disadvantaged groups are both rendered voiceless and powerless.16 Evidently from above we can see that asylum seekers suffer from a structural process of disablement. Given that this is the case, we must ask ourselves how the adult education sector can produce an enabling environment whereby asylum seekers can learn, succeed and become active participants in their local communities?
Learning for Life – White Paper on Adult Education In section 8.13 of the White Paper on Adult Education, it was proposed that asylum seekers would have “free access to adult literacy, English language and mother culture supports17”. In addition, it states that the role of the Refugee Language Support Unit (RLSU)18 should be expanded to include asylum seekers and that the scope for providing a national programme for language provision should be explored through the VECs and other education providers. This is certainly one of the most positive developments for asylum seekers in recent years,especially given the other limited rights that they have. It is also congruous with the informed recommendations of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE). They advise the following in Section 47 of their Position on the Reception of Asylum Seekers June 1997: State policies should in no way prevent adult asylum seekers from acquiring new education and skills in the host state. All asylum seekers should be supported in these aims. Again, ECRE believes that such as policy – if it meets both the asylum seekers’ needs and those of the host state – will both prevent exclusion from the host society and facilitate re-integration upon return to the country of origin. They also propose that services should be integrated with service provision for local citizens.19 Undoubtedly, the VECs and other education providers are in a position to ensure that this can happen. This would also mean that they would be involved in the first step of integrating the asylum seeking population in their local communities. Indeed,the adult education sector and adult learning have a lot to contribute to the asylum seeking population if the two groups work together through a process of consultation and negotiation.20 Fleming (1998) argues that adult learning, which is social, political and critical, can change systems and institutions that operate in the interests of few to work for all.21 He explains how women’s groups and community groups have used their learning experience to transform unjust and exclusionary structures. In truth, Fleming has an ideal vision of adult education in mind. He contends that it would be “committed to the social and political practice of participatory democracy, informed through critical reflection, continuously engaged in discussion and together acting thoughtfully to ensure that social systems,institutions,organisations, and practices are responsive to the 19