Sheffield Partnership for Education and Lifelong Learning (SPELL)

Introduction

Before the publication by DfEE of the remit for Lifelong Learning Partnerships (LLP), the original concept behind the project was to campaign to widen participation in learning activities throughout Sheffield. SPELL took a citywide focus for its marketing and promotion work and since the inception of the Sheffield LLP is currently delivering its outreach work in the North East of Sheffield.

The Mission Statement encapsulates what the project is all about - "SPELL is committed to the creation of a Learning City, which will provide learning opportunities that are inclusive and accessible to all. The partnership recognises that lifelong learning is a continuous process and that widening participation will make a significant contribution to the quality of life and the future prosperity of Sheffield and its citizens".

SPELL aimed to:

• focus on the learning needs of the individual, group and community
• develop a marketing and promotion strategy to overcome some of the confusing messages generated by the competing providers in the city
• champion the perspective of the learner and potential learner
• bring practitioners together to share good practice and support new initiatives.

Working closely with other local partnerships like Sheffield First Partnership, CITINET and SRB, SPELL has been trying to ensure that the work is effective and mutually beneficial. In order to ensure that the work of SPELL is informed by all the 'best practice' available, links have been established with other cities through the Learning City Network and other national bodies including the Campaign for Learning, the University for Industry, Learning Direct and the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education. SPELL's aim was to act as a catalyst by bringing partners together in a range of new projects to create new opportunities and new demands for learning.

Partnership Working in Practice - Changing Circumstances

Partnership working in practice is a difficult dynamic to manage. Key changes occurred during the project which tested the ability of the project to deliver. The original plans for the project needed revision following less than anticipated financial contributions from the partners and the start of a number of new lifelong learning initiatives from Government and local sources. In particular, the creation of the Strategic Partnerships for Lifelong Learning, the LEAs responsibility to draw up Lifelong Learning Development Plans and the creation of the Community Based Learning group as part of the LLP duplicated much of the original city wide focus aimed for by SPELL. The Sheffield Learning City Initiative representation was encompassed in the LLP.

These changes, initiated by Government policy, meant that the creation of 'top down' partnerships became a more pressing issue for the city. The more recent guidance on Learning Partnerships and the need for Learners Forums will ensure that good practice established by SPELL will be taken into account and developed. The main lessons learned have been about ensuring that:

• sufficient time and effort is given to developing a partnership strategy
• sufficient resources to deliver on a city-wide stage are available
• partnership working provides some type of 'pay back' to each partner
• ambitions don't exceed capacity to deliver
• any partnership has a legitimate status based on shared power working together to tackle the task of widening participation

The result of the new guidance for Learning Partnerships now offers a significant opportunity for all partners to work collaboratively in the field of lifelong learning. In Sheffield this now means the opportunity to take forward some of the lessons learned from SPELL.

Outreach Work

Two outreach workers (1 full time equivalent) were appointed in December 1998 with a specific brief to:

• encourage local people to explore their own learning needs and to identify opportunities for self help in meeting learning needs, for example investigating the recruitment of learners in Working Mens' and Social Clubs
• identify barriers to participation and take appropriate action to address them - encouraging local people to make demands on existing providers to ensure individual and group needs are met
• encourage local providers to invest human and materiel resources in the north east of the city to encourage and support learning
• work with all the appropriate agencies to identify learning needs and opportunities, including private sector

Outreach work conducting research on barriers to accessing learning opportunities found a successful method was to hold focus group discussions. Seven local people are employed as Bridge Workers. Their job, after an initial days training programme, is to involve people in door to door interviews / discussions about their learning needs. Over 200 potential new learners were identified from October to December 1999. Bridge Workers are paid £6.50 per hour and on average work 10 hours per week. The Workers objectives were to try to identify a range of issues around why there is a low take-up of training and retraining and why unacceptable educational underachievement which exists across all age groups is such an entrenched part of the culture of the housing estate in the north east of the city. It was clear that further work to analyse and address the issues raised needed to be done as a matter of urgency if Partnerships are to break into the cycle of underachievement halting the development of so many local peoples life chances and experiences.

