Abstract
Current government policy and practice in the post-compulsory education and training (PCET) sector-particularly the emphasis on community participation and social inclusion in further education (FE) derived from New Labour's 'third way' values framework-is examined against the background of community perspectives and critical accounts of current lifelong learning initiatives. Emerging policy is analysed in terms of a Further Education Development Agency (FEDA) sponsored project based at Warwick University-'The FE College and Its Communities'-and observations and speculations are made in the light of the main findings and the challenges facing FE following the re-organisation of PCET under the Learning and Skills Council.