EAST MIDLANDS SKILLS FOR LIFE

STRATEGY FORUM BULLETIN

 

 

 

Bulletin 22

 

November 2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Newsflash

 

 

The national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy, translated in the East Midlands

 

 

Events and Conferences


Please send me a word version, suitable for printing

Sharing the Skills!
If you find this Bulletin useful and think that a colleague could benefit from knowing more about Skills for Life just email them a copy. Then, if they want to receive it regularly, they can ask to be added to the distribution list.

Resources

Free Publicity Material for Maths Campaign

Building on our 'Numbers in Everything/Hands Up if You Hate Maths' campaign of earlier this year, 'you do the maths' highlights the importance of estimating and detailed calculation in helping people to make sense of their everyday lives.

FREE support materials are now available for providers to help them promote their local activities for the campaign.

For more information on the campaign or to order materials on-line please visit
www.niace.org.uk/mathsworks.

 

Skills for Life Materials for Embedded Learning now launched

In September 2004 the first batch of the Skills for Life Materials for Embedded Learning were published. The first five teacher reference files are now available to order

Teacher reference files now available to order:

* Trowel occupations (order ref: embedded/TR)

* Social care (order ref: embedded/SC)

* Horticulture (order ref: embedded/HO)

* Family health (order ref: embedded/FH)

* Effective communication for international nurses (order ref: embedded/NU)

Two further batches of materials are due for release in May 2005 and June 2006. The second batch will include retail, warehousing, catering and hospitality, entry to Employment (E2E) and sports leadership.

DfES Publications on 0845 60 222 60, dfes@prolog.uk.com

quoting the codes above.

 

For more information please visit the Embedded Learning Portal www.dfes.gov.uk/readwriteplus/

embeddedlearning. The Portal contains electronic versions of all the paper-based Materials for Embedded Learning, and additional Interactive practice materials

 

Success factors in informal learning: Young adults' experience of basic skills

A 6 page interim report from the YALP project can now be downloaded from www.nrdc.org.uk/uploads/

documents/doc_316.pdf.

If you are working with young adults aged 16 to 25, delivering literacy, language and numeracy and wish to get involved with the YALP research, or would like more information, contact a member of the team:

Bethia McNeil Project Officer, YALP 0116 204 7057 Bethia.mcneil@niace.org.uk

Linda Smith Research Assistant, YALP 0116 204 4258

You can also visit the project website at http://www.niace.org.uk/

projects/.

 

Summary of all Nationally accredited, fundable ESOL qualifications

To get a summary of all nationally accredited, fundable ESOL qualifications (plus associated presentations) go to the QCA website:

www.qca.org.uk. Type in 'ESOL Qualifications' in search section, to take you to ESOL section To download 'Update 2004' etc follow the instructions on the screen

 

NRDC Research Report; English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) - case studies of provision, learners' needs and resources

This new publication has recently been published by the National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy and can be downloaded as a PDF document from the NRDC website at www.nrdc.org.uk.

 

Funding learning for naturalization and citizenship

A factsheet about new language requirements for naturalization/citizenship for LSC-funded provision can be obtained through www.lsc.gov.uk/National/
Documents/SubjectListing/
FundingLearning
under Guidance click on Basic Skills Factsheet 5.

 

Choosing health

The recently published Public Health White Paper ("Choosing Health") recognises the importance of health literacy in helping people make informed choices about their health and highlights the role of the Skilled for Health projects along with a commitment to expand this programme.

Copies can be purchased via www.dh.gov.uk.

 

Nottingham Good News from 'Building Bridges: Making Connections'

The new Paul Hamlyn Foundation project 'Building Bridges: Making Connections' is now operating in Nottingham with the broad aim of improving the use of library services by refugees and asylum seekers. The Project Officer Sena Zvvonic has now obtained the agreement for the some  libraries in the city  to  offer free space for all Basic Skills groups, including Literacy, Numeracy and ESOL. 

