Why CALL? Why now?

Rising charges and course cut backs have seen two million learners’ places lost from further and adult education in England since 2005. Now groups representing students, staff and local communities have come together to campaign for the right of everyone to access to learning irrespective of class, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, asylum status or employment.

We have founded CALL, the Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning because we believe that affordable access to the life changing opportunities provided by education is the hallmark of a civilised society.

CALL is a non-party political alliance. The only qualification for joining is commitment to our six founding principles below.

CALL believes our education system should provide:

1. equality of access to high quality education for all learners (regardless of: class, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, asylum status or employment status), including a statutory right to learning in the workplace;
2. universal access to basic skills, ESOL and ICT courses and a first level three qualification regardless of age;
3. learner, teacher and community  involvement in all levels of decision-making about their learning wherever it takes place;
4. learning for personal wellbeing and development and the maintenance of local authority adult education;
5. a path out of poverty and disadvantage including widening participation in higher education and the provision of a second chance later in life;
6. a stable, motivated and rewarded workforce of professional practitioners.

To find out more about CALL, visit the website here.