ABSTRACT
Like the older adults and the women of East Lanes, DAB learners shared a common set of experiences that influenced their own and others perceptions of them as learners and citizens. This chapter explores the stories of adult learners who belonged to a locally based self-help group, the DAB Centre, which was formed by and for people with a physical and sensory disability. The learner biographies inevitably shaped their response to the experiences emanating from the local DAB-CAP partnership. Their previous educational opportunities to acquire human capital and the impact of their disability and working class backgrounds on employment opportunities were interconnected. The chapter discusses the role of the centre in enabling people to re-build their lives, particularly in relation to issues of social capital and citizenship. Participating in the democratic process and processing information in order to make an informed decision is an important aspect of the political dimension of citizenship.
