Stakeholder Groups

Strategic Dialogues

This Friday the 18th November we are meeting with BIS, SFA and YPLA - along with a full complement of delegates - to discuss the written responses from the agencies. This is part of a considered process of dialogue between the sector and the agencies for learning and skills. 

It promises to be an interesting affair! We will keep you informed as to future direction of this process.

All papers are available below:

TSNLA submission based on Strategic Dialogue 1

SFA Strategic Dialogue response

YPLA Strategic Dialogue response

BIS Strategic Dialogue Response

Skills Funding Agency - new streamlined funding system for adult skills

This attached document provides an update to the further education sector on the Skills Funding Agency'sprogress with simplifying the adult skills funding system. TSNLA director John Hacking (Mersey Network) has been representing TSNLA and the sector in discussions with the Skills Funding Agency.

Access document at the bottom of the page.

TSNLA Supporting FE and Skills in Difficult Times - Third Sector Strategic Dialogues

LSIS has been working with a number of sector organisations to identify "new ways of working" and as part of this work the Third Sector National Learning Alliance is working to develop participation in a series of "strategic dialogues" with adult learning providers and leaders. The purpose of this dialogue is to analyse and address the challenges we face. 

This series of dialogues aim to: 

• provide facilitated opportunities for groups of similar providers to talk through and share their analysis of the strategic challenges they face;
• capture and share the approaches being taken to addressing these challenges;
• provide an initial analysis of the issues faced and the strategic options and their consequences; and
• Capture the implications for LSIS services including research. 

TSNLA is holding the second of two strategic dialogues on the morning of the 18^thNovember in London. The dialogue on the 23^rd September was third sector only and identified the key messages to send to the Skills Funding Agency and the YPLA. The agencies will consider these messages, publish an initial response and explore ways forwards at the dialogue on the 18^thNovember which will include representatives from BIS, Skills Funding Agency and YPLA.

The summary document from Strategic Dialogue 1 is available on the home page - at the bottom of the page.

As part of this work we will also be capturing the perspectives of sector leaders and providers through podcasts and vodcasts.

Strategic Dialogue 2 is now fully booked!

Representation by TSNLA

The TSNLA is well placed to act as the ‘voice' and representative of third sector providers. Given current developments at the Skills Funding Agency the key TSNLA activity is focused around the introduction of Minimum Contract Levels, their impact on sector providers and the learner and the changes in ESF procurement.

The advisory groups where the sector is represented through the TSNLA is as follows:

• BIS FE Reform and Performance Board
• Skills Funding Agency Advisory Group
• Informal Adult and Community Learning Consultation
• FE Workforce Reform Stakeholder Advisory Group
• YPLA, Sixth Form, College and Training Organisations Advisory Group 
• Framework for Excellence External Advisory Group 
• Department for Education External Strategic Forum
• DfE Third Sector Group
• Skills - Third Sector 
• LSIS Minimum Contract Levels Stakeholder Group
• Skills for Life Stakeholders Group 
• Community Learning Champions Advisory Group
• Strategic Advisory Panel for IAL Qualifications 
• Fair Train GTA for apprenticeships
• Ad hoc SFA consultation groups e.g fees, ACTOR, funding simplification

Protocol with the Skills Funding Agency

A significant step forward in the strategic relationship between the TSNLA and the SFA was achieved in agreeing and signing a protocol between the two agencies. This ensures that the views of third sector providers will be taken account of through the ‘voice' provided by the TSNLA on behalf of the members and wider sector.

LSIS England Skills Committee

Jonathan Gilbert (TSNLA Director) is a member of the LSIS England Skills Committee and would like to hear of any queries, issues or concerns from TSNLA members and the wider sector.

The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) has commissioned LSIS (the Learning and Skills Improvement Service) to undertake an Education Sector Skills Assessment (SSA) for 2011.  This research work will be undertaken by the UK Qualifications & Skills team at LSIS, overseen by the Director. 

SSA Research this year will cover a broad workforce -  over-arching the whole of the Education sector -  to include early years education, primary education, general secondary education, further and higher education, work based learning, career guidance, community learning and development and youth work constituent parts of the sector.

The benefits for the wider education sector workforce include raising its profile - its current and future development needs - at UK level and hence the opportunity to influence policy development now and in the future.  Indeed the SSA specification (2011/12 Sector Skills Assessments: Specification, UKCES), describes the aim of an SSA is " to provide authoritative sectoral labour market intelligence (LMI) to inform the strategic decision making of national governments in the development of skills policy across the UK.

The main objective of an SSA is to combine top-down data with bottom-up intelligence to provide a consistent, comparable and rich understanding of the skills priorities within different sectors of the economy, across the four UK nations.

LSIS has been asked by the Commission to produce a single UK wide report and 3 national papers for NI, Scotland and Wales.  

LSIS Qualifications and Skills team is seeking your contribution and that of all key stakeholders, employer representative bodies from the education sector and, indeed employers where they can be involved.

On behalf of LSIS, you are invited to share high level data about the wider-education workforce with our Research Team.  Please send such workforce development-related information directly to Hal Bonella (Hal.Bonella@lsis.org.uk) from now until 25^th November 2011.  Information or data on any or all of the following would be most useful:

• The economic performance of the Education sector
• The extent to which Education sector employers compete internationally
• The Education sector's investment in skills and training
• Key drivers of change in the Education sector and the impact on employment and skills within the sector
• Other drivers of particular relevance to sector and the impact they have on employment and skills
• Possible or likely future trends in the sector and the associated skills needs that these may bring

The committee papers are available on request.