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Cambridge Housing Society New Horizons Service
Case study completed: 19/01/05
[Summary] [Background] [Aims/Objectives] [Activities] [Critical Success Factors] [Challenges] [Lessons Learned] [Learners' Stories]
Summary
The Cambridge Housing Society New Horizons Service delivers one-to-one, home-based learning in literacy, numeracy and IT to residents of Cambridge Housing Society (CHS) properties. Learners include benefit claimants, single parents, unemployed people and people working in low-skilled occupations. The New Horizon Service is one of a variety of products and services developed by CHS to help people achieve a secure home life, opportunities for personal development and the quality of life they want. It was developed in partnership with Long Road Sixth Form College, whose staff devise and deliver the learning provision.
The New Horizon Service brings learning to the learner and tailors delivery to meet individual needs and enhances the identification of literacy, language and numeracy. It enables people to access learning who, because of geographical isolation, health problems, childcare responsibilities, low self-confidence or other factors would not be able to join a class. A range of services are offered including free laptops to support literacy, numeracy and IT development in the learner’s own home; information about training and employment; and weekly tuition meetings which are arranged at times to suit the learner. Tuition continues until learners are ready to take a national test and all learners (except those who withdraw) do so. Transport and childcare costs are paid to enable the learner to attend the college to sit the test. Since the project began in 2003, 122 learners (mostly women) have taken up literacy and numeracy provision. Achievement rates are over 90% for those taking Levels 1 and 2 literacy, and many progress on to further learning. The project has successfully tapped into and supported people’s aspirations enabling them to secure qualifications. There are plans to recruit 144 learners for 2005-6.
Background
CHS has 60 laptops which it loans to residents and delivers one-to-one IT tuition in their homes. As a result of this contact, CHS IT tutors identified LLN needs among many learners. Attempts were made to negotiate suitable LLN provision with a number of FE colleges, and Long Road Sixth Form College indicated that it would be willing to negotiate delivery around learner needs by taking learning to the learners. Initial funding was secured through the Basic Skills Agency’s Basic Skills in Local Communities Fund. Sustainable, mainstream funding has subsequently been secured from the LSC for tuition, IAG and the purchase of more laptops.
Aims/Objectives
The programme aims to offer learning opportunities in literacy, numeracy and IT which meet the needs of CHS residents. CHS is a traditional housing association managing 1,700 homes and providing related care and support services, and also runs a community investment service tackling non-housing issues which are important to its residents. Through its range of products and services, CHS aims to provide people with a secure home life, opportunities for personal development and the quality of life that they want. Due to the dispersed nature of CHS housing stock and the special circumstances of many potential learners, it was essential to develop provision which could be delivered on a one-to-one basis in learners’ homes.
Activities and Outcomes
All CHS residents are encouraged to participate in the education and training opportunities which are promotes as the ‘New Horizons’ service. A glossy New Horizons pack is delivered to every resident with a visit a week or so later by an IAG worker who will discuss the pack. The menu offered includes the opportunity to have a free laptop computer, loan advice, information about training and employment, and monthly support meetings in the resident’s own home as well as basic skills support. The loan of the laptop is frequently used as a hook to encourage resident to “have a go” at learning. As part of the introduction to using the computer, all residents go through an initial assessment using Target Skills so that knowledge of residents’ LLN levels is gained at an early stage. It also provides the Training Adviser with an opportunity to talk about qualifications either already gained or to which the resident might aspire. If the resident wishes to work on their LLN skills the CHS Training Adviser arranges a suitable time for the resident to meet the LLN tutor and accompanies the tutor on the first visit. CHS staff undertake a risk assessment of all learners before agreeing that one-to-one home tuition can take place. Lessons take place at a time to suit the learner and last for about an our each week. Each learner has an ILP which is used at the end of a teaching session, and a log of sessional activity is recorded with learners adding their own comments about the suitability of the work. Tuition continues until learners are ready to take national tests, which they do at Long Road College. On successfully completing tests, learners are referred back to IAG worker to enable them to progress to further learning. Retention and achievement figures for the project have been very high at over 85% in each year. The programme began in 2003-4 with 50 literacy learners, and in 2004-5 it has attracted 72 learners, two-thirds in literacy and one-third in numeracy. It is planned to recruit 144 learners in 2005-6. The great majority of learners to date have been women.
Critical success factors
The programme’s success is attributed to:
 | Successful liaison between CHS IAG staff and Long Road College tutors, and the complementary mixing of cultures between the two bodies. |
| CHS administrative support worker establishes a strong rapport with learners. |
| Learning opportunities are taken to learners and provided on the learners’ terms and in ways that speak to their concerns. |
Challenges
A number of problems have been encountered and successfully negotiated during the development of the programme. These include:
| Finding a provider prepared to take learning to the learner. One of the CHS IT tutors also worked at Long Road College, and initiated productive discussions. |
| Initially, there was a limited range of learning resources available and not al were suitable for adult learners. The range and appropriateness of materials has now been increased, and in the process Long Road College’s LLN offer has been substantially enhanced. |
| Long Road tutors have had to learn to develop a different style of delivery and work in a different environment. |
Lessons learned
Programme staff identified the following lessons learned:
| Door-knocking may be labour intensive but it is a very successful means of recruitment in this context. | ||||
| Training in Basic Skills awareness is crucial for IAG workers. | ||||
| Effective lone working and risk assessment policies are essential for 1-1 home working. | ||||
| The importance of listening and responding.
| ||||
| The importance of taking learning opportunities to people. | ||||
| CHS are proactive in developing relationships with their residents – not all housing associations adopt this practice. | ||||
| The approach of tapping into people’s aspirations rather than a deficit model of simply solving their problems is one that clearly works. |
Learners’ stories
A BSA consultant visited the project half way through its first year. She interviewed two learners. Her report states:
“Both learners met were very clear about the teaching they were receiving and were able to express why they felt things were working well for them so far. One mother stated that she would not have joined a class as she was very lacking in confidence about her own skills and had considerable concerns about childcare arrangements. She recognised that as someone who was bullied at schools and had therefore left without taking any exams, she was in a very difficult position as far as any future employment was concerned. For her, the home tuition had boosted her confidence and she was about to take the national test at level 2. The other learner was a male employee who works nights at a local supermarket. He perceives his current job as an interim arrangement as he wants to set up his own business as a gardener for local people. He recognises he has significant difficulties with reading and writing (pre-entry/entry) and has received help in the distant past (early 80s). He has never considered joining a group. Both learners do a significant amount of homework between visits from the tutor. ”
Individual learner comments quoted by CHS include:
“ My literacy has improved so much – I have learned a lot more than I ever thought I would – without the laptop computer and support I would not have achieved what I have done. Now I am more confident with my daughter.”
“It was a very good personal service which I found comforting. Being able to learn at home is great as I have two small children.”
“It gives me the opportunity to retrain at home which is excellent as I
don’t drive. I also would think twice about attending college.”
