Chapter 6: Increasing Participation 6.1 One of our key aims is to find ways of making the overall arrangements so attractive that far more people will positively want to take advantage of them. This means, not least, that if one has a real problem with reading, writing, language or numbers, one should be aware of it, should see it as a problem and be conscious of the benefits that could come from making progress. The stigma felt by many who have serious problems has to be totally understood in the arrangements on offer. 6.2 To address these issues, national awareness of the extent of basic skills problems will have to be raised, and the impact they can have on individual lives. The benefits that can come from having good basic skills must be more clearly shown. The role of the national and local media are central to these tasks, given their ability to reach and influence large numbers of people. In addition, there must be increased local and community activity, including outreach work and more use of both statutory and community agencies as referral points. 6.3 Once interested, adults must be given easy access to helpful information, advice and guidance. Time and again research has shown that people are not aware that help is available; that there may be study possibilities available in their area, some of which may fit their needs. We know that most adults who drop out of basic skills courses do so in the first few weeks, usually because the course doesn't suit their needs, or is not what they expected . So, high quality guidance is essential to ensure that more adults get help to find the right study possibilities. The media 6.4 The broadcast media, particularly the BBC, have played a crucial role in promoting basic skills and keeping the issue before the public. From the initial 'On the Move' campaign in the mid-1970s, the BBC has continued with its effective commitment to improving the basic skills of adults through campaigns such as Spelling it Out and Read and Write Together. The first UK Adult Literacy campaign which ran from 1975 to 1978, is still regarded as being one of the best examples of what a "massive contribution to recruitment of learners and volunteer tutors and to public awareness can be made by broadcasting". This involved entertaining prime time television and radio programmes. Over the three years of the campaign, 125,000 learners had been helped to improve their reading and writing, and 75,000 volunteers had been trained. 6.5 In Independent Television, there have also been good contributions. For example, in the 1980s, Yorkshire Television led the way in programmes in basic numeracy. As part of the Year of Reading, Channel 4 has linked literacy promotion to their popular Brookside. The community units of the ITV companies have for many years contributed to promotional basic skills campaigns. 6.6 The BSA's regional promotion campaigns, using local TV and radio advertising to encourage people with poor basic skills to call the Agency's 0800 National Referral Service telephone number, have increased referrals. 75% of callers said that, though they had been thinking about improving their skills, the TV and radio adverts encouraged them to call. 6.7 There is evidence that the targeting of promotion, focusing on specific needs or concerns, can be very effective. For example, the growing sophistication of broadcast-led campaigns, and their ability to target specific groups, is illustrated by the experience of the Read and Write Together campaign. This was developed in 1995 by the BBC in partnership with the Basic Skills Agency. These 'advertisements' targeted parents with poor basic skills and emphasised how much this could cause problems for their childrens' literacy development. Over 300,000 people responded to the campaign over a four-week period - the largest response to any similar social action campaign to date. Sophisticated marketing techniques had been used in the design of the promotional 'shorts', and they were placed at peak times on BBC TV when the target audience were known to be watching. 6.8 In short, there is considerable evidence that the media are effective in motivating adults to join basic skills programmes. We were therefore encouraged by our talks with broadcasters and their keenness to help further in this area. But we are not thinking of a one-off high-profile campaign. This would have, at best, a short-term impact and may even give the wrong impression that there isn't a long-standing problem. If our long-term ambitions are to be realised, broadcasters - TV and radio - should be mobilised for a continuing crusade. To create interest and encouragement does indeed require a "big bang" campaign for launching the Fresh Start, but to maintain momentum and progress thereafter, the media should be encouraged to plan continuing campaigns. 6.9 "Market segmentation" of such campaigns will be more effective than attempting a catch-all approach. We need to attract adults at key stages of their domestic and working lives, with campaigns that link to their current needs and aspirations, and which offer a solution through improving their basic skills. Promotion campaigns need to excite potential learners in the context of: work; helping their children; getting a particular qualification; dealing with everyday life; being more involved in the community. 6.10 Broadcasters agree that raising the awareness of adults with poor basic skills requires approaches which go well beyond the educational context. Subtle ways of incorporating literacy and numeracy issues in popular programmes (lifestyle programmes, quiz shows, etc.) are a necessary and promising route. 6.11 One of the most powerful needs for literacy remains the ability to read a newspaper. Mass circulation newspapers, with their flair for simplifying key issues, are therefore well placed to join in the proposed crusade. They should do so, not only because it is in their interests, but because it is a clear responsibility to make adults aware of the issues and - hopefully - of the attractive offerings on hand. 6.12 We also had in mind the potential usefulness of broader promotional initiatives and campaigns, including the Campaign for Learning and Learning Direct. 