The project NEWCOMER leverages the untapped potential of libraries in Europe to deliver on adult education and social inclusion. There is therefore a risk that as technology advances, existing inequalities will be exacerbated, and disadvantaged groups will be hit hardest. Libraries are well placed as local community institutions which offer a broad range of educational resources to serve these disadvantaged groups. By offering digital resources as well as a trusted physical space, they contribute to both digital and social inclusion. NEWCOMER will allow library staff who are working directly with adult learners in their communities to explore with their counterparts from other countries why the adult education provision varies so greatly, how best to support adult learners in the context of the library, and what best practice examples to apply to meet the needs of disadvantaged and marginalised groups. The main activity of the NEWCOMER project is a series of transnational project meetings. The project consortium constitutes eight partners from the library sector with a mixture of profiles and backgrounds but all demonstrating a rich experience in providing opportunities for education and inclusion in their communities. Each project partner will host a transnational project meeting in which they will present and exchange best practice in the field of adult education and social inclusion from their institution, with the support of associate partners who work with specific target groups of disadvantaged learners. Two participants from each partner will be chosen to participate in the project meetings based on their profile, experience, and ability to maintain a lasting network. Over the lifetime of the NEWCOMER project, the best practices exchanged at the project meetings will be collated in a manual for dissemination to a wider audience from the library sector and beyond. These insights will also serve as inspiration for the development of policy recommendations to inform policy change at the local, national and European level. Importantly, NEWCOMER will also track the professional development of library staff participating in the project meetings through a series of evaluations, in order to ensure that their capacity to serve local adult learners through libraries is strengthened as a result of the project methodology. The objectives of the NEWCOMER project are threefold: 1. Provide an opportunity for cross-border exchange and networking between library staff working with adult learners; 2. Develop the competences of library staff working with adult learners based on exchanges with project partners contributing their experience and expertise; 3. Empower library staff to deliver more effective support to their adult learners, thereby promoting social inclusion and uptake of educational opportunities in libraries by adult learners within their communities. The vision of the NEWCOMER consortium is to take this methodology beyond the project scope and ultimately to create a global programme of exchange and learning for library staff, with the ultimate goal of better serving disadvantaged people through a network of connected local libraries. This shared vision will drive project partners to ensure quality implementation of the project, measure impact on the ground, and build a network that will be sustained beyond the project lifetime.
NEWCOMER strove to empower library staff with the confidence, skills, and knowledge to develop better adult education opportunities for their community. This was implemented through the development of a strong network of exchange made up of librarians involved in adult education.
Data shows us that 90% of future jobs will require digital skills yet according to the DESI 2022 data only 54% of Europeans have at least basic digital skills. Those most at risk of facing digital exclusion represent a variety of populations including the elderly, people living in remote and rural areas, migrants, prisoners, and unemployed and economically excluded persons. The NEWCOMER project sought to leverage the position of libraries as trusted spaces at the heart of their community. Many libraries already offer training opportunities fit for the digital age for their users. Adult learners may choose to take a specific course offered by their library, use some of the resources the library offers or insight from the library staff without realising they are taking part in an educational activity. This open and welcoming characteristic of libraries makes them ideal to reach marginalised groups. Furthermore, library staff are the first point of contact for adult learners and are required to identify their needs and direct them to the appropriate educational offers from the library. The main challenge faced by librarians is that many lack the support and training that adult educators need as library education across EU member states lags behind in changes in demands on librarians’ competencies. NEWCOMER sought to address this skills gap and help library staff be more equipped to offer a strong adult education offer in their library.