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Latest News: November 2007
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Some file on this page are PDF files. One in Four
New campaign pack for learners with mental health difficulties
One in Four - a new campaign pack from NIACE for learners with mental health difficulties - will be launched at a conference being held in London on Thursday 29 November 2007. The campaign pack One in Four builds on the wonderful and powerful learner work that was published in the NIACE publication One in Four but also provides ideas and strategies to campaign on issues around mental health, including using art and creativity to raise awareness about mental health and to challenge discrimination. One in Four also includes briefing sheets on applying for funding and dealing with the media.
Kathryn James, NIACE Development Officer for Learning and Health, said:
“We hope that One in Four will be useful to everyone who wants to draw attention to any particular issues about mental health, or to campaign for better services for people with mental health difficulties. We are launching it at our Annual Mental Health Conference Our Learning Journey, to coincide with a celebration of the journey that practitioners have made to improving services to people with mental health difficulties.”
She continued:
“The conference is also about the challenges we still have to overcome if people with mental health difficulties are to have the access, and the same opportunities, to learning, skills and employment as other people, to lead fulfilling lives. This is the journey we still have to make.”
Free copies of the One in Four Campaign Pack are available from Sue Rees, susan.rees@niace.org.uk or 0116 204 4256.
Podcasts
To illustrate the impact that learning has had on two lives, NIACE Press
Officer Ed Melia talks to Hannah and Rachael - two students at the Adult College
in Lancaster - who are in no doubt about the positive impact learning has had on
their mental health.
(If the podcasts do not start playing in your browser, right click and save them onto your computer and then play them back through your usual media player)
Interview with Hannah (MP3 file 2.5 MB)
Interview with Rachael (MP3 file 2 MB)
More information about the NIACE Annual Mental Health Conference Our Learning Journey
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Aligning Government priorities across skills and employment is "good news for adults"
NIACE applauds the new Government publication Opportunity, Employment and Progression: making skills work (CM 7288), published on Monday 26th November 2007, for its intention to better align the missions of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Alastair Thomson, NIACE Senior Policy Officer, said:
“Any moves to integrate skills and welfare policies will benefit adult learners. Proposals for Skills Healthchecks, more details about a new Adult Advancement and Careers Service and reforms, albeit limited, to the 16-hour rule are good news. The acknowledgement of the need to include the empowerment of local communities in regeneration and skills through the Local Area Agreements and Local Strategic Partnerships suggests that real joined-up thinking is happening.”
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Equivalent or lower level qualifications - a NIACE Policy Briefing
NIACE has submitted a policy briefing for members of the Innovation, Universities and Skills Select Committee on the proposals to withdraw institutional funding for equivalent or lower-level qualifications (ELQs) in English higher education. The briefing can be read by clicking on the link below:
Equivalent or lower level qualifications - a NIACE Policy Briefing - [PDF]
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Commission of Inquiry calls for evidence on adult learning and demographic change
The Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Future for Lifelong Learning, sponsored by NIACE, is putting out a public call for evidence on adult learning and demographic change. Interested individuals and organisations are invited to submit written evidence to the Commission by 18th December 2007.
Over the next few decades, the nature of the British population will change, in terms of numbers, age mix and ethnic origin. These demographic changes are likely, in turn, to produce changes in the need and demand for adult learning. Some of these have been explored in the preliminary paper submitted to the Commission - Demography and Adult Learning - [PDF].
This paper identifies six likely demographic changes:
 | the growing dependent elderly population; |
| the expanding ‘third age’; |
| changing mid-life patterns; |
| new and deferred patterns of labour market entry; |
| cultural and ethnic mix; |
| geographical divisions. |
The Commission is interested in understanding how each change might affect:
| the needs and demands for adult learning; |
| who will participate in learning; |
| the content of programmes; |
| delivery modes; |
| institutional and funding structures. |
For more information, please visit the Commission of Inquiry website.
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Warm words, nasty numbers
The Government’s announcement of its three-year investment programme for learning and skills has been welcomed by NIACE for its analysis of the direction in which policy should go - but criticised for the funding allocations.
Commenting on Secretary of State John Denham's priorities, announced to the Learning and Skills Council, NIACE Director, Alan Tuckett said:
"On reading the text, the government has made a clear move towards a skills policy more sensitive to social inclusion while maintaining a focus on learning that benefits the economy but the numbers pull in an opposite direction."
"The Government’s stated objective of economic prosperity, social justice and stronger communities deserves support but the expenditure budgets risk decimating classes that adults choose for themselves. It is a distortion of a demand-led system when a whole area of successful public provision that responds to real demand will be all but wiped out by 2011."
Senior policy officer, Alastair Thomson said:
"There are things to support in these proposals - more apprenticeships for adults, a clear vision of first-step provision, a new ‘advancement service’ and the expansion of skills accounts are all welcome. A rising overall budget is good news for learners but most of the new initiatives will not be funded from ‘new’ money but resourced by re-prioritising existing budgets.
He continued: "It is sad to see the wider 'Adult Learner Responsive' budget decline from £1.75 billion in 2007- 08 to £1.67 billion in 2010 – 11. Although the 'Employer Responsive' budgets all rise substantially, the balance between the two sends out the wrong messages about choice, personalization and putting learners at the heart of reform. Maintaining the budget for ‘Adult Safeguarded Learning’ at the same level (£210 million per year) without inflationary increases is a missed opportunity."
