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Latest News: October 2003
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ICT Mentors
Increasingly, community and voluntary organisations are using the services of volunteers in their Information and Communications Technology (ICT) programmes, bringing distinct benefits not only to the organisation, but also to the volunteer and learner alike. A new support skills resource has been written by NIACE for volunteers and programme co-ordinators in community and voluntary organisations.
This free publication called ICT Mentors looks at the role of volunteers working as ICT Mentors, specifically exploring:
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skills and qualities required by an ICT mentor; |
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benefits of mentoring; |
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key factors when organising an ICT mentoring programme for adults; |
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training courses and progression routes; |
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trouble shooting. |
With a view to setting up an ICT mentoring programme, this vital resource highlights practical responsibilities such as equal opportunities and health and safety as well as some specific considerations when working with adults, such as learning and teaching approaches.
Containing case studies, activities and accessible advice, this resource will form the basis of any ICT mentoring programme.
This DfES sponsored publication is available free of charge. Paper copies can be obtained by contacting jackie.essom@niace.org.uk or madeleine.hyde@niace.org.uk. Electronic copies can be downloaded below.
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Download
ICT Mentors Publication > |
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Making the Learning Community a Reality
The NIACE Annual Policy Conference
One of the strands of the Government’s Skills Strategy relates to the vision of Learning Communities as a means of tackling educational disadvantage and mobilising demand. Alongside the Regional Skills Partnerships that will focus on linking skills business support and economic development to drive up regional and local productivity the government is interested in promoting and applying “the capability of local councils to develop their collective base of skills and learning as “learning communities” Government Offices will be charged with trialling this concept.
The idea of the Learning Community is not a new one, but it takes many forms and has many meanings. In the light of its inclusion in the Skills Strategy it is timely now to explore the potential of this notion of learning communities in raising aspirations and building the confidence and skills of local people.
The conference aims are:
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To provide an opportunity to think through what is meant by the notion of “learning communities” and to reflect on what can be done both locally and regionally to promote and support them. |
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To outline how different tiers of government, local, regional and national view their contribution to developing the notion of learning communities and work with Further Education and the Voluntary Sector and other players in realising aims in this area. |
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To offer case studies from projects, which have some experience of seeking to implement their concept of a learning community in practice. |
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To provide an overview of work on learning communities outside the UK. |
This event will be of interest to:
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Policy makers, funders, decision makers in skills development, adult learning, lifelong learning, community development and neighbourhood renewal. |
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Local authority officers and elected members, in both those which are also LEAs and in District Councils, who have a role in adult learning, skills development, neighbourhood renewal and community regeneration. |
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Senior managers in further education working to raise aspirations and to embed learning in deprived communities. |
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Managers of voluntary and community organisations involved in supporting and developing learning communities. |
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Others involved in adult learning, lifelong learning or community development for whom the notion of learning communities has resonance. |
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For more information contact Gurjit Kaur at NIACE on gurjit.kaur@niace.org.uk or Tel: 0116 204 2833 |
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Update on the Lifelong Learning Sector Skills Council
"The partners and lead employers working towards a Lifelong Learning Sector Skills Council met formally as an Executive Group for the first time on Monday 6 October 2003. Significant agreements were reached on the composition of a shadow board. At around 23 members in total this is expected to be of sufficient size to fully reflect the interests of lifelong learning employers across the UK. There will be equal representation for higher education, further education, work based learning, and community based learning and development employers, with special arrangements to ensure coverage of librarians and the voluntary sector. The lifelong learning interests of employers in other sectors will be covered by the appointment of two further board members drawn from major 'blue chip' employers in the private and public sectors. An independent chair will be appointed as soon as possible and, once the shadow board is in place, it is expected that arrangements will be made to involve the relevant trade unions."
"The meeting was chaired by Bob Hardwick, acting Chief Executive of HESDA, the Higher Education Staff Development Agency. Further meetings of the Executive Group are planned in order to draw together an expression of interest for the SSDA. It is expected that the Executive Group will continue to provide support for the shadow board when this is in place."
| This statement was sent on behalf of the partners and lead employers working to form a Lifelong Learning SSC, and not from the DfES. |
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NIACE Conference on Further and Higher Education
On Monday 13 October, NIACE is holding a conference called Thinking and Planning Tertiary to discuss the future of both further and higher education, and the relationship between them.
Starting from our current arrangements for Further and Higher Education the event will acknowledge the widely recognised need for a universal lifelong learning system, and the difficulty of planning across portfolios and sectors as well as throughout life to bring such a system into being throughout the four nations of the United Kingdom.
The Conference is organised so as to allow participants to engage vigorously by means of discussion and interaction with speakers. It offers a wide spectrum of perspectives, while centring on the evolution of our current planning and funding arrangements towards an effectively integrated tertiary system.
Thinking and Planning Tertiary will be of interest and importance to all concerned with our future social and economic health, and with the ways in which post-secondary learning opportunities can be developed to meet the needs of the 'knowledge economy and society'. This will include College Principals, Heads of Adult Education in Colleges, Heads of Continuing Education in HE, Senior HE Managers, Executive Directors of LSCs and ELWa, and staff within HEFCE.
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Can online learning help overcome social exclusion?
NIACE is currently involved in a project called "Overcoming social exclusion through online learning". The project is being funded by the Community Fund for the period 2002 - 2005 and our partner for the project is The Open University.
The research is investigating whether online learning can help overcome social exclusion. The researchers are using surveys, questionnaires and interviews to identify the factors that play a part in the successful completion of online learning courses. The focus is on people who are considered to be at a social or economic disadvantage.
The results will be used to inform decision makers and practitioners in the field so that more effective use can be made of this relatively new and exciting way of learning.
To find out more about the project, visit the project's website (www.niace.org.uk/online).
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Promoting community involvement in neighbourhood renewal
Participation and partnership are accepted as fundamental to successful neighbourhood renewal and yet on the ground, residents are increasingly sceptical and tired of ‘being consulted’, activists are overwhelmed by the demands of ‘yet more meetings’ and policy makers are frustrated by delays in achieving crucial results. Doing more of the same is not good enough. We need credible and imaginative new ways of supporting diverse groups of people – with different kinds of knowledge and power – to work and learn together. The Regeneration Game – developed by David Wilcox and Drew Mackie with NIACE and endorsed by the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit (NRU) – is a tried and tested resource for promoting community involvement in neighbourhood renewal, encouraging partnerships and creative and collaborative thinking, or developing the planning and negotiating skills needed for community regeneration. It is ideal for staff development and training programmes and for use in ‘real’ situations with local organisations, agencies and groups.
NIACE is holding three launch events for The Regeneration Game, at which delegates will have the opportunity to:
| think about how learning can support neighbourhood renewal in the light of
the NRU’s skills and knowledge strategy. |
| see how The Regeneration Game can support learning for neighbourhood renewal. |
| play the game themselves. |
| take part in optional training workshops about how to facilitate the game locally |
The events are taking place in Bristol, Birmingham and Hull on the 18, 20 & 25 November respectively.
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New on the Site - October 2003(A list of pages which have been recently added or updated on the NIACE website) Conferences Section:
Publications Section:
Campaigns & Promotions
Projects / Research
Influencing Public Policy / Advocacy
Information Services
Miscellaneous
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