The groups least represented in education and training provision in the United Kingdom are those who are also the most socially and economically disadvantaged: long-term unemployed people; low-wage manual workers; people with poor literacy and no qualifications; members of some black and Asian communities; older adults; homeless people; single parents; caregivers of sick or elderly relatives; and rural adults. Encouraging these groups to engage in education is a complex and multi-faced process that involves a range of inter-dependent elements, such as development work in the community, curriculum development, student support, and provision of continuation strategies. The Oxfordshire (England) Strategic Partnership was formed in the summer of 1997 to run innovative learning programs with nonparticipatory adults. Five action research projects, database creation, and five local planning partnerships were created with the responsibility of developing plans for widening participation of these groups of potential learners. (The action research projects form the basis of this guidance document, which contains 12 sections covering the following topics: partnerships; reaching people; defining the target group; development work; networking; negotiating with the gatekeepers; consulting the target group; responding to identified interests, motivations, and needs; delivery; learner support; exit and continuation strategies; and embedding. Eight appendixes provide information on the projects and contact information.) (KC)