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Information, Advice and Support
Regional Development Officers act as a source of effective, accurate and current information for regional organisations, agencies and partnerships with an interest in adult learning. This role operates at a number of levels and across all sectors of adult learning. It can range from responding to requests for information from individuals through to supporting organisations with advice on particular topics or to advising on the impact of national policy initiatives on regional developments. Examples of this include:
 | Offering guidance to individuals on Skills for Life qualifications. |
| Running sessions for FE providers on best practice in developing embedded literacy, language and numeracy provision. |
| Providing briefings on the impact of proposed changes in fees policy. |
| Linking with NIACE’s specialist Development Officers, researchers and project workers. |
In some cases, the Regional Development Officers respond to requests from external agencies and partner organisations. In others, the Regional Development Officer will take a pro-active role in identifying a need for information, advice or support and offer appropriate guidance. Such responses could involve:
| Chairing a specific meeting to address an issue. |
| Convening and supporting a longer-term network. |
| Commenting on policy documents and consultations, such as Regional Skills Partnership Action Plans. |
| Contributing to focus groups or for on issues such as learner engagement, the Level 2 entitlement, older learners or e learning. |
| Developing specific publications or resources such as ‘ At the Heart of Learning’ – a sector-specific information pack for voluntary and community sector organisations produced by the NIACE Regional Achievement Programme. |
There is also an important national dimension to the Regional Development Officer’s role in providing information and advice. Regional Development Officers frequently operate as the conduit between nationally driven programmes such as the LSC’s, Widening Adult Participation Action Fund aimed at their regional delivery. In this example, the Regional Development Officer advised and supported the local LSC with its bid whilst also maintaining a two-way channel of communication with NIACE national WAPAF programme officers who work directly with the national LSC.
Related Links:
| Regional Achievement Programme |
| RARPA (Recognising And Recording Progress and Achievement in non-accredited learning) |
