Tree Changes or Wholesale Changes: The Role of Adult Education in Transitions in Regional Life

Regional adult education and training providers have been required in recent decades to adapt to funding structures rather than engage with their local communities. This has meant providing education programs that are funded based on national or State and Territory based policy frameworks, often linked to human capital development. Adult education and training organisations need to be given the chance to 'see' what their local communities need; to 'see' who their target groups are. Contemporary adult learning programs and practices for regional communities need to encompass a combination of focused and flexible learning processes and resources, including classroom instruction, mentoring, social and cultural activities, community networking and workplace training. There is a need in Australian society to examine all adult education and training sectors in the light of emerging national social inclusion policy frameworks that impact on regional communities. The diverse provision of adult education and training has the capacity to foster social relationships in diverse rural, regional and urban communities. This article reflects on two research projects in relation to the educational experiences of mature age adults in Echuca and Bendigo in northern Victoria.