For more information please contact Sena: sena.zvonic@

nottinghamcity.gov.uk 0115 915 8734.

 

Useful Links

 

Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit

www.dfes.gov.uk/readwriteplus  

Lisa Capper ABSSU

Regional Coordinator

lisa.capper@dfes.gsi.gov.uk

 

Basic Skills Agency

www.basic-skills.co.uk

 

DfES Lifelong Learning

www.lifelonglearning.co.uk 

 

Get On Campaign

www.dfes.gov.uk/geton

 

LearnDirect

www.learndirect.co.uk 

 

Learning and Skills Council

www.lsc.gov.uk

 

Learning and Skills Development Agency

www.lsda.org.uk 

 

National Literacy Trust

www.literacytrust.org.uk

 

National Research Development Centre for adult literacy, language and numeracy

www.nrdc.org.uk

 

NIACE (National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education)

www.niace.org.uk

 

Nottinghamshire Skills for Life Partnership now has a website www.ns4lp.org.uk/homepage

 

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority

www.qca.org.uk 

 

Skills for Life Quality Initiative

www.lsc.gov.uk/sflgi

 

Ufi

www.ufi.com

 

Workplace Basic Skills Network

www.lancs.ac.uk/wbsnet

 

 


 

 

 

 

Regional News

 

Skills for Life progress on the 2004 targets

Nationally the target of raising the basic skills of 750,000 adults by 2004 has been met. This reflects the hard work and commitment of all those involved including Learning and Skills Council funded providers, Job Centre Plus and the Prison and Probation Services. In the East Midlands there is still some way to go to be in a position to meet the new challenging targets for 2007. This will mean that all involved need to be even more innovative in engaging and delivering learning opportunities.

 

LSC Area

2004

Target

Progress

To July

2004

%

Achieved

2007

Target

Derbyshire

13713

9514

69

11318

Leicestershire

12700

12,969

102

15710

Lincolnshire

8600

6827

79

8900

Northamptonshire

8650

5874

68

9981

Nottinghamshire

19000

11,628

61

16484

TOTAL

62663

46,812

75.8

62393

 

Skills for Life Quality Initiative 2004-05

 

 

 

Details of the SfLQI, can be found on the SfLQI website www.sflqi.org.uk or contact Chris Donkin (Tel: 07791-698947  email : chris@donkinitex.co.uk) directly. Of particular interest to readers might be:-

 

The 'Professional Development' Strand 

This includes a menu of both leadership and management and professional development opportunities, for staff working at all levels within each organisation, including those delivering key skills.The current list of free SfLQI programmes available in the East Midlands includes Leadership and Management training, Key Skills training for Skills for Life teachers, short courses for practitioners and 'training the trainers' courses. A full list of what is available can be found on the Skills for Life web site (www.lsc.gov.uk/sflqi). Further programmes will be added to the list as soon as they are arranged.

Contact Elaine Scott the SfLQI Regional Training Organiser 07876-687797 email elaine.scott@edu-co.co.uk to book a place on any of the free courses.

 

Facilitator Support in the East Midlands

Over 200 Providers across the East Midlands have been offered the support of a locally based facilitator to assist them in addressing the two key aims of the Quality Initiative;(i)

continuing support for the development of a professional Skills for Life workforce at all levels; (ii) to promote and embed a 'whole organisation' approach to Skills for Life. Early feedback from the 2004-05 facilitation support process has been positive. Many providers have reported that the facilitator has helped them to see the bigger picture. The 'whole organisation approach' is helping to ensure that improving the quality of SfL provision is high on the agenda and incorporated into strategic developments.

