Adult education programmes of NGOs operating in Non-Western contexts: a review of empirical literature

ABSTRACT

Adult education is a key component of worldwide collaborative efforts to achieve social justice aims, such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Such collaborative efforts require the involvement of all sectors, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs). In particular, given the prevalence of globalising and neoliberal influences on development, NGOs providing adult education programmes must navigate complex political and financial hurdles in addition to cultural differences. To evolve our understanding of the role NGOs and their efforts play in international development education, this systematic literature review investigates adult education programmes of NGOs operating in Non-Western contexts. Findings indicate programmes require stakeholder commitment to social justice, concerted efforts to adapt to social and economic contexts, and intentional cultivation of local and international partnerships. While findings align with a general understanding of effective practices within different cultural contexts, this synthesis of empirical work provides a foundation for deeper understanding of how to implement such culturally relevant practices and improve the path forward for NGO adult education programmes and partnerships.

KEYWORDS:

• International Adult Education
• non-governmental organisations
• Non-Western
• sustainable development goals

Declarations of interest

none

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jill Zarestky

Jill Zarestky, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at Colorado State University in the School of Education. Her research interests include non-formal and community-based education, STEM education, and issues of feminism, globalisation, and social justice.

Sarah M. Ray

Sarah M. Ray, MPA, is a PhD student in Educational Human Resource Development at Texas A&M University. Her research interests include community education, global adult education, multi-culturalism, race and equity, and feminist teaching perspectives.