Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Heléna Herklots CBE, said:
“I welcome the Welsh Government’s announcement that action will be taken to address inequalities in access to adult learning opportunities, as well as the commitment to explore how a right to lifelong learning could be established in Wales.
“Learning opportunities are essential to support older people to age well and, as I made clear in my response to the Welsh Government’s consultation, the closure and reduced provision of adult community learning services in recent years has had a negative impact on older people’s health and well-being, reducing their opportunities for social interaction and affecting their ability to learn new skills and access employment opportunities.
“Whilst the proposed changes set out by the Education Minister would be a welcome step forward in terms of ensuring wider access to adult learning in Wales, no details have been provided regarding timescales or the funding that will be made available to support their delivery. I will therefore be writing to the Minister to request further detail, and to stress the importance of engaging and consulting with older people in a meaningful way so that their voices are heard and their needs are fully understood as these proposals are taken forward.”
You can read the Welsh Government’s statement here: https://bit.ly/2xLN8ou
