Your editorial about investing in young people in coastal towns (9 July) mentioned arts hubs, youth clubs and leisure facilities – all very desirable – but not the main providers of learning opportunities, further education colleges. You may say that support for colleges is implicit – but it’s exactly the invisibility of the college sector in the public mind that explains the lack of material investment in them.
Arguably, universities have sucked out many of the young people from coastal towns – not deliberately, of course, and they should not be blamed for this. But it’s a consequence of the general low level of appreciation of the value of the college sector.
A further related gripe: in the recent spending review, there was some increase in funding levels for young students, but none for adults. Colleges such as the Working Men’s College in Camden, north London, which recently celebrated its 170th birthday and which specialises in learning opportunities for adults of all ages, is really suffering. Wouldn’t it be good for coastal towns (and elsewhere) if there were more chances for all adults from 18 upwards to learn together?
Tom Schuller
London
