European Networking Project

Demanding fundamental rights: Law-related education in adult education

Plenet (now Law for Life: The Foundation for Public Legal Education) has successfully bid for European funds to support a partnership of seven law-related education organisations in Europe.

‘Demanding fundamental rights: Law-related education in adult education’ is a two-year project which aims to increase ‘legal literacy’ as a core social and civic skill in Europe.

This project seeks to improve the ability of Europeans to understand and apply the elements of law that affect everyday life. Increased knowledge of rights and legal issues, or improved ‘legal literacy’ will empower individuals and communities to participate in the democratic process, get access to public services and stand up for fundamental rights.

The project will be a step towards greater European cooperation. It will help make better use of resources and assist in the development and delivery of coherent European law-related adult education strategies.

Introduction

Recent European research in the field of law-related education and wider access to justice issues has highlighted significant gaps in the ability of Europeans to understand their rights and the processes they can access to gain redress. Low levels of knowledge, skills and confidence in dealing with law-related issues have a disproportionate impact on disadvantaged groups and can result in entrenched social exclusion and increased risk of rights violations and discrimination.

Evidence also suggests a lack of coordinated support and knowledge-sharing on effective mechanisms to improve learning and information that encompasses the full range of capabilities that individuals need to demand fundamental rights, especially the needs of vulnerable and minority groups.

'The partner organisations are highly motivated to join forces, because law-related education is a core issue of our work. Although working in different countries and contexts, and with diverse target groups, we all face similar challenges'.
Humanity in Action Germany blogspot

The project is funded through the ‘Grundtvig Partnership’ programme which is part of the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme. The Grundtvig programme aims to help provide adults with pathways to improve their knowledge and competences.

European Partners

The partnership brings together seven organisations in Europe which provide law-related education with diverse learning communities.

Partners in the project are:

Denmark
Centre for Positive Integration
Germany
Humanity in Action Germany
Greece
OLKE Gay and Lesbian Community of Greece
Hungary
NANE Women’s Rights Association
Iceland
Icelandic Human Rights Centre
Poland
Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
UK
Public Legal Education Network (now Law for Life)

Activities

The project takes place over two years starting in August 2011.

Each member of the partnership will host a partnership meeting to exchange knowledge, best practice and introduce staff and learners. The meetings will provide a valuable opportunity to find out about the experiences and strategies for designing, delivering and evaluating law-related adult education practices in each country.

The project will focus on:

Innovative courses for better access to the law and public services
Practices built on the participation of diverse learners from vulnerable social groups and marginal social contexts
The empowerment of victims of domestic violence
The use of law-related simulations as an educational tool, and the
Dissemination strategies to build these skills among diverse groups of adult learners.

Aims

To identify law-related educational practices with a potential for European transfer
To share and implement these practices in each country.
Publish identified practices as a digital success-story-book, and
Disseminate them through learners, partner and umbrella organisations.

The first meeting of partners is scheduled to take place on 11th November 2011 in Germany’s Humanity in Action offices in Berlin.