Capacity building

on a global level:

importance, challenges, and the

experiences of IALLA

What is ICAE

  The International Council for Adult Education, ICAE is a global network with a mandate to advocate for youth and adult learning and education (ALE) as a universal human right. It was created in 1973 and has 7 regional bodies (Africa, Arab Region, Asia, Caribbean, Europe, Latin America and North America) representing more than 800 NGOs - regional, national and sectoral networks - in more than 75 countries.

ICAE’s advocacy

  ICAE has a long trajectory participating in global processes related to adult learning and education (ALE), and beyond.

  Since its beginnings, there was explicit recognition among its members that addressing the needs of the populace through adult education takes an interlinkage approach and collaboration across all sectors.

  This is why major world issues such as the environment, gender equity, indigenous knowledge, literacy and others also shaped the agenda of the ICAE.

Advocacy challenges (1)

  Advocacy is an important component of ICAE’s work, which emanates from its identity as a global organization that addresses adult education, literacy and lifelong learning.

  The work of ICAE is anchored in the local, national, regional and international work of its constituency; therefore ICAE’s advocacy should take place at local, national regional and global levels. And this is no easy task.

Advocacy challenges (2)

  Local agendas affect national agendas, which affect regional and global agendas and vice versa. But often the connections and exchange of information between the different levels are not so smooth and, frequently, the grassroots are not able to participate in international negotiations. Therefore, not rarely, global agendas are completely disconnected from the grassroots.

  Other challenges relate with the accountability of all actors involved, specially the States who are the primary duty bearers for their commitments.

  The issue of how to translate commitments into practical action on the ground, and how to assess progress through strong accountability systems, is an ongoing debate.

Advocacy challenges (3)

  To tackle these issues and have an effective impact influencing global policies, ICAE focuses on facilitate the understanding and the involvement in global advocacy, build capacities and new leaderships and build solid alliances around our key messages.

ICAE Academy for

Lifelong Learning

Advocacy (IALLA)

  IALLA has been one of the main pillars of ICAE’s work for years.

  Its objective is to identify and support leaders and activists

from all over the world, broadening the understanding and

knowledge on adult learning and education, and helping them

to acquire advocacy skills through a participatory methodology.

  The curse also aims to promote and support future leaders that

promote positive change in their organizations, regional and

international networks and in ICAE itself.

  The IALLA promotes networking as an effective mechanism for collective learning.

Specific objectives of the course:   To generate a broader vision on youth and adult education within the

framework of human rights and active citizenship, developing linkages with the most important issues of the current global context;

  To support the emergence of a new leadership able to learn from diversity and to do networking, so as to secure the involvement and engagement of civil society organisations in the field of education;

  To increase the abilities of emerging leaders to advocate and to network for inclusive education and lifelong learning, and for the issues of relevant concern in their organizations and fields of work.

  To facilitate the exchange among young leaders and activists around the globe and to support the continuity of their learning process by sharing.

Key content

  Theoretical content, practical tools, and the analysis of practical experiences and innovative projects;

  The topics cover the general concepts of adult education, lifelong learning, civil society, social movement, among others, in the context of current global and regional development tendencies and challenges;

  At a time in which the current globalization model is characterized by uncertainties, a contribution of the course is to enable participants to better understand the complexities of global governance and their impact and to develop their capacities in building inclusive solutions through different and creative perspectives.

Methodology (1)

  Is a “mobile” training course lasting around three weeks, with diverse participation from all over the world (with gender and regional balance);

  The combination of knowledge and skills, with the strong focus on the critical reflection, enable participants to apply the knowledge in their advocacy work at all levels.

  The exercising of difernt types of inteligences is promoted, and facilitators raise awarenes of the ‘abuse’ of the logic inteligence. Therefore, to be in touch with the emotional inteligence is promoted by a permisive and enjoyable environment, and neutralizing any type of autoritarism that could come form class, gender, etnicity, etc.

Methodology (2)

  The course is structured to provide a coherent learning process through lectures, open debates, and applying participatory methods where participants are encouraged to be active and dynamic, making contributions in the sessions and in-group work.

  The course promotes a dynamic and proactive attitude of the participants; taking into account the unprecedented global changes, the course highlights the challenge that there are no single answers, instead, there is a necessity to combine global changes with local challenges;

  Participants are encouraged to find globally relevant answers for their field and area of work and to creatively engage in different forms of lifelong learning and advocacy.

All ICAE’s capacity building strategies:   Promote and are rooted on a human rights perspective.

  Include an inter-linkage analysis, connecting issues that have an effect on each other, as care for the environment, health matters, human rights, income-generation, empowering women and enhancing the overall quality of education.

  Have global perspective with a multi-cultural approach, that encourages people to view concepts, issues, themes, and problems from several ethnic perspectives and points of view.

  Have gender perspective looks at the impact of gender on people's opportunities, social roles and interactions.

Thank you!