“I’m suddenly somebody!”

Pedagogies of Practice: Researching informal learning Birkbeck Institute for Lifelong Learning Thursday 27 April 2006 “I’m suddenly somebody!” – Informal learning and the Women’s Institutes Jan Etienne and Sue Jackson

Background to the Project

National Federation of Women’s Institutes National Federation of Women’s Institutes The National Federation of Women's Institutes (NFWI) is the largest organisation for women in the UK with 215,000 members in England, Wales and the Islands. The National Federation of Women's Institutes (NFWI) is the largest organisation for women in the UK with 215,000 members in England, Wales and the Islands.

Mission The WI exists to educate women to enable them to provide an effective role in the community, to expand their horizons and to develop and pass on important skills. The WI exists to educate women to enable them to provide an effective role in the community, to expand their horizons and to develop and pass on important skills.

The WI encourages and enables women to: enhance their lives and play their part in the community through education enhance their lives and play their part in the community through education improve their lives and the lives of those around them improve their lives and the lives of those around them lead fulfilling lives, be of influence in the community, and influence policy makers lead fulfilling lives, be of influence in the community, and influence policy makers provide a friendly atmosphere where women can be inspired and enlightened provide a friendly atmosphere where women can be inspired and enlightened

Denman College Denman College

Learning with the WI enables: ‘to be part of my community’ ‘to be part of my community’ ‘have a wider knowledge about my community’ ‘have a wider knowledge about my community’ ‘find getting on with others easier’ ‘find getting on with others easier’ ‘gain new opportunities’ ‘gain new opportunities’ ‘be involved in community work’ ‘be involved in community work’ ‘lead and share experiences’ ‘lead and share experiences’

The ESRC project aims to explore: the impact on and for lifelong learning in constructions of identities the impact on and for lifelong learning in constructions of identities (older) women’s engagement as active citizens (older) women’s engagement as active citizens the relationship between civic engagement and lifelong learning the relationship between civic engagement and lifelong learning women’s lifelong learning in and through family lives, networks and voluntary work women’s lifelong learning in and through family lives, networks and voluntary work

Who are the Women? The Executive Committee The Executive Committee

Fieldwork Visits to 5 Federations in Wales, Yorkshire, West Midlands, Essex and Middlesex Visits to 5 Federations in Wales, Yorkshire, West Midlands, Essex and Middlesex Interviewed..WI members (Focus Groups and in depth interviews) Interviewed..WI members (Focus Groups and in depth interviews) Circulated questionnaires to all 70 Federation in England and Wales Circulated questionnaires to all 70 Federation in England and Wales Circulated additional questionnaires to 24 Institutes Circulated additional questionnaires to 24 Institutes

The women represented in the study Aged between (60%) Aged between (60%) White - English or Welsh (98%) White - English or Welsh (98%) Middle class Middle class Live in rural areas (60%) Live in rural areas (60%) Teaching and secretarial background Teaching and secretarial background Retired Retired

Benefits of Lifelong Learning at times of transition “After the death of my husband I don’t know where I would be if it hadn’t been for the support from the WI” “After the death of my husband I don’t know where I would be if it hadn’t been for the support from the WI”

Activities taking place Monthly WI meetings Monthly WI meetings Jerusalem Jerusalem Invited speakers Invited speakers Practical demonstrations Practical demonstrations WI Walks WI Walks WI Visits WI Visits

Increasing Confidence Membership of the WI gave me the confidence to study for a degree Membership of the WI gave me the confidence to study for a degree After gaining a BA in Psychology - at home “I’m suddenly somebody!” After gaining a BA in Psychology - at home “I’m suddenly somebody!”

Passing on the traditional skills

“I’m suddenly somebody” “I was now the President and on my first day out in the village…..’Hello Vera’; ‘How are you Vera?’; ‘Nice to see you Vera’ – Suddenly I was somebody!” “I was now the President and on my first day out in the village…..’Hello Vera’; ‘How are you Vera?’; ‘Nice to see you Vera’ – Suddenly I was somebody!”

Informal Learning In the role as Chairman; Secretary; Treasurer In the role as Chairman; Secretary; Treasurer From external Speakers From external Speakers Drafting resolutions Drafting resolutions

Informal learning: For enjoyment and friendship!

The WI brings: opportunities to learn opportunities to learn wider knowledge of interesting subjects wider knowledge of interesting subjects opportunities to learn new skills opportunities to learn new skills sense of belonging sense of belonging new friends and sense of community new friends and sense of community realising what a group of women can do realising what a group of women can do being myself as a woman being myself as a woman appreciation of others appreciation of others increase in confidence increase in confidence awareness of the world around me awareness of the world around me

Pedagogies and practices of/for (informal) learning to strive for egalitarian relationships to strive for egalitarian relationships to try and make all students feel valued to try and make all students feel valued to use the experiences of students as a resource to use the experiences of students as a resource to question the role and authority of the teacher to question the role and authority of the teacher to consider personal experience to consider personal experience to consider questions of difference to consider questions of difference

5 key areas A safe environment A safe environment Developing confidence Developing confidence Networking Networking Taking control of learning Taking control of learning Recognising that learning has taken place Recognising that learning has taken place

Informal Learning: Drafting resolutions for Annual Conference Renewable energy Sport for a healthy population Renewable energy Sport for a healthy population Fair Trade Fair Trade What women want Campaign What women want Campaign Care of the Environment Care of the Environment Adult education Adult education Farmgate milk prices Farmgate milk prices GM foods GM foods Children’s diet Children’s diet Save rural post offices Save rural post offices Trafficking Trafficking

How WI members benefit from informal learning “Enjoyment” “Enjoyment” “Better health and keeping active” “Better health and keeping active” “Being seen as a valuable member of society” “Being seen as a valuable member of society”

Jam, Jerusalem and Calendar Girls