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Knowledge Rich, Knowledge Poor?
Understanding the current policy context for adult learning
| Date: | Friday 1 December 2006 |
| Venue: | Northern College, Stainborough, Barnsley, S. Yorks S75 3ET |
| Ref: | C1451/12/06 |
| Fee*: | £80: (includes lunch, tea/coffee) |
[Background] [Audience] [Programme]
Background
This Conference is set against a background of significant change in the future funding of Personal and Community Development Learning and in the current funding of adult education provision in further education settings and through Local Authority adult and community learning provisions. This Regional Conference will explore the immediate impact of these funding changes on the landscape for adult learning across the Yorkshire and Humber Region. Delegates will develop an action plan for monitoring the effect of future proposed changes. The impact of fee charging policies in South Yorkshire, recently introduced for the first time, will also be explored.
Why is it being held now?
This is certainly a time of change for adult learning. Are these changes to
be seen as opportunities or threats? Does a wider funding base open up the
possibility of new partnerships, innovative approaches and renewed energy or
might a whole infrastructure for learning be lost? Are we in danger of promoting
a two-tier system for adult learning, with some learners able to access a range
of provisions, while others receive a restricted learning offer?
The impact on funding changes has been monitored by providers over the last year and it is time to consider what significant changes have already taken place in the volume and breadth of provision. With significant change already highlighted for the 2007-08 academic year, it is imperative that we develop a full understanding of the impact of policy changes so that we can have an intelligent and informed debate about the impact on adult learners and adult learning.
We need to consider the reactions of learners and providers. We need to ask what impact there has been on the widening participation agenda? We need to consider whether there has been a disproportionate impact on one group of learners over another and ask what kind of provision has been lost, if any?
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Aims
A central aim of the conference is to begin to explore how funding for Personal and Community Development Learning can be diversified to attract new partners, shared resources and to enable collaborative planning.
The conference also aims to bring differing organisations and partners together to unite to promote the value of adult learning and to campaign to secure a fairer funding settlement for adult learners in the future.
The conference will:
 | Examine whether there have been any unintended consequences to the funding policy changes recently introduced to adult learning. |
| Examine in detail the direct and indirect impact that changes to funding priorities have had on the regional learning landscape for adults. |
| This conference provides a positive opportunity to explore and debate these issues, whilst acknowledging that changes have been significant and difficult for some. |
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Audience
The event will be of particular interest to:
| Community Groups |
| Education Consultants |
| Employment Service |
| FE Colleges |
| Government Departments with responsibilities for education, skills and economic development |
| Jobcentre Plus |
| Learning and Skills Councils |
| Learning Partnerships |
| Local Educational Authorities |
| nextstep |
| Organisations supporting equality of opportunity and social inclusion |
| Probation Service |
| School Sixth Forms |
| Sector Skills Councils |
| Training Organisations |
| Training Providers |
| Ufi/learndirect |
| Voluntary Groups |
| Yorkshire Forward |
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Programme
| 10:15 | Arrival and Registration (Tea/Coffee available) |
| 10:45 | Welcome to Northern College Tony Jowett, Principal, Northern College |
| 11:00 | The LSC Perspective and
Questions Fiona Blacke, Regional Director - Learning, Planning and Performance, Yorkshire and The Humber Learning and Skills Council |
| 11:30 | The NIACE Perspective and
Questions Alastair Thomson, Senior Development Officer – Policy, NIACE |
| 12:00 | Workshops: session one 1) Hard facts – telling it how it is. The impact of changes in adult learning provision in Barnsley Lesley Rudd, Learning and Skills Manager, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and Jan Novitzky, Regional Development Officer - Yorkshire and The Humber, NIACE Message to the Minister 2) The impact on Local Education Authority provision John Lawton, Regional Development Officer - Yorkshire and The Humber, NIACE Message to the Minister 3) The impact on voluntary sector provision John Harris, Workforce and Skills Development Co-ordinator, The Regional Forum Message to the Minister 4) The impact on community development partners Gina Hawkins, Director of Active Communities Programme, Northern College, Barnsley Message to the Minister |
| 13:00 | Lunch |
| 14:00 | Engaging Learners - why are the
first steps so important? Gina Hawkins, Northern College and John Lawton, NIACE |
| 14:30 | Workshops: session two (repeated) |
| 15:00 | Action planning for
sustainability Panel: Alastair Thomson, Gina Hawkins, John Harris, John Lawton and Lesley Rudd Interactive Session: 1) Prioritise key messages for the Minister 2) Vote on key actions arising from Workshops 3) Agree on Action Plan and timescales |
| 15:45 | Close of Conference (Tea/Coffee available) |
This programme is correct at the time of going to press. The organisers reserve the right to make changes to the published programme in the event of one or more of the advertised speakers being unable to attend. Delegates will have no claim against NIACE in respect of such changes.
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Also in December 2006...
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