Objectives

How we work

• To adopt a holistic approach in our research and development that links theory and practice in an interdependent relationship.
• To work in an ethical and collaborative way that challenges the obstacles and promotes equity, access and participation for all.
• To recognise and value the experience of people involved in our research and development activities.
• To develop and deliver research projects in a variety of settings to reach groups of people who have been excluded from learning.
• To use our research to enable us to contribute to wider debates about equity, access and participation.
• To use our research to develop materials and deliver activities to address the issues which help or hinder equity, access and participation.
• To disseminate our research findings in a variety of formats and contexts that are appropriate for different audiences.
• To adopt an inclusive approach to the learning opportunities we provide.

Who we work with

• To work collaboratively and in partnership with individuals and organisations concerned with equity, access and participation.
• To actively engage individuals with experience of discrimination associated with age, class, disability, ethnicity, gender, race, religion and sexuality.
• To work with people who face barriers associated with learning, employment, urban or rural deprivation, immigration or their family and neighbourhood context.
• To work with practitioners and policy makers in:
  formal learning contexts - schools, further and higher education institutions (compulsory and post-compulsory educational organisations / primary, secondary and tertiary sectors),
  informal learning contexts – the family, the community, voluntary and third sector organisations and the workplace
• To engage with local, regional and national agencies concerned with learning.

What we do

• To provide staff development based on our action research that informs practitioners and policy makers and facilitates institutional change.
• To disseminate our research to raise awareness, increase understanding and bring about change
• To consider the relationship of learning with other aspects of life including health, housing, employment, income and family circumstances.
• To seek new partners and sources of funding to enable us to achieve our aims.