The Joy of Adult Learning: Advent Day 22

Joy and learning are often two words that you wouldn't think go together-but add the word adult and you have a great link.

The fabulous thing about adult learning is that people want to be there, of their own free will-not just because it's expected of them, or that they have to. It's that voluntary nature of it that shows adult learning's exceptional characteristics and not surprisingly it leads to more voluntarism.

Many of the voices we hear are involved in all sorts of community activity-from running local after school clubs, to taking football groups in the local area, to running lunch clubs and community cafes-adult learners are generally busy bees. Lots of them hold down two and three jobs to look after their families and because it's worked for them keep up with their adult learning. I asked 100 of them why?

'Adult learning is my only me time and it brings me great joy' was one of the many answers-but it sums up nicely what this time of year hopes to inspire. Joy and peace doing something you love.