Latest News: February 2008

NIACE Response to ESOL and Community Cohesion Consultation

NIACE broadly welcomes the proposals set out in the consultation document Focusing English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) on Community Cohesion.

NIACE supports its intent and the overarching approaches proposed.

Particularly welcome are the intention to prioritise access to state funded ESOL for the most excluded adults and the rediscovery of the importance of learning for wider social and community benefits.

NIACE believes, however that a number of aspects of the paper need to be addressed in more detail or revised to ensure that the government is able to realise its intentions. Such matters include defining the concept of community cohesion and the role of ESOL in its promotion and the absence of recognition of the inter-relationship between learning for work and skills and learning for community and of the importance of work place provision in community cohesion.

NIACE believes that everyone who comes to live in the UK should have a right to learn English as they need it to live, work and thrive however long they stay and however wealthy they are. There must be sufficient provision to allow them to do so. This inevitably raises the questions of who should pay; how much should be paid; and what type of provision is offered and by whom.

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Commission of Inquiry calls for evidence  on lifelong learning, migration and communities

The Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Future for Lifelong Learning, sponsored by NIACE, is putting out a public call for evidence on lifelong learning, migration and communities. Interested individuals and organisations are invited to submit evidence to the Commission by Thursday 20th March 2008.

Helen Plant, Senior Research Officer for the Commission, said:

“Over the past half-century migration has been a constant but changing phenomenon shaping society in the UK. The different experiences of both migrant and host communities in responding to these patterns raise critical questions about how to develop a notion of citizenship, based on shared identity and a sense of belonging within an open and diverse society. Greater understanding is needed of the ways in which lifelong learning can contribute to enabling people to live and thrive together, from language learning to skills’ adaptation and qualifications’ recognition, to the role of learning in providing a space for social interaction.”

In particular, the Commission invites evidence on the following areas:

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Let’s Talk About Money

Let’s Talk About Money is a guide for offenders who want to learn how to manage their money. The aim of Let’s Talk About Money is to help people get to grips with some of the basics of managing their money while they are in prison, preparing for release or on supervision in the community.

It contains information and advice on how to look after money, guidance on opening a bank account, how to cope with debt and information on insurance, benefits and grants.

For more information please visit: www.letstalkaboutmoney.org.uk

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Towards a Science and Innovation Strategy

A NIACE Response to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills’ Consultation.

NIACE welcomes the opportunity to contribute to discussions towards a new strategy on innovation. Our response emphasises the pivotal role that lifelong learning can have on the process of innovation. Indeed, NIACE believes that it is a necessary pre-condition for the the type of innovative ecosystem envisioned by the Government that it is open, includes the public and service sectors, and is user-led.

NIACE believes that a strategy that focuses on funding support for innovation will not be enough and that a broad culture of curiosity will multiply the impact of the innovation we do generate.

To that end NIACE believes that if Government is planning to invest in innovation then including modest investment in adult learning in the strategy would entail few risks for real benefits.

Read the full NIACE response to "Towards a Science and Innovation Strategy" here

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Informal Adult Learning - Shaping the Way Ahead

NIACE warmly welcomes the initiative of John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, in opening a debate about the role voluntary, community and cultural agencies can play, alongside educational providers, in the education of adults. The breadth of concerns shown in the consultation paper ‘Informal Adult Learning – Shaping the Way Ahead’ is also welcome, if overdue, from a government committed to lifelong learning. Like the government, we are convinced that adult learners will be best served by effective partnerships between educational providers and all the other agencies with an interest in supporting learning. However, NIACE is concerned at the paper’s failure to recognise the scale of the impact of reductions in public provision for adult education, where 1,400,000 adults have lost their classes in just two years. We are concerned, too, that the paper does little to recognise the rich contributions colleges, universities and adult education services make to cultural life or their key role in widening participation. We will be keen to highlight these issues in our response to the consultation. Nevertheless our welcome for the paper is genuine. We believe it offers a serious opportunity to shape policy affecting adult learning.

This consultation matters to everyone who believes in adult learning and who hopes for some kind of public support for those adults wanting to learn something new. This might be to pay for teachers or instructors; to get access to public buildings and equipment at affordable cost; to have good educational websites or broadcasts; to link-up with like-minded learners or simply to get help in finding what is available. It matters even if people do not want to go back to learning themselves because it is about the support they expect to be there for their parents, partners, neighbours, workmates and children. This makes it a consultation about what kind of a society we want to live in and how to get a fair distribution of public money.

Obviously the government will expect a response from those engaged in running centres and activities but in this case a much wider cross search of society is being consulted. This is a real opportunity because Government seldom invites ordinary citizens to get involved in this kind of discussion and possibly have more of a say. In the past, this kind of learning has been pushed to the edges of bigger plans for colleges, universities, for workplace training, the BBC licence fee or what local councils do. Otherwise the Government has relied upon expert committees to tell them what is best.

It is a challenge to respond to 27 separate questions from the Government – some of which assume knowledge of what exists already and why. But it is a much-needed consultation at a time when 1.4 million places in publicly-supported adult learning in England have been lost over the last two years. NIACE is concerned to get a large number of thoughtful responses that will improve the quality of public policy-making.
These losses have resulted not only from an adult learning policy focussed very directly on skills for the workplace but from uncertainty and changing messages to providers about priorities and local delivery. The consultation process needs to be run with a real understanding, not currently evident, of the connectivity at local level between adult learning for engagement, adult learning for personal development and adult learning for skills. It needs to be clear that while for confident learners informal learning opportunities are an opportunity, for others good teaching is a necessary step along the way to competent and confident independent learning. Providers need to mix the new with the tried and tested to meet the multiplicity of needs within communities and the government to understand that such a mix is what the best developing partnerships are already working to secure.

NIACE strongly supports the creation and maintenance of a stable infrastructure for adult learning provision able to provide promotion; support for quality and staff development, guidance in such a complex system and to secure the kind of innovative outreach that will make adult learning accessible to all not only the capable middle classes. We believe that, given this, and provided stability is guaranteed, there is a real chance for the development of the kind of partnerships and approaches the paper seeks. Without a hub where learners can look for advice and informal providers for support, those least able will lose their way. Providers have been struggling without this security for too long.

NIACE will give detailed answers to each of the questions and encourages others to do the same by reading the 34 pages the discussion paper (on the internet at www.adultlearningconsultation.org.uk ). There are, however, eight big themes that NIACE believes need to figure in responses.

1. Where are the boundaries?
2. Quality
3. Accessibility
4. Innovation
5. Technology
6. Variety
7. Progression
8. Motivation and Guidance.

Download the full text of NIACE's initial response here

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Adult Learners' Week 2008 - Event in a Box

The nominations for the 2008 Adult Learners’ Week Awards have now closed. Over a thousand individuals, groups and providers have been nominated. The selection process starts now and winners will be announced in early May.

However if you’re planning an event for Adult Learners’ Week (17-23 May 2008) we have everything you might need in an 'event in a box'.

The Event in a Box is an exciting new resource for Adult Learners’ Week 2008.

This complete kit of materials is designed to support you in holding local activities and events during the week – it couldn’t be any easier!

The Event in a Box caters for at least 50 participants and will be available from the end of January for £40.

More details can be found on the on the Event in a Box Flyer - [PDF]

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