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Consultancy
Regional Development Officers, supported by the HQ-based Regions Team, undertake a wide range of consultancy activities in addition to their other duties. The purposes of consultancy can vary considerably. Regional Development Officers have been asked to undertake root-and-branch analyses of LEA adult education services, making recommendations about future organisation, or engaged to organise sustained post-inspection quality support and improvement training programmes. Expertise amongst Regional Development Officers consolidated by the skills and experience of the Senior Development Officer (Regions), and the range of experience available within NIACE, means that they can respond to a range of requirements. Four members of the Regions team have PhDs, and others have Masters degrees as well as research experience. Often, they manage consultancy projects as well as contributing expertise to projects run by other teams.
Examples of specific regional projects are:
 | Recent research and recommendations about future organisation of LEA adult learning services in Luton and Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Blackburn with Darwen, Cumbria and Leicestershire. |
| Training in quality improvement, for example with two local authorities in the East Midlands. |
| Learning Champions (In West Midlands). |
Examples of Regional Development Officer leadership of or contributions to national projects are:
| Catching Confidence’ (North West). |
| Recognising and recording progress and achievement in non-accredited learning (with Learning and Skills Development Agency). |
| ACL workforce development project (with Learning and Skills Development Agency). |
| Research projects on assessment (with Learning and Skills Development Agency). |
Regional Development Officers all have different expertise in adult learning. One is skilled in qualitative research methods used to good effect with vulnerable adult learners. Another is skilled in futures and strategic work. Another specialises in initial teacher training, qualifications and credit, and equality and diversity issues. Others have expert skills and knowledge in the field of local authority strategy, organisation and finance. A high level of capacity amongst Regional Development Officers is supplemented by a specialist knowledge base and expertise across other NIACE teams, including:
| The Community Learning team, |
| The Family Learning team, |
| The Quality Improvement team, |
| The Voluntary and Community Sector team, |
| The Race Equality team, |
| The Widening Adult Participation team, |
| The Local Authority Adult Learning team, |
| The Literacy, Language and Numeracy team. |
This cross team support ensures flexibility and responsiveness to consultancy demands.
Regional Development Officers are well backed up by the Regions Team Projects Officer with his specialist research expertise and dedicated Research team, and the Regions Research Administrator.
The consultancy work of Regional Development Officers provides a source of unparalleled advice to the Learning and Skills sector for the benefit of adult learning and ‘more and different learners’ whilst keeping Regional Development Officers connected with what is happening in the field, thereby providing an important source of staff and personal development.
If you are interested in in our consultancy service please contact your regional development officer, contact details are listed on the The Team page.
