is important to make something more familiar so that we do not waste time and energy fearing the unknown. There are several ways in which you can become more familiar with the education system and your chosen learning provider. These methods should help you to overcome your fears and anxieties:

• Many colleges and universities run open days or fairs where you can go and have a look around. Try to get a friend or relative to go with you so that you are not alone if you are nervous.
• Some courses, especially those run by adult education colleges, are aimed at adults who are nervous or anxious. They enable you to get together with other people and tutors in a supportive environment. Some will enable you to try taster courses so that you can see whether you can adjust to a learning environment.
• Talk to friends and relatives who have been through further and higher education. Their opinion is very important – it will give you a personal insight into learning which won’t be available in institution brochures. You will soon find that most adult education is nothing like your experiences of school.
• Some tutors will arrange a social gathering before the course begins so that you can meet other students and start to dispel some of the misconceptions you may have.

Remember that everyone else is probably feeling the same as you. Even the young students are nervous – many of them have never been away from home before, or may just have left a sheltered school environment. Tutors understand your anxieties and will quickly help you to feel relaxed and comfortable.

Overcoming barriers to learning can be a hard thing to do, but if you really want to return to education, persevere. As Jamie found, it is worth it in the long run:

SUMMARY

The most common barriers to learning faced by adults are:

• financial problems
• lack of time
• childcare responsibilities
• negative perceptions and misconceptions.

Financial problems can be overcome by making sure that you apply for all the financial help available to you. It is useful also to enrol on free courses until you get a feel for whether you would like to study further and pay a fee.

Today there are a wide variety of courses and learning providers on offer that make it easier for us to fit learning in with our hectic lifestyles:

• distance learning, correspondence courses or e-learning
• part-time and short courses
• day release and block release
• study leave
• courses at adult residential colleges.

Having children should not restrict you from returning to learning. There are a number of ways in which you can fit learning around your childcare responsibilities:

• learning during school hours
• evening classes
• Childcare Support Fund
• children’s centres at adult residential colleges
• New Deal for lone parents
• distance learning, correspondence courses or e-learning.

There are several ways in which you can become more familiar with the education system and chosen learning providers to help overcome negative perceptions and misconceptions:

• Attend open days or fairs where you can go and have a look around.
• Attend a course aimed specifically at adults.
• Talk to friends and relatives who have been through further and higher education.
• Attend social gatherings before the course begins.