Council conclusions on local community development through education and training
The Council of the European Union has published conclusions on local community development through education and training. The Council aims to encourage local people and institutions to become involved in promoting and implementing lifelong learning opportunities throughout their communities. Since the Council recognizes that activities at local level, under the principle of subsidiarity, do not fall within the Community's exclusive competence, it acknowledges that Community action in this field must be limited. The conclusions call on the Commission to study practices and approaches to local community development through education and training in the Member States. This study could lead to disseminating examples of good practice and identifying ways in which education and training, both formal and non-formal, can contribute to the enrichment of life and development of skills for people at local level. The Council identifies four principles which should inform approaches to the promotion of local community development through education and training: - Empowering individuals and groups, to attain new levels of personal and social awareness; - Empowering people at local level to become involved in identification of needs, and developing responses to those needs, including using new information and communications technologies; - Fostering social inclusion, by involving people in all dimensions of society; - Promoting equality of rights and opportunities for all people in local communities.