Alan Tuckett concluded:
“Ministers’ instincts are positive but the inflexible budgets they have given the LSC will not bring about the changes they want. NIACE will continue to make the case to government for an inclusive, supple and coherent system that empowers adults to transform their lives through learning by listening to what they want, not telling them what they need.”
Source: DIUS Press Release 30/10/2007
Related links:
| The statement of intent paper "Adult Learning and Skills - investing in the first steps" |
| Learning and Skills Council grant letter |
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Conference on the future of community-based adult learning
Healthy, happy and wise: The way forward for community-based adult learning, Thursday 13th December 2007, Glaziers Hall, 9 Montague Close, London Bridge, London, SE1 9DD
‘Healthy, happy and wise’: this year’s NIACE policy conference for local government looks at the future of community-based adult learning.
One decade on from the vision of the Learning Age, it's a good time to look at achievements made and challenges encountered. Publicly funded community-based adult learning still survives, but big questions remain:
| Is there a sustainable model for the future? |
| How well have we widened participation? |
| How much do learners have their say? |
| What shape is the curriculum in? |
| What balance are we striking between skills and wider learning? |
| What will the partnerships for Learning for Personal and Community Development (PCDL) bring? |
The aims of the conference are to celebrate the place of community-based adult learning in local and national agendas and to chart its future course Participants will be able to reflect on the place of community learning for its own sake and within the context of wider social agendas such as social cohesion, health, regeneration, families and our ageing population.
Consideration will be given to:
| how community-based adult learning should adapt and change in the next ten years |
| how new forms of communication and leisure affect us all |
| how adult learning might respond to the burning issues of the day – global warming, sustainability, faith and culture, one world and poverty, our ageing population |
| the role of the voluntary sector. |
For further information contact Gurjit Kaur, ext: 123 or email: gurjit.kaur@niace.org.uk
Read more about the conference here.
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Give inspirational learners the recognition they deserve
Nominations are now open for the Adult Learners’ Week Awards 2008. Each year the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) receives over 1,000 nominations from colleges, businesses, adult education providers, museums, libraries and elsewhere about inspirational and exceptional adults who have transformed their lives through learning.
The awards form part of the UK’s largest festival of learning – Adult Learners’ Week (17th – 23rd May 2008) – and each of the inspirational learners’ stories show how learning as an adult can create confidence, inspire new careers and completely transform lives for the better.
Adults who’ve learnt as individuals, as families or as part of a group can be nominated for the awards as well as organisations which have created new and innovative opportunities for adults to learn.
Ray Jackson, Senior Learner of the Year 2007, said:
“When I initially heard that I had won I was gobsmacked - it was like winning the lottery. I couldn't speak when my college marketing manager told me. It was great to know that people thought I had done well and deserved recognition. I am still sculpting and am also now teaching at the Mental Health Hospital where I was once a patient.”
Siobhan Gallagher, from the City Lit in London that nominated 2007 Group Award winners, the Inside Knowledge Group, said:
“The Adult Learners’ Week Awards recognise exceptional students, and with our recent success at both national and regional levels, City Lit students gained a tremendous confidence boost, encouragement and tribute for all the determination and hard work they put in to improving their lives through education. We continue to support thousands of adults in their journey of learning, self discovery and development, and together with NIACE and the European Social Fund, look forward to participating in the next Adult Learners Week Awards.”
Laura Lovejoy-Carter, an Individual Award Winner in 2007, said:
“My initial reaction was of shock when I heard I was an Adult Learners’ Week award winner. But when it did sink in it gave me a great sense of achievement. I was nominated partway through my Access course and the award motivated me to carry on. It really boosted my confidence and allowed me to realise my achievements so far. I'm now doing a first year BA(Hons) in Primary Education at the University of Northampton.”
Janet Alderson from Wishes, an Opening Doors to Adult Learners Award Winner in 2007, said:
“Wishes takes a completely innovatory approach to parent’s learning. Winning the award gave all of us - professionals and parents - a tremendous sense of achievement, that we were truly engaged in changing life chances.”
Cherry Coombe, from Northampton College, said:
“Northampton College was delighted that two of its students gained credit and recognition for their efforts as mature students. The awards provide students an opportunity to reflect on their success and to meet others who have similarly overcome obstacles to achieve their goals.”
Jenny Lee, from Dyslexia Action and nominator of Learning Works Award Winner Mark Binney, said:
“We were absolutely thrilled that one of our learners received an Adult Learners’ Week Award. It was the first time any of our learners had received that award and we felt so proud of Mark but also delighted that it has given us the opportunity to show how we can really change the lives of dyslexic adults.”
Kamy Basra, Publicity Officer at NIACE, said:
“Each year we seek out the most remarkable, dedicated and inspirational learners for the Adult Learners’ Week Awards. If you know someone whose learning achievements deserve recognition and could inspire others to give learning a go then nominate them for an Adult Learners’ Week Award. We also have awards for innovative and creative learning programmes that invigorate, stimulate and transform the lives of adult learners. If you think your programme deserves recognition then nominate yourself for an Adult Learners’ Week Award aswell.”
She ended, “For more information about how to nominate for next year’s Adult Learners’ Week Awards either check out our website www.alw.org.uk/nominate , email - alw@niace.org.uk or phone the NIACE Campaigns Team on 0116 204 4200.”
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