Overall a number of lessons were learned from the outreach developments. The main barriers identified were:

• childcare was a particular issue for later starters
• inflexibility of provision in terms of start dates - needed a contingency plan to attract late starters
• college staff were fully committed to existing work

Tips for future outreach projects include:

• allowing a longer project lead time
• developing contingency plans to deal with higher activity levels than planned
• checking out more fully the internal communications systems in the college
• estimating more accurately the managerial and administrative support

A number of successful projects were developed from the groups (both Groups & Individuals):

Northern Cross Credit Union
A group of 7 individuals recruiting new volunteers and supporting volunteers to deliver Accredited Credit Union Training. The Group were able to produce funding applications, develop skills in minute taking and conflict resolution. SRB 5 and ERDF funding support was gained.

Remington Youth and Community Centre
A group of 10 individuals organised a new committee with clear roles and responsibilities of management team members. Treasury Training was delivered to address the major problems balancing the books and getting them audited. Recruitment of new volunteers occurred alongside liaison with VAS for a development worker and accountant.

NEST
10 individuals using existing skills audit to identify learning needs / training needs / desires including : finance, spreadsheets, IT skills, advanced bookkeeping, feasibility training, desk top publishing, First Aid Training - certificate level, training as an NVQ assessor, study skills, preparing reports, accounts evaluation and monitoring skills and minute taking, Chairing, NVQ Community Work, Training as a Trainer, treasury work, conflict management training, & public speaking.

Longley Hall Farm Tenants Association
Effective relationship with statutory sector workers established and advice given on putting project ideas together, getting costings organised and more support on identifying clear goals for meetings with officers.

Margetson and District Tenants and Residents Association
Group of 9 members trained in Management Skills alongside the introduction of a to Community Work Skills course via outreach at community flat. Job descriptions for officers were supplied and discussed.

LEAF - Local Enterprise around Food
A group of 6 members pulled the group together, identified priorities and developed a Key Fund Application. Assistance was given to organising finances and opening a bank account. An event was planned and priorities set to clarify a project description, with aims and objectives agreed. In addition a visit to Hathersley Food Co-op Barnsley.

Introduction to Community Work Skills
14 students came to together to share knowledge about Europe and discuss common experiences, with particular reference to disability issues. A visit was organised from a Thameside group doing same course, and then a joint visit to a similar group in Rotherham was set up. Thameside had members who experienced disability issues and valuable information exchange especially around deafness and communication issues. 4 members of the ICWS are now undertaking full 1 year Cicero course culminating in a weeklong trip to Brussels. 40 people have been involved from 3 different communities.

Green Enterprise Group
A need to mobilise local more interested people was found and a public meeting was organised. 18 people attended the public meeting which concentrated on Community Composting and A Garden Centre Community Enterprise idea. A small group are now taking the work forward. A Garden Centre Visit was organised.

Southey, Ecclesfield, Colley and Wadsley Bridge Working Mens Club
Four clubs were targeted with a combined membership of over 8000 people, 75% of whom are male. Telephone contact was made with the club secretary to gauge the level of interest and enthusiasm for the project. Posters and leaflets were distributed and information sessions established. Interest varied from club to club and now over 40 people are enrolled on an IT course. Additionally £18K has been secured through SRB funding for laptops.

Individuals
Audrey had a lack of confidence about her Cleaning Sciences Course. Support was given over 4 sessions enabling a successful completion of the year and confidence gained to undertake final year at Sheffield College.

Janine sought counselling course information. The information was supplied and she was interested in general counselling course for September at Sheffield College.

Tracking and Progression
Some work has been done to adapted Sheffield Colleges STAR pack for use with adults e.g. Introduction to Community Work Skills. The Sheffield LLP is keen to address the issue of tracking and will do so in 2000.

