| Path: Projects > R&D > Voluntary Sector > LSC Regional Report > Eastern |
Learning and Skills Councils: Opportunities for the Voluntary Sector
Belstead House Education and Conference Centre, Belstead, Ipswich
Thursday 16th March 2000.
This page contains appendices FROM, and should be read in conjunction WITH the Regional Report
For the Eastern Region seminar
The planning and delivery of this event was undertaken on behalf of NIACE and the WEA by Cheryl Turner (Development Officer, NIACE) and Michael Freeston (Education Officer, WEA).
Particular acknowledgement needs to be given to the hard work of administrative staff of both organisations, especially Philippa Cattell, Averil Coutinho and Vera Tunçel, for ensuring the smooth running of the event.
NIACE and the WEA gratefully acknowledge the support of Carole Garfield, (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) who contributed to the presentations at the Ipswich event.
53 participants registered to attend the event. Representatives of the Government Office Local Learning Partnerships, voluntary groups and 'umbrella' organisations attended. This spread of experience and knowledge ensured that participants’ contributions, both in the discussion groups and plenary sessions were lively and informative.
[ Back to Report ]
At the Eastern Region seminar
| There is a need for consistency across the regions in terms of the processes and mechanisms for allocation of resources. There should however be flexibility in regional plans and provision. |
| There is a general plea for a simplification of processes and less bureaucracy. |
| There is a need for collaboration between bodies and across sectors around common issues, such as staff development. |
| LSCs should be positively linked to a drive for quality. |
| The learner led system is to be welcomed and this must be made a reality rather than mere rhetoric. |
| The new structure should be seen as opening up learning possibilities beyond training by the Voluntary Sector for the Voluntary Sector. |
| There is a need to map what is already provided by the diverse organisations in the Voluntary Sector as a pre-requisite for building its infrastructure and developing its provision. |
| There is a need for training/learning at an early level (including key skills). However, replication of provision should be avoided. |
| There is a need for community based capacity building to link communities through regeneration and networking, take learning into communities and ensure that provision is learner/citizen/resident driven. |
| Concern exists over the predominance of business representation on LSCs. Places should be allocated to representatives of the Voluntary Sector at both national and local levels. |
| It should be recognised that Voluntary Sector bodies are businesses and employers - this should be incorporated in the 40% allocation for members with recent business and commercial experience. |
| Have all the important decisions been made? Is this consultation exercise too late? |
| How is important information to be disseminated? |
| What is the role of NCVO? They should take an active role in ensuring quality assurance systems are suitable for the Voluntary Sector. |
| The new systems need to acknowledge and help overcome the barriers to learning faced by some potential and current learners. |
| There need to be effective links between Voluntary Organisations to influence LSCs from the ground up. |
| Will funding be linked to social groups or post codes? |
| There is a need for regional fora as essential parts of the Voluntary Sector infrastructure. Mapping of existing structures needs to take place around which developments can be built. |
| There is a need to define the contribution of the Sector to learning provision. |
| The Sector should not get too 'hung up' on issues around representations. |
| Tensions may arise between funding structures on the one hand and the distinctive flexibility of the Voluntary Sector on the other. |
| It is very important for the Voluntary Sector to influence the use of the 10-15% non-formula funding. |
| There is a need to ensure that this element does not drop below 10-15%. |
| Is the Government aware of the current scale of Voluntary Sector learning provision that may be eligible for inclusion in this 10-15%. |
| There is a need for a body to take on the role of disseminating useful information to Voluntary Sector bodies engaged in training and learning. Swift dissemination will be necessary where responses are requested. |
| Staff development/preparation will be necessary for inspections. |
| A Voluntary Sector standards fund (cf local authority and further education standards funds) to build capacity. |
| Franchising criteria should not inhibit partnership working - this relates particularly to the stated aim that only one intermediary may exist between the LSC and the learner. |
| Funding procedures should ensure that small organisations do not need to draw on their own funds to overcome cash flow problems. |
| Representation on LSCs should be from the 'bottom-up'. How will this work and recognise the diversity of the Sector at grass roots level? |
| The primary importance is for clarity and simplicity in funding. |
| How are the needs and difficulties faced by the hardest to reach groups to be reflected in the Governments plans? |
| Appropriate ways of 'measuring' achievement for early and non-qualification based learning must be agreed. QCA and DfEE have to be convinced of the quality of existing methods. |
| QCA must recognise the validity of current approaches to recognition of learning on non-accredited programmes. Good practice already exists and these should not be seen as working from a deficit model. |
[ Back to Report ]
At the Eastern Region seminar
From the forms returned the ratings for this event were: 6 very good, 14 good and 7 satisfactory. Overall, the written comments were positive and spoke favourably about the clear structure of the programme and the balance between presentations, discussion and feedback, the informal, friendly atmosphere and free flow and open character of the comments, the documentation before and during the event, the fact that it was clearly for voluntary bodies and included a number of grass-roots organisations, and the richness of the plenary discussions due to the diverse experience and knowledge of the participants.
[ Back to Report ]