About FACE, the Forum for Access and Continuing Education

The Organisation and its Mission

One important role for FACE is to facilitate the exchange and dissemination of information and practices in Lifelong Learning and Continuing Education. By promoting collaboration and innovation between providers and practitioners FACE aims to support and encourage a socially inclusive framework for Lifelong Learning, challenging exclusion and fostering full participation. As a large multi-sector network we play a key role as a:

Pressure Group
Service Provider
Staff Development Forum

National Policy Shaper
Information Service
Event Organiser


10th ANNIVERSARY SLIDESHOW	FACE facebook

A Brief History of FACE

FACE, originally entitled the Forum for the Advancement for Continuing Education, was formally established as an educational charity in 1993. Prompted by the abolition of the binary divide in HE, the development of FACE was part of a raft of significant changes in HE. Where there had been universities and polytechnics (and an earlier incarnation of FACE in the Polytechnic Association for Continuing Education) now polytechnics became independent of local authorities and were granted university charters with powers to award degrees and to undertake higher level research. At the same time there was growing recognition that continuing education, in all its manifestations, was central to economic growth and social inclusion.

From the outset FACE was an organisation embracing change and seeking to provide a forum for practitioners and providers of continuing education. The Forum provided a context where members could come together to share experience and develop a collective voice to articulate the new agenda for what has now become lifelong learning and widening participation.

Also from the start, there was a determination to build a member driven network rooted in the transforming HE landscape, a landscape that FACE practitioners throughout the UK were constructing. FACE represented the voice of those working, at all levels, to democratise access to HE learning opportunities. This commitment to social inclusion is still central to FACE today. FACE membership has grown rapidly over the years reflecting the changing boundaries of lifelong learning practices. It has developed into the largest network of its type in Europe with growing national and international partnership arrangements. FACE annual conferences have become major events in the HE diary bringing together practitioners, senior managers, policy makers, researchers and many others concerned with lifelong learning.

The issue of access to lifelong learning opportunities has always been a key area for FACE members, their institutions and organisations. In 2005, following a process of consultation with members and a motion unanimously agreed at the AGM, FACE decided to change its name (but retain our well known acronym) to the Forum for Access and Continuing Education. As well as asking for the views of members we also had to formally get the approval of the Charities Commission to the change. This change reflected the importance that members attach to access in all its different forms and suggests a stronger focus to the work and role of FACE in future.

FACE publishes the Proceedings from its Annual Conference

FACE also publishes a regular Newsletter called "FACE To FACE"

FACE Development Plan 2005-2007

Introduction

This is an outline of the framework and process for the development plan for 2005 - 2007. The aim is for each sub-group to produce a short bullet form report. All FACE members are encouraged to email their own contributions to the plan using the email addresses for each sub-group below. For a more detailed aacount of the development plan go to FACE Development Plan Sub-Group Activities.

The development plan and process is important because it:

Manages the development of FACE
Provides operational aims and objectives
Provides an opportunity for all executive members to contribute to FACE development
Helps monitor and evaluate the activities of the network

Process

As members of the Executive are dispersed across the UK the bulk of the work of sub-groups will be undertaken electronically. Sub-group coordinators will facilitate activities and ensure reports and templates are completed and submitted on time. In addition to electronic networking one executive briefing session will be used for the sub-groups to meet to finalise their reports.

Sub-groups, membership and briefs

Development plan sub-groups are set up with the following membership. Given the dispersed locations of the Executive it is envisaged that most of the sub-group work on each area of the plan will be undertaken electronically. Sub-group Co-ordinators are asked to provide an agreed plan and also collate the report and recommendations. All FACE members are encouraged to email their own contributions using the email addresses below.

1. Finance Group

John Storan (co-ordinator),Tony Acland, Maree Walker, Michael Hill.

The brief for this group: Forecast income/expenditure; Identify income sources/expenditure items; Estimate financial growth; Provide a financial plan; Auditing.

2. Member Services Group

Paul Grainer (co-ordinator), Margaret Mullen, Mike Goodwin, Jim Tate, Alison Hughes.

The brief for this group: Sources of new members, eg. FE, HE, regional; Strategies for increasing members; Retaining existing members; What services are we/should we be offering? Web based services; Seminar programme: number per year, income/costs.

3. Research and Publication Group

Danny Saunders (co-ordinator), Anne Lines, Maggie McLinden, Mike Osborne, John Samuel.

The brief for this group: Role in relation to research; What kinds of research? Development of research skills; Development of the Bulletin; Conference publication; Other publications, eg. occasional papers.

4. Administration Group

Michael Hill (co-ordinator), Jackie Leach, John Storan, Steve Lake.

The brief for this group: Membership processing; Compendium; Membership updating; Mailings and information; Electronic information.

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About FACE

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