12.11 Such collaborative partnerships will best be established on a regional and, occasionally sub-regional basis. Local authorities, employers, voluntary organisations, trade unions, representatives of the various departments of state and educational providers should seek the best ways to pool their expertise, knowledge and resources to devise strategic objectives and the best means of meeting them.

12.12 Particular attention should be paid to understanding and mapping the needs and challenges the region or sub-region in question, the communities and different labour markets within them, and the ways in which new forms of lifelong learning can help meet their various needs. Energy and imagination should be given to stimulating and supporting additional demand for learning opportunities, especially from those individuals, groups or areas of activity which have seldom been represented in lifelong learning initiatives.

12.13 At a regional level, lifelong learning partnerships should forge close links with the various Government Offices and with the emerging Regional Development Agencies, with high level co-operation between all three becoming a notable feature

12.14 As appropriate, strategic partnerships should also be constructed for local communities and at work, at the level of employers or groups of employers or workplaces. Trade unions should seek to play a full and positive role in these. Again, these should be introduced principally to map need, stimulate demand, support learning, access appropriate provision, which might be programmes of study or making other applications of knowledge and audit activity.

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