My Hawke Research Institute working paper has just been published. It offers a description of and a contribution to a theory about the sector of out-of-school (non-formal) educational provision for young people. Focusing particularly on arts and culturally based activities, it surveys the forms and structures of such provision and explores how it is used in a range of policy contexts, especially those aiming to redress social exclusion and promote economic regeneration. This is contextualised within a consideration of how out-of-school education could form part of the overall ecology of education provision offered to young people in the community. It draws on examples of study, research and evaluation from around the world and is aimed at education administrators, academics, researchers, practitioners and social policy makers, and attempts to offer a coherent overview of a crucial but neglected part of what should constitute the educational sector in the global, post-industrialised world.

In May 2006, I will be working in Adelaide, UniSA again developing the New Spaces Project. This involves working with government and the University to etablish and build up non-formal learning centres, as well as strategically developing the University as a centre for research and study in this field.

I’d like to thank Steve O’Hear for helping to put together my new website. Enjoy.