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Latest News: February 2002
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In Search of Excellence
A short briefing paper, 'In Search of Excellence', has been published outlining a range of issues that NIACE believes should be addressed during the development of the Centres of Vocational Education initiative. The paper identifies some distinguishing features of excellence in colleges within the Pathfinder network, and raises concerns for adult learners within the increasing emphasis on vocationalism within Further Education.
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"In search of Excellence" (PDF file, 174 KB) |
Conference
NIACE is also continuing to develop the debate over competing roles and traditions in Further Education with a conference - "Vocational Education and Access for All: what is the core mission for Adult Learning in Colleges?" The conference, in association with the Association of Colleges is on Tuesday 26th February 2002 at Woburn House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H
| For further details of the conference
please contact: Philippa Cattell, Tel. 0116 204 4245 or e-mail: philippa@niace.org.uk Or visit the 'Vocational Education Access for All' web page |
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Linking learning to health
In this country there is health inequality - people who are poor suffer more ill health and die earlier than people who are better off. A set of four regional conferences organised by NIACE, aims to show that education can be a route out of disadvantage for many people and can have positive effects on health.
The conferences - to be held from February to March in Middlesbrough, London, Bristol and Manchester - will be of interest to community education managers in Local Authorities and in Further Education, staff working in Leisure, Health and Social Services, in Public Health and Health Action Zones.
Kathryn James, author of Prescribing Learning: a guide to good practice in learning and health, said,:
"Surveys show that those at risk of poor health are the groups who do not participate in learning, and that poor health, disability and low self-esteem are still very significant barriers to learning for some people."
The conferences will discuss joint approaches in taking the learning and health agenda forward and highlight good practice in learning and health. All participants will receive a free copy of Prescribing Learning, by Kathryn James.
| For further details of the regional
conferences please contact: Philippa Cattell, Tel. 0116 204 4245 or e-mail: philippa@niace.org.uk Or visit the Prescribing Learning regional conferences web page Prescribing Learning: a guide to good practice in learning and health can now be purchased online from the publications section of this website, priced £8.95. |
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Sport - a leap into learning?
Just half of the adult population takes part in a sport or fitness activity, a NIACE Survey reveals. Despite the positive impact of sport and fitness on health, only one in four over 55's take part.
A surprising finding of the research is that 7 in 10 of the population who follow a sport as a spectator said that their interest has led them to learn more about the sport or club that they follow, for example through listening to or watching programmes related to their team or sport, by reading magazines and books, by using the Internet or by collecting statistics and compiling records about their sport.
Alan Tuckett, Director of NIACE says:
"Learning makes the difference to the quality of your life. All kinds of things motivate people to get started. Sport and fitness activity are a key element in a healthy and learning society."
The survey interviewed 6,310 adults over the age of 17 throughout the UK, between 30th March and 17th April 2001.
Other findings of the research illustrate that:
 | The most common sporting activities are swimming, walking and keep fit/yoga. Interestingly, with the exception of football, the ten most popular activities are all individual rather than team sports. |
| The main reasons given for why people initially get involved in sport and fitness activities are to keep healthy, to enjoy oneself and to get fit. |
| More men than women currently participate in a sport or fitness activity. |
| Older people are less likely to participate in a sport or fitness activity. 52% of 17-24 year olds participate compared with only 25% of those aged over 55. |
| Social class impacts upon participation. 50% of ABs are participating compared with 23% of DEs. |
| Full-time students and people in full-time employment are most likely to participate. The retired and those not in paid employment are least likely to participate. |
| The full report of this survey called Sport - a leap into learning can now be purchased online from the publications section of this website, priced £6.95. |
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New centre of excellence for numeracy and literacy
The functions of Community Learning Scotland (CLS) are to transfer to Communities Scotland and Youthlink Scotland as part of an increased focus on youth work and adult numeracy and literacy.
The move follows a review of CLS as part of an examination of its future and of 60 other Non-Departmental Public Bodies, announced by the Executive in June. A centre of excellence will be created with the aim of helping 80,000 adults improve their skills in reading, writing and arithmetic. The transfer will take effect from April 2002.
Education and Young People Minister Cathy Jamieson said:
"We are fully committed to supporting a co-ordinated community learning policy as a means of engaging with young people, of promoting social inclusion, of developing individuals and communities and of promoting lifelong learning.
"The changes announced today will boost the role and profile of youth work and adult literacy and numeracy in meeting the needs of the people of Scotland. It will give community learning renewed focus, give greater support to practitioners and provide greater opportunities for innovative service delivery.
