Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership Achievements and Impact on Surrey

Facilitation of local adult planning

• ACL service:  Contributed to Adult and Community Learning (ACL) Change Group; conducted research to capture views on marketing of learning; arranged task groups to inform ACL specification; set up task group on marketing and branding; provided information on issues relating to learning difficulties; ensured that those interested in supporting, but not leading, bids had a voice (on SLLP website).  We are helping ACL develop their family learning strategy.

• South-West Surrey: Chaired and facilitated the adult learning planning group for South-West Surrey.  This made progress with Guildford College offering to share planning information with neighbouring 6th Form colleges so learning provision dovetailed.  To assist in this process we provided the college with a detailed report of local learning needs and issues. 

• North Surrey:  Chaired and facilitated the adult learning planning group for North Surrey. This was concerned with issues relating to the merger of Brooklands and Spelthorne Colleges.  The Community Learning partnerships for Spelthorne and for Runnymede offered to provide intelligence of need to any new provider of ACL so that local needs can be addressed.

• South-East Surrey: Chaired and facilitated the adult learning planning group for South-East Surrey. We resolved the issue of the loss of IT provision in Leatherhead, brokering meetings between local counselors, The Learning Hub, NESCOT, The Leatherhead Theatre, Mole Valley Community Learning Partnership and others.  New provision was offered by the Learning Hub in the Leatherhead Theatre.

Promotion of learning communities

• Each of the 10 community learning partnerships sought to support at least one learning community in 2006-07.  The approach has been to develop a culture of learning in areas with multiple needs and to promote partnership working so that progression is facilitated and pathways for progression are developed.  The geographical areas of focus were selected on the basis of having multiple needs (e.g. high level 2 needs) and having had relatively little investment.

• This will contribute to Action for Communities which seeks to generate a partnership framework to strengthen planning and co-ordination, build capacity and align funding so as to address local learning needs.  A learning brokerage service will be needed to foster a learning culture; develop progression routes from informal to more formal learning; cultivate local advice services and provider relationships, including between mainstream and voluntary and community organisations; and enable a holistic response to learners' needs.   SLLP intends to secure funding for Surrey to develop, promote and extend learning networks at local area and neighbourhood level.

Provision of independent strategic leadership for initiatives to widen participation

 We secured funding to lead three projects in Surrey:

 Engaging Disadvantaged Learners and Promoting Progression and Achievement (secured LSC regional funding for Surrey/Sussex)
• This project aims to create sustainable learning communities that engage residents with little formal education and support them to take ownership of their own learning journey.  It is engaging the most disadvantaged residents in these communities by providing first steps of learning, including work-related Skills for Life, ICT and family learning and by developing innovative clear and supported progression pathways through Progression Partnerships of learning, training and work within specified areas.  In Ash the project is woking with partners to deliver First Step and Family Learning in community venues in an area where there has been little specialist adult and community provision but there is strong local interest in developing such a community facility.  It is also providing Skills for Life for the traveller community in this area.  In Stanwell North the project is working through local networks to create a family and community education programme which encourages adults who left school with low self-esteem and few qualifications to return to learning.  Further funding has been secured to extend work to Merstham.

 VC Skills Project (funded by GOSE)
• This project aims to develop tutor capacity to train and support disadvantaged adults with severe Skills for Life needs, and training those working in the voluntary and community sectors to deliver basic skills.  The project aims to train 120 basic skills tutors or supporters across the South East region to enable them to assist their clients who lack Skills for Life.   The project will also promote signposting essential skills learners onto learndirect provision.  SLLP is a member of the Steering Group for this project and worked with MB Learning to set up the first Level 2 Adult Learner Support programmes in Surrey in November 2006. The project runs from June 2005 to Autumn 2008.

 Skills for Work (secured funding for project led by Learning Hub)
• The project will establish a framework and a resource of embedded materials to enable Skills for Life and Care NVQs to be delivered within the care sector.  After diagnostic assessment, learners are equipped with a foundation in skills for life, then, alongside advice and guidance, have the opportunity to achieve an NVQ level 2 in Care with appropriate training and tutor support, using care-specific learndirect course materials.  Employees within Surrey care providers frequently need a foundation in essential skills to progress to level 2 in Care.  New regulations mean that the acquisition of an NVQ2 in Care is mandatory.  The project has invested in IT technology which has left the care sector behind in Surrey.  SLLP set up the project steering group and will be providing an evaluation report.  Delivery will conclude by the end of 2007.

Establishing a firm base for partnership working and developing the organisation

• The Partnership achieved Investor in People status and reviewed its organizational and staff structure. 

• In addition, it formed the network of South East Learning Partnerships (SELP) into a company limited by guarantee to allow it to be more effective in bidding for funds and influencing regional strategy.

(Last Updated 12th July 2007)