New Developments: May 2008
New on the Learning Communities page this month is the strategic plan for RISE - the learning network in South East Wales. Join the Club sets out a proposal for a new partnership of providers, other agencies, learners and employers to coordinate the task of overhauling adult learning and skills services. The aim is to engage with a significant proportion of the 100,000 local residents who lack useful qualifications, to reduce benefits dependency and to improve the skills of those in work. The plan was well received at its launch in Newport and the next step will be to elect an Executive Board to put it into operation.
We have just completed a study of the feasibility of introducing a responsiveness to communities measure as part of the Framework for Excellence, the scheme for monitoring and improving the performance of learning and skills providers. The study has been commissioned through NIACE by the Learning and Skills Council. At a time when public policy emphasises the importance of social cohesion, equality and diversity, there may not be much doubt about the desirability of a new communities measure for providers - the big question is, is it doable? The report will go out to the 40 or so providers and others interviewed for the study in June and will be available here soon afterwards.
Last month we reported on our work on learning champions schemes in England. We are now working with NIACE to organise a national conference for learning champions, their managers and all those who benefit from the work of these community-based volunteers. Details of the conference - on 18 June in central London - can be found at www.niace.org.uk The future of secondary schooling has been a major focus for us in 2007 and we expect it to continue into 2008 with the launch of a major campaign to shape public opinion which we are helping to design. More and more people are recognising that our schools are no longer fit for purpose, but what should we replace them with? Some of the answers to that question are contained in New Models of Schooling, published by the Smith Institute in November and edited by Martin Yarnit at www.smith-institute.org.uk/pdfs/schools.pdf We are also keen to press on with our work on local employment strategies, following projects for emda, the East Midlands Regional Development Agency, and Newport City Council.
