Community Learning is about learning throughout life.  It involves all phases and forms of learning from pre-school to post-retirement, including the years of formal learning.

The community learning approach is primarily about meeting the needs of learners.  Skills and knowledge can be acquired in many different places. These include schools, universities and training establishments as well as work, leisure or the family.

An important feature of community learning is to overcome barriers so that people can follow their own learning pathways, and build on knowledge wherever it is acquired.

If this new approach to learning is to become reality for everyone, the benefits of learning will need to be made known and any barriers that stand in the way of a person wanting to learn will have to be removed.