Promoting Lifelong Learning

Using the Local Media
The project used a variety of methods:

• Route 42 - Foxhill Newsletter
• CROSSTALK - Area 3 Housing newsletter
• Monteney Community Newspaper - see attached
• Parson Cross Festival (Setting up a stall with information about education and training provided by College, WEA, University and local suppliers / distribution of 200+ leaflets/ Women's Education Bus attending the Festival)

A particular focus was Adult Learners Week when the following took place:

• Monteney Community Workshop Open Day
• Wentworth Garden Centre Visit - for those interested in a Garden Centre Community Enterprise - 9 local people enjoyed the visit and came back inspired to create a nursery and shop of their own.
• Community Work Skills Information Day - Southey Library - 5 drop in visitors
• Open Parks Meeting - Leisure services - informal session to discuss Parson Cross Park and Longley Park
• Southey Training and Resource Centre Drop In Day
• Foxhill Forum drop in session
• Adult Learners week presentation; also new display for Colley Adult Centre
• Magical Mystery Tour - visit to Colley Adult Education and Northern College - 11 people enjoyed both visits - links made to the Pakistan Muslim centre who provided Driver and minibus.

The Learning Partnership has now taken overall responsibility for the promotion of lifelong learning in the city and has used the experience of SPELL. The main issues when planning a campaign have been:

• raising awareness and understanding amongst people of the importance of learning and development, and the rewards they can offer the individual
• raising awareness and understanding amongst people of the importance of learning throughout life
• raising awareness and understanding of the range and type of learning opportunities available in the city
• raising awareness and understanding amongst people about how they could take up these learning opportunities.
• identifying new demands for learning, particularly from potential new learners, and to take action to develop appropriate provision
• raising our understanding of the reasons why people do not participate in learning, and to understand better peoples perceptions of the importance of learning.

Other lessons learned include:

• Timing - there is a need to go beyond the concept of an annual events if we want to promote the concept of lifelong learning, ideally there should be a commitment to a 5 or 6 year campaign to achieve a step change in attitudes to and participation in learning activities
• Scope / targets - efforts are best targeted at non traditional and lapsed learners, geographic areas where there is a poor take-up of learning opportunities and industry and occupational sectors where there is low level participation and attainment
• Product - it was a challenge to agree a clear and shared definition of the subject! It was advisable to identify the benefits which we believe will accrue to people who participate in learning. It seems best to think of the approach adopted by public health campaigns, e.g. smoking (although we will ask people to take, rather than give up something, on the basis that it will benefit them) or environmental issues, e.g. recycling.
• Competition - we need to view learning as an alternative in the leisure market, because we re competing for peoples' time, interest and money.
• Message - needs to be on a number of levels - rational (appealing to self interest such as employment or income), emotional (pride, achievement, enjoyment) and moral (learning as a social cause)
• Partners - involving a wide set of stakeholders assists in achieving the impact required
• National Campaigns - local work adds the most value when it can use national campaigns and offer consistent and supportive messages.

Conclusion

The success of SPELL in the North East of Sheffield is clearly evident. SPELL-NE appears to have a secure future and is well regarded by post16 providers and the local community.

In particular:

• SPELL as the 'honest broker' - Staff didn't have the baggage of the local college, the LEA or other big provider
• Clarity of purpose - SPELL focus on the needs of learners - not selling the provider
• Early ground work in the local community connected to project
• Employment of local and talented staff
• All workers attention to local issues and concerns
• Workers giving time to local people
• Celebration of local success and achievement
• Integration of staff into local organisations concerned with regeneration
• Accountability of project to local volunteers
• Clear communications
• Other providers, including Schools, recognising SPELL has legitimacy in the local community
• Setting up of Network (SOLLN) - giving all providers a voice
• Some success in bringing more resources to the local community
• SPELLs city wide work especially ALW brought status

In terms of the future the Learning Partnership is keen to learn from the lessons of the SPELL project and in particular to develop a local 'learning pays' campaign.