Policy Papers & Publications

This section is for any relevant papers and publications focussed on learning and skills:

RURAL LEARNERS WILL SUFFER BECAUSE OF THE CUTS

 A report published by Derbyshire Learning & Development Consortium highlights the impacts that spending cuts will have on learners in rural communities in Derbyshire and across England.

The report was researched by the National institute for Adult & Continuing Education. It suggests that older learners and young learners could be the ones most affected by the cuts and changes to education funding systems.  The report highlights the particular issues faced by rural communities, and identifies some of the key challenges to rural learning provision in the years ahead.

Concerns raised in the report include the impact of cuts affecting rural transport, which coupled with cuts to Educational Maintenance Allowance, may mean young people cannot afford to travel to training provision. As Zach Lawrence (17) from Cumbria indicated," "A majority of young people use EMA to travel to education or to provide the basics for themselves. The cuts to EMA will affect the young people who need the support the most."

Lisa Vernon, Chief Executive of Derbyshire Learning & Development Consortium emphasises the importance of the voluntary sector in maintaining learning opportunities in rural communities. "The report highlights the particular issues faced by rural communities, and identifies some of the key challenges to rural learning provision in the years ahead. We hope however that whilst the report indicates concerns it also offers cause for optimism in terms of the commitment of the voluntary sector and the potential for partnership working. It also offers voluntary and community based learning providers a source of evidence to inform their advocacy and campaigning work."

Julie Holling from Elmton & Creswell Village Company commented "We are gravely concerned that the requirements of older learners will not be met. Those learners in rural areas who are over 50 need access to learning within easy reach of their communities, if not within their community, from the very early days of their unemployment. They need to be engaged in the development of up to date skills for work and employers requirements".

 Jane Ward, NIACE Senior Programme Director for NIACE said "NIACE was pleased to work with the Derbyshire Learning & Development Consortium to produce this report which identifies the  particular challenges of rurality for adults accessing learning in the current climate. These are  not always recognised by learning providers, funding agencies and policy makers, and the report offers constructive solutions, highlighting  the valuable role of civil society organisations."

 http://www.rurallearner.org.uk/docs/Lifelong%20Learning%20and%20Rural%20Communities.pdf

Associate Parliamentary Skills Group - Seminar Series on Skills for Sustainable Growth - report below

This seminar, hosted by Lord Boswell of Anyho, Vice-Chair of the Associate Parliamentary Skills Group, sought to explore the skills dimensions of the Government's programme of reform and identify what more can be doneto ensure training and employment-support services provided to job-seekers are high-quality and value formoney.

Minimum Contract Levels - Implications and support for third sector providers Consortia + and TSNLA consultation process:

The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) commissioned NIACE to arrange a short consultation process with Consortia+ on the implications of the Minimum Contract Level (MCL) policy for consortia and their members, and the consequences for the learners they work with - this was undertaken with the support of the TSNLA.  The final report of the consultation with the key recommendations for future action and consideration is accessible below. 

The Skills Funding Agency has seen the Report and will be incorporating its findings and comments into the Agency's initial impact assessment of the MCL policy.

Skills for Sustainable Growth

http://www.bis.gov.uk/news/topstories/2010/Nov/skills-for-sustainable-growth 

The strategy sets out the Government's vision for reform of the further education and skills system in order to improve the skills of the workforce, the performance of the economy and engagement in learning.

• Skills for Sustainable Growth policy page
• Read the executive summary (PDF, 1.7 Mb) 
• Read the full report (PDF, 393 Kb)  
• Read Investing in skills for sustainable growth (PDF, 159 Kb) 
• Skills for sustainable growth: summary of responses to a consultation on the future direction of skills strategy (PDF, 149 Kb) 
• Skills for Sustainable Growth and Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth: Equality impact Assessment (PDF, 363 Kb) 

Understanding the Contribution of the third sector to learning and skills

Research published in 2009 demonstrated that the third sector really did 'reach the parts others didn't' and that moreover did so with higher achievement rates in many funding streams.

http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/National/Understanding_the_Contribution_of_the_Third_Sector_in_LSC_-_Summary_Report.pdf