"Taking the work of CLS into Communities Scotland and Youthlink Scotland will embed these functions within our social justice, literacy and youth policies. It will also extend the range of expertise available to take forward innovative service delivery.
"We are committed to raising the profile of youth issues and increasing the involvement of young people in policy issues that affect them. I am particularly keen to see a bridging of the gap between the voluntary and statutory sectors. Youthlink, as a representative national voluntary youth organisation, is in a particularly strong position to do this."
The main changes are:
| Youth Work and EU functions transfers from CLS to Youthlink Scotland. |
| Community Learning (including training accreditation), capacity building and adult education transfers from CLS to Communities Scotland. |
| A new literacy and numeracy centre of excellence is being created within Communities Scotland. |
In addition, Ms Jamieson commented on the valuable work undertaken by CLS:
"I wish to acknowledge the valued contribution made by the Board and staff of CLS to the community learning and youth agendas. I wish to ensure that this expertise is retained and directed towards achieving our objectives in the future. I know that this has been a difficult time for those staff involved and I look forward to the important contribution that they will make in the future."
The adult and community learning functions transferring to Communities Scotland will be central to the work that the new Scottish Executive agency, will be doing to empower communities and build their capacity to be directly involved in local decisions and the management and delivery of services in their area.
Promoting Adult Literacy
Wendy Alexander, Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning,
also announced that a ‘Development Engine’ or centre of excellence on adult
literacy and numeracy, as recommended in Adult Literacy and Numeracy in
Scotland, would be located within Communities Scotland.
Ms Alexander said:
"Improving levels of literacy and numeracy is another vital step in helping people to participate in and contribute to our economy, society and communities.
"Communities Scotland, will support the Community Learning Strategy Partnerships in their task of helping 80,000 adults over the next 3 years to improve their literacy and numeracy skills."
Social Justice Minister Iain Gray added:
"Reducing inequalities involves removing disadvantage, and we need to ensure that people with low skills in literacy and numeracy are offered the support and training they need to improve those skills. One of Communities Scotland’s great strengths is its ability to operate at both national and local levels, with close links to local neighbourhoods. I believe that the agency is well placed to take on this new role, and to ensure that it is delivered as part of an integrated programme of regeneration, and not in isolation."
"Communities Scotland brings together the important issues of social inclusion, equality and housing which are crucial in tackling poverty and injustice. The adult and community learning and literacy functions that are transferring to Communities Scotland will be central to the work of the new agency and will dovetail with the work we will be doing to develop and empower communities."
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University research to get £30m boost
Universities will be boosted by an extra £30million next year to help fund high quality research identified in last year's Research Assessment Exercise and keep British universities at the forefront of world-class research.
Lifelong Learning and Higher Education Minister Margaret Hodge said the assessment exercise had shown "an impressive increase in the number of world class research departments in the UK. This is great news for academics, students and for the economy as a whole."
The extra resources will be targeted at departments rated 5 - the second highest rating in the exercise. The Higher Education Funding Council for England has already announced it will prioritise funding for the highest rated (5*) departments.
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Student Support for Older Learners
Student support rules for young married students and the over 54s have been made more generous by Lifelong Learning and Higher Education Minister Margaret Hodge.
From 2002/03 students aged under 25 will be considered financially independent from their parents from the first academic year after marriage, rather than waiting the current two years. Students over 54 will, for the first time under this Government be eligible for travel and dependants' grant. It is estimated that around 4,500 students will benefit from these changes at a cost of up to £3.5m in the 2002-03 financial year.
Margaret Hodge said:
“These changes are an indication of my determination to have student funding policies fit for the 21st century. We need to sweep aside the remaining arcane and complex rules that prevent those in need from accessing the support they deserve.
“The removal of the upper age limit on dependants grants and grants for travel and the married couples change is in line with our drive to simplify and modernise a system that students may find complex and difficult to understand.”
In response to this announcement, Jim Soulsby, NIACE's Development Officer in charge of the Older & Bolder programme said:
"We applaud the move to make study in HE for older people easier and hope that HE student loans will also be made available for students age 54 and over."
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New on the Site - February 2002(A list of pages which have been recently added or updated on the NIACE website) Conferences Section:
Publications Section:
Campaigns & Promotions Section:
Projects / Programmes
Influencing Public Policy / Advocacy
Information Services Section
Annual Report
Job Vacancy
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