6.13 The University for Industry (UfI) will be a key actor in promoting relevant programmes. Its task is to develop the demand for lifelong learning. It will market its new learning opportunities, which, given their flexibility, should in themselves increase demand and motivation. The UfI will look for new ways to reach adults and to motivate them to improve their basic skills. In some cases this will require the creative thinking available in the media and advertising worlds. It is also an area where much can be learned from abroad. For instance, ABC Canada receives more than $4 million of advertising support for their public awareness campaigns each year. A similar approach to corporate sponsorship might work here. 6.14 We therefore recommend that a promotion group comprising UfI, broadcast media and press representatives, advertising and marketing agencies, the Basic Skills Agency and others should be given the task of identifying the most effective ways to promote basic skills, and the clearest routes for adults to get into programmes. This should be done with a view to launching a continuous high-profile campaign in 2000. 6.15 At present, broadcasters see their primary role as one of promotion and of raising the attention of the public. However, the development of digital technology means that a direct teaching role may soon become more accessible. Channel 4 and the Basic Skills Agency are involved in a project aimed to develop basic skills learning programmes for the UfI that can be delivered through digital television, going all the way from assessment to accreditation. We hope that the UfI will continue to keep a focus on provision that can be delivered directly into people's homes. This is a way of helping both with motivation and access. Referral by local and community agencies 6.16 Many intermediary organisations and individuals are already in contact with adults with poor basic skills. Their involvement needs to be harnessed to contribute to the success of the National Strategy. They must be given the necessary information and motivation to act as initial signposts to teaching opportunities. This can include Citizens Advice Bureaux, the probation service, Job Centres, the Benefits Agency, tenants associations, drug rehabilitation centres, employers, librarians, health visitors and so on. Given the many social characteristics correlated with poor basic skills, a cross-sector approach to information and guidance is crucial. 6.17 Local agencies are often well placed to identify basic skills problems in wider contexts. Advice workers in the Citizens Advice Bureaux come across countless examples of adults needing help because they can't understand a letter received from the Council, or are having trouble with their budgeting because of problems with numbers. A health visitor is in an ideal position to identify a mother or father having trouble with printed health information relating to their child. 6.18 Of course, many organisations running basic skills programmes already encourage the referral of potential learners from local statutory agencies and community groups. However, many others lack the information to carry out this role effectively. There is evidence that potential learners referred by third party agencies and organisations drop-out of programmes more frequently than others. Equally, there is evidence that drop-outs can be reduced if such third party agencies and organisations appreciate better what programmes are available locally, how these programmes work, and what commitment and effort is required. 6.19 The Government has set out its aim to improve the quality and coverage of local Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) services. This will be achieved by: investing substantial additional resources in the development of IAG services at a local level; contracting with partnerships of local providers for the delivery of these services in each area of the country; and requiring all providers in receipt of public funds to comply with appropriate quality standards from 2001. 6.20 Some of the resources allocated to developing IAG services locally should be used to link statutory and community agencies into the IAG network. The aim should be to create a team of front-line advice and guidance workers from staff already working in agencies such as the Employment Service, Citizens Advice Bureau, Probation Service and tenants groups. We have been impressed by the example of Union Learning Representatives, para-professionals who are able to: provide accurate information; provide initial advice; signpost to other sources of advice and guidance. 6.21 We propose that the new Lifelong Learning Partnerships - discussed in a later chapter - should take responsibility for developing this expanded network of specialist and front-line IAG workers. This will involve: short initial training courses in advice and guidance for existing staff in key agencies; the production and dissemination of materials for key statutory and community organisations mapping out what opportunities are available for adults with poor basic skills in the local area, and progression routes between these programmes. Outreach 6.22 To reach adults who have little contact with statutory or even community agencies requires increased emphasis on outreach work. This can build on much good practice already in existence. For example, an action research project examining the effectiveness of different types of recruitment, found that the approach of a door-to-door salesman was the biggest source of recruitment. As one provider commented: "this followed the experience of other organisations taking a service to, or selling to, the lowest socio-economic groups. Historically, family insurance and membership of the Labour Party were expanded in the same way - particularly among people with few educational opportunities. The fact that the results and improvements claimed for any of these services and products are long term, abstract and sometimes complicated, has not proved a barrier to expansion. It would seem therefore that similarly an educational service needs to be 'sold' at a personal level if those most in need are to participate". RECOMMENDATION 3 - National Promotion Campaign There should be a continuous high profile promotion campaign, with clear segmentation for different target groups of learners, to be devised by a new Adult Basic Skills Promotion Task Force. This should be set up in 2000.

Back

Home

Next