The Policy Context
Malcolm Wicks, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Lifelong Learning at the time of the
conferences, Derek Grover, DfES, Tim Down, DfES, Marcus Bell, DfES, Jane Mardell, DfES.
'The establishment of the LSC provides an opportunity to bring
together all the main actors in post-16 learning-colleges, local
authorities and voluntary and community organisations.'
Malcolm Wicks
Former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Lifelong Learning.
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The policy background to the events embraced the
complementary roles and vital importance of two
factors:
- the need to help people to develop the skills
required by the economy; and
- the need to build community capacity and combat
social exclusion.
Both of these are within the remit of the LSC.
The approach to both these challenges lies in helping
individuals to get involved in learning, and then to
progress. Three key problems have been identified:
- the needs of disadvantaged communities have not
been met by the present education and training
system.
- although local projects work best, local capacity to
imagine, develop and sustain them is weak.
- many people do not see how they could benefit from
learning or improving their skills.
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'We want to create a Learning Society where everyone has the opportunity to
update their skills and to learn throughout life. This means helping people develop
the skills to be successful in employment, and also means supporting learning of
all kinds - including informal learning, community-based learning and learning for
pleasure - which can help people to overcome social disadvantage and to play a
full role in society.'
'These two key objectives, the economic and the social are two sides of the same
coin. They must be dealt with in an integrated way.'
Malcolm Wicks
Former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Lifelong Learning.
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The solutions to these problems are far from straightforward, but must involve:
- a more flexible approach to fundable learning -much
first rung learning in local communities does not
look vocational but has a critical role in helping to
‘hook’ residents of disadvantaged communities into
learning
- more first rung provision available in disadvantaged
communities through the development of
neighbourhood learning centres, UKonline,
City Learning Centres (Excellence in Cities) and
Non-Schedule 2 pilots
- effective support for community capacity-building
and genuine community involvement -a start has
been made through Community Champions and
Community Leadership Pilots
- streamlined and user-friendly funding arrangements
for small voluntary and community organisations
- better data and sharing of good practice and
information about what is, and is not, effective.
The LSC holds the key to these.The Council is responsible for the funding and planning of all post-16 learning,
apart from Higher Education, and its establishment marks the most significant change to arrangements for adult
learning for many years, providing opportunities to tackle many long-standing problems that have inhibited the
development of genuinely learner-centred provision.The role of education in combating social exclusion is
highlighted in its remit, and the Council has a key contribution to make to the National Strategy for
Neighbourhood Renewal.
‘We need to base policy decisions on clear evidence about what the needs are and
about what works.’
Malcolm Wicks
Former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Lifelong Learning.
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However, it would be unfair and unwise to expect the LSC to solve all difficulties and provide answers to all
problems very quickly. Inevitably the process of transition will be slow. We are in the process of setting the
agenda for a number of years.
In developing the effectiveness of the LSC in this area, there are four key questions:
- How will the LSC decide what to fund in
disadvantaged areas? A wide range of learning
opportunities will be eligible for LSC funding but the
LSC will need to choose from this the learning it
thinks will be most effective in delivering its remit.
There are a number of Government priorities, but
everyone involved will need to think about exactly
how those priorities can be translated into action on
the ground.
- How can real community involvement be secured?
Learning Partnerships have an important role in
gathering and analysing the needs of local
individuals and communities and communicating
that information to the LSC, but
Learning Partnerships are variable and the voice of
the learner is not always available or
listened to.
- How can the new LSC systems accommodate
community and voluntary organisations? Flexible
and innovative thinking will be required to create the
right conditions for these organisations to deliver
their important services to their communities.
- How should adult learning be embedded in wider
neighbourhood renewal strategies? There is still
much to be done to raise the profile of adult
learning.
