Adult Learners’ Week—He Tangata Mātauranga returns from 7–13 September 2026, celebrating the achievements of adult learners and the transformative power of learning together.
A UNESCO initiative celebrated in more than 40 countries, Adult Learners’ Week is part of an international movement dedicated to self-determination through learning. ACE Aotearoa has celebrated the festival across the motu for more than 25 years, showcasing the learning available in our communities and recognising the courage, commitment and success of adults who have returned to learning.
This year’s theme is Finding Our Voice—Ko tōku reo, ko tōku ohooho!, meaning “My language or voice is my awakening power.”
At The Yellow Plane Studio in Pahiatua, Billy sees that awakening taking place around the shared table every week.
Learning often begins with uncertainty.
Billy hears learners say things such as, “I’m not good at doing this.” With encouragement, patience and the opportunity to try, those expressions of self-doubt gradually begin to change.
“I’m not good at this” becomes “Oh wow! I didn’t think I could do that!”
And that grows into: “I can do this, but I need your assistance.”
Then comes the moment everyone has been working towards: “I did it independently!”
This journey from uncertainty to confidence and pride is at the heart of adult learning. It is not only about developing a practical or creative skill. It is also about discovering personal potential and gaining the confidence to take the next step.
For Billy, one of the most rewarding moments is seeing someone who has been quiet begin to find their voice.
“We celebrate!” she says.
Confidence does not always arrive all at once. A learner may initially feel comfortable speaking only with Billy or one or two other course members. As trust and connection grow, they begin to participate more freely and eventually feel confident sharing their ideas with the whole group.
In Yellow Plane Studio’s Creative Confidence courses, learners work around a large shared arrangement of tables. This helps everyone feel included in conversations, demonstrations and learning activities.
Many adults experience social anxiety or feel uncertain in new group settings. A welcoming learning environment can give them the time, safety and encouragement they need to participate in their own way. Billy takes great pride and pleasure in watching that confidence grow through the REAP classes.
What happens when a group of adults learns together that cannot happen alone?
“Collective joy!” says Billy.
Learning as a group creates opportunities to share experiences, encourage one another and offer practical help. Learners see that mistakes are a natural part of the process and discover new approaches through group conversations.
Curiosity about another person’s project can spark inspiration for their own. When someone completes a piece of work or masters a new skill, the achievement belongs to that learner—but the delight is shared around the table.
Across the courses Billy facilitates, she sees people celebrating one another’s progress. They build creative and practical skills while also forming friendships, gaining confidence and strengthening their connection with the community.
Adult learning takes place in many different spaces and at every level of the community. Each week, thousands of adults learn together in libraries, community centres, church halls, schools, marae and creative spaces such as Yellow Plane Studio.
Adult Learners’ Week reminds us that learning is joyful, supports wellbeing and becomes even more powerful when it is shared. As people learn together, they build relationships, discover their voices and strengthen their communities.
The festival aims to:
- Celebrate learner success
- Raise the profile of community education and its benefits
- Encourage learning and make it accessible to everyone
The 2026 theme invites us to explore how lifelong learning helps people find their unique and powerful voices. It also recognises the importance of being informed, developing the confidence to speak up and understanding the power of a collective community voice.
At Yellow Plane Studio, that collective voice begins with people gathering around a table. Trying something new, sharing ideas and cheering one another on.
That is the joy of adult learning. It helps us move from “I can’t” to “I can,” from silence to self-expression, and from learning individually to growing together.
Adult Learners’ Week—He Tangata Mātauranga
7–13 September 2026
Finding Our Voice—Ko tōku reo, ko tōku ohooho!