 

 

 

 

Literacy and Numeracy 'on the busses' in Northampton

Northamptonshire LSC have been  working with Northampton College and the First Bus Company and the Union Learning reps for First Bus; Peter Mehrtens and Dave Wilkins in Northampton from March 2004. Since then 34% of the 150 staff have already been engaged in learning and this number is set to increase as the tutors are now involved in the induction process for new recruits. The LSC initially allocated  £5000 for the development of an in depot Learning Centre. This has been very well received by staff at the depot and in the New Year it is planned to make the centre available to the families of the staff each weekend.

For more information contact Gordon Sergent gordon.sergent@lsc.gov.uk

 

Grantham College yes are winners

As part of the National Training Awards, yes recently won the Regional Training Award for their outstanding achievements in the East Midlands. It was one particular scheme involving literacy training for 10 young mothers on the Earlsfield Esatt6e, which earned yes a place in the NTA finals. The women were originally given cash incentives to attend 10 sessions of literacy training, but they have all progressed onto further qualifications or jobs.
For further information please contact Lizzy McCaig on 01476 400282.

 

New Executive Director for Nottinghamshire Learning and Skills Council

Mick Brown, former Principal of South East Derbyshire College, is the new Executive Director of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Nottinghamshire. He took up his post in August 2004.

 

Opportunities to bid under Nottinghamshire Objective 3 ESF Co-financing Tendering Round 2004 - 2006 but time is running out

Nottinghamshire Learning and Skills Council are currently seeking tenders from organisations interested in delivering Co-financed provision in Nottinghamshire. The Prospectus is available and provides  information on the priorities for funding, the target groups, the outputs and the arrangements for making applications and selecting tenders for funding. Information can be found at www.lsc.gov.uk/notts.

Applications must be received by the LSC by 17th December 2004, 12 NOON

Late applications will not be accepted.

 

Ufi Sure Start pilot in the East Midlands  

Ufi are currently exploring how to work more effectively with Sure Start to support parents and carers to get involved in learningNationally three pilot projects, planned to run for 8 monthshave been developed to assess the advantages and disadvantages of three distinct delivery model for the UK online offer/ learndirect courses. In the East Midlands Let's Learn Loughborough will be working with their local SureStart Centre in situated in Queens Road,  to work with families to raise standards and motivate learners of all ages through a series of family fun and learning events .  

 

The following regional agencies are leading on national DfES pilots:

·         Voluntary and community Sector project

Derwent Living

www.derwent-housing.com

 

  • LDD Pathfinder

Loughborough College, Portland College and HMP Ashwell

 

  • Whole organisation approach

Leicester College

 

  • Skills for Families Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire

 

National News

Look out in future editions for more information

 

Whole organisation approaches Pathfinders

This new three-year project will explore how best to introduce literacy, language and numeracy across whole organisations at all levels, ranging from strategic leadership and management to delivery practice. It will develop embedded teaching and learning across a range of different programmes and help more learners to secure both Skills for Life and vocational/other qualifications. 25 pathfinder organisations are being selected, ranging from FE colleges to community-based providers. Regular dissemination events will be held and case studies produced to highlight the critical success factors required to achieve a whole organisation approach to Skills for Life provision. 

Contact Rob Pheasant 07795290684.

 

Embedding Skills for Life into vocational qualifications

Through this new three year project the QCA is working with a number of awarding bodies to develop a range of models of literacy, language and numeracy qualifications embedded into vocational qualifications at different levels. These embedded qualifications will be trialed in centres from autumn 2005. Findings will be evaluated and disseminated through case studies, conferences and a web site.

Contact Caroline Hughes 07881 502 269.

 

Convergence of basic and key skills project
This project is led by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority with the aim of securing a single suite of qualifications under a single title to  provide a coherent environment for teaching, learning and assessment for learners. The main strands to the project are; Formative and summative assessment, Guidance, Synergy of support activities, Delivery pilot extensions and Harmonisation of funding.

Contact Terry Smith 07818681932.

 

Skills for Families Phase 2

In September phase two of Skills for Families was launched, with an event in Coventry for all the new pilot projects. Some of the models of delivery piloted