Ransackers promotes serious study for older people (over 55s).
Between 2004-2014 700 older people took 10 week study courses at HE colleges, ( eg Ruskin at Oxford) all doing a written mini-thesis. A number went on to do further study, or degrees. As current government funding rules make it virtually impossible for colleges to run these courses any more, and not being vocational, they are not eligible for student loan, we have started research activities to keep the ball rolling. in 2015 we interviewed 20 of the Ransacker students, about their experiences, & the benefits and impact to their later life, which were many: e.g. health, confidence, more volunteering, more participation in the community.
Some stated objectives:
1.1 To promote the health, well being and personal development of older people by encouraging their participation in Lifelong Learning
1.2 To build the capacity of older people to continue to contribute to society, by refreshing and enhancing their skills
1.3 To enable older people to manage life transitions and turn them to positive advantage
1.4 To contribute to the body of knowledge by publishing Ransackers' research projects
1.5 To promote the continuation of Ransackers courses
We apply for funding which allows us to run educational activities for over 55s, eg workshops, research activities in which the older people are the actual researchers supported by academics who are expect in both research methodology and gerontology.
We are members of British Society of Gerontology and attend their conferences: in 2015 we spoke at their annual conference, about early findings of our 2015 research project on older learners who had taken up HE level study having missed out on it in their youth. We found several key social factors had prevented women in particular from studying after school in their youth, ( in the 50s and 60s) and when Ransacker 10 week courses were available and funded (2004-14) they had jumped at them.
In 2013-14 we ran workshops, on Lottery funding, which enabled us to generate ideas from membership on how to go forward in a climate where our original 10 week courses of study with a self chosen project topic were no longer viable. This resulted in a shift to research into the benefits and impact of the serious study by our members, older people and retirees.
In 2015 we ran a self-funded research project- (see above)
In 2016 we have a Bid in to run a wider research project, which was devised by members at a workshop we ran during our 2015 re-union at Ruskin College. The project will be run by older people, carried out by older people, who will do the research, the analysis and the speaking at conferences. They will be supported in methodology and coached by members who are Friends of Ransackers (e.g. they have degrees and are academic researchers)
We are a not for profit organised by an elected committee which meets every 6 weeks in London. We have no paid workers. We are national across England and keep our networks going with the 5 colleges who ran the original 10 week courses: Ruskin, Hillcroft, Fircroft, Northern, and Hastings.
We produce a newsletter spring and autumn which goes out to members.We have a website.
At British Society of Gerontology conference 2015 we made a film about Ransackers work with older learners, as part of their Ageing Bites series. This, with a 2013 film we made under the Lottery Project describe what Ransackers stand for and the impact of serious study on older peoples lives. Videos are on our website at:
www.ransackersassociation.org.uk
We work in partnership with other organisations who have similar aims: e.g. Hillcroft College, Open University, Canterbury Christchurch College, Ruskin College.
We are working with Hillcroft College toward a major ERASMUS EU bid due March 2016, which has the aim of fostering exchange between 3 countries of older people involved in older peoples’ education and learning. This is being done as partners, Hillcroft will lead the Bid and the project, we have supplied links to partners in Spain, Estonia and Rome, through our previous experiences with EU projects in the last 10 years.
We ran workshop activities during Camden Intergenerational week 2015, in collaboration with KOVE,(Kilburn Older Voices)
