Dance lesson vouchers planned for the elderly

[13 January 2008 - Guardian Unlimited - UK] Elderly people keen to take up lessons in activities such as art, dancing, computing or sport will be given vouchers to set up their own groups and buy in teachers, under government proposals to be unveiled this week. The plans, which will be published by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills on Tuesday, could signal a shift away from the traditional evening class. Instead, older people would be able to pay experts to give classes to themselves and friends, or to accompany them on visits to museums or on other activities. If a group were keen to learn about cricket, for example, they could hire a professional to teach them about the game and accompany them to a match. More