Stockton-on-Tees

SRB projects for lifelong learning

Projects funded by Stockton and Thomaby Task Force and Stockton City Challenge with life long learning activities at their heart were successful in:

• Developing a Network of Local Learning Centres with help to strengthen the voluntary sector in Stockton-on-Tees
• Initiatives in primary and secondary schools, including the development of literacy projects in primary schools and the promotion of family learning
• Developing meaningful partnerships which utilised available funding to enhance initiatives.

The pump priming provided by the Government has enabled many successful projects to be further developed with SRB and Lottery funding and this has strengthened the Network in Stockton.

However, it was confirmed at a conference held in June 1997, that further work was needed to pull all of the strands of lifelong learning together and the TEC and LEA Task Group, decided to implement Stockton's Learning Towns.

After many years of working in Partnership together, it was felt that the links between economic regeneration and education/ training strategies and collaboration between sectors would be a way forward.

The founder rnembers of Stockton's Learning Towns are:

• *Archon 2000 Ltd
• **Five Lamps Organisation
• ***Future Steps Ltd
• **Mill Lane Community Partnership
• *NETA Training Group
• ****Samsung Electronics
• Stockton and Billingham College
• Stockton Borough Council
• *****Stockton Community Advice and Training Consortia Stockton Sixth Form College Tees Valley Training and Enterprise Council
• ** Thornaby Reading Town
• University College Stockton
• Workers' Educational Association
• Co-opted Members to the Board
• Evening Gazette
• Secondary Heads representative
• Primary Heads representative

Stockton's Learning Towns is funded by the Founder Members with a grant from Cleveland Community Foundation. A bid has been submitted to the European Social Fund.

Key to founder members

• *TEC contracted mainstream training provider
• **SRB Funded
• ***Careers Service
• ****Private Sector
• *****Local Learning Centres (SRB/Lottery funded)

A launch event for Stockton's Learning Towns took place on 11.5.98. Over 200 people took part. TRANSCO sponsored the event, supported by the local paper, the Evening Gazette. An Olympian Bowl was lit and torches of learning taken all over the Borough, involving thousands of people.

This was followed by many learning events to promote lifelong learning and support Adult Learners Week. The Regional Adult Learners Award Ceremony also took place in Stockton-on-Tees on 22nd May 1998. A marquee housed an exhibition of learning opportunities on 21st and 22nd May 1998, organised by the Evening Gazette in conjunction with David Bilton Associates and Stockton's Learning Towns.

All founder members and many others participated in 2 weeks of learning celebrations, proving that Stockton-on-Tees was a real Learning Town.