Yes, No, Don't Know...

Saw this poster and couldn't resist it. It brought back memories of my week.

This week we spent time with just over 400 extraordinary people listening and I hope learning (hearing) about their concerns over the future of adult learning in Scotland (Meet our national learners' forum-creative and extraordinary people who give up their free time to promote and develop adult learning in Scotland).

They told us they have in equal measure, hopes and fears that can't be answered by a simple yes or no. Pounds, shilling and pence aren't the only answer either, although some to smooth the wheels might help.

What the forum members want is a levelling out of discussion, a cancelling out of the competitive and often combative nature of the provider organisations lobbying against them, ordinary members of the public. I heard them tell us there is no question of right or wrong, no yes or no, no one organisation reigning supreme over another but there can be considerable amount of grey and maybe we should work there in that joint space to brighten our agenda, to change and challenge the old style two option dichotomy​.

Their struggle for that right to self determination means that they want accountable, transparent and participative democratic structures that they can become involved in, shape and develop, not feel obliged to, sit quietly and be controlled by 'I had enough of that when I was at school', said one member.

They want to work on multi-option decision making, being innovative and taking a few risks to help make things work. They don't like organisational politics, they don't even know about them in some cases which makes understanding them even harder. They refuse to believe that we can't debate what adult learners want or need in an adult fashion, involving them without it becoming a battle ground and I'm pleased to say that was one thing that we all agreed on. I love the balance that the national learners' forum bring to the office in a busy week-they make me laugh with the sheer rational explanation of things, it's a tonic and because we'd had a few days of inspiring quotes, checks and balances, I love this one that the arts learners' forum came up with.

“All the mistakes I ever made were when I wanted to say ‘No’ and said ‘Yes.’”
Moss Hart, playwright