ABSTRACT
It is important to note the twin concerns with both social and economic development, which have become commonplace in the rhetoric of lifelong learning and in its practice. As we emphasised in Chapter 4, often the two concerns of the social and the economic are falsely dichotomised and seen as conflicting objectives. However, for governments throughout the world social inclusion is a policy imperative alongside competitive economic development, and in the context of benefit to individuals of learning the link is clear. Creating the conditions for inclusion often relies on those economic developments that allow renewal of physical infrastructure, such as hospitals, colleges and schools. Partnerships at a local and regional level have been an important mechanism for these interventions, involving various mixes of public sector, private/commercial interests and community-based, non-profit organisations. The emphasis on partnership and mixed economies of services and resources reflects new approaches in social as well as in education policy, as we discuss in Chapter 8. Since most studies of participation in learning beyond school demonstrate that getting a job or promotion are key motivating factors, the close connection between the social and economic at the individual level becomes clear.
