ABSTRACT
In 1984 the Department of Education and Science (DES) set up a three-year programme to improve educational opportunities for unemployed adults. The main elements in this programme were the appointment of a team of eight regional field officers and a national co-ordinator based at the National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education (NIACE), and a programme of local development projects. A complementary programme of curriculum development projects is run by the London-based research and guidance organization, the Further Education Unit (FEU). The elements also include regional staff development programmes organized through the Regional Advisory Councils for Further Education, and education support grants. A common element of many second-chance courses is the stress on personal, vocational, and educational counselling. Through this process individuals may, instead of progressing onto qualification-based courses, be more interested in developing their own interests and hobbies. In many cases this may be through traditional recreation or leisure-oriented courses.
