Background and Methodology | Overview | Birmingham | Bradford | Bristol | Gateshead | Greenwich | Hackney | Leicester | Liverpool | Manchester | Norwich | Sheffield | Slough Background and Methodology Introduction 101 This document was prepared by SWA Consulting (SWA), for the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE), and represents the final report of the progress made across twelve demonstration projects. The overall aim of these projects was to develop innovative ways of improving access to information and advice on learning opportunities for adults in disadvantaged communities. 102 The first chapter of this report:- presents the background to the initiative; summarises the methodology adopted by SWA; sets out the structure for the remainder of the report. Background 103 This section sets the projects in both a national and local context and covers:- national background; local contexts; objectives for local projects. National background 104 Promoting a culture of lifelong learning is a consistent priority for the government. There have been several initiatives which have taken this forward, both at a strategic level (eg. the Green Paper 'The Learning Age' and the work of the Social Exclusion Unit in the Cabinet Office) and at a delivery level (eg. Learning Direct and Individual Learning Accounts). During the life of the project, the government has also announced the 'Adult and Community Learning Fund' which aims to fund projects which are "innovative, sustainable and build effective partnerships". 105 Engaging the interest and commitment of those groups who - for a variety of reasons - have not been traditional learners has proved a significant challenge. Winning the hearts and minds of the disaffected, and providing incentives for those who have failed to reach their full potential, are themes which can be seen in several initiatives parallel to the one discussed in this report (eg. New Start, New Deal). Other examples of initiatives designed to engage young people include the work of Education Action Zones, and schools piloting work-related curriculum initiatives. 106 The purpose of this particular initiative was to develop "innovative ways of improving access to information and advice on learning opportunities for adults in disadvantaged communities". Projects focussed on improving access to services, as for many non-learners the issues centre around their own self-confidence and individual barriers to learning (such as a lack of available childcare facilities or language difficulties). The content of the actual services on offer was in some senses secondary, therefore, to the identification of local needs and piloting of innovative approaches. Local contexts 107 The projects were typically based on small defined areas (eg. estates, wards, postcode districts). This ensured that local people could be actively involved and that the impact of innovative approaches would be more visible. Thus, although the DfEE funding seemed relatively modest (£25K per project), the spend per head of population in the local areas was greater than several other initiatives with larger budgets but coverage of whole local authority or TEC areas. 108 One of the criteria used by several projects in defining the boundaries for coverage was the absence of recent investment in the area; it was seen as more appropriate to test out new approaches in areas where there had not been a substantial amount of recent investment (eg. from SRB or ESF monies). Table 1 shows the towns and cities in which projects were based, the organisation acting as lead contractor on behalf of the local partnership, and the area which the project covered. Table 1: Projects, lead contractors and areas Project Lead Contractor Area Birmingham Birmingham TEC Kingstanding and Stockland Green Wards Bradford Bradford and District TEC Whole TEC and LA area, but with a focus on the Newlands estate and Keighley Bristol Learning Partnership West Knowle West (BS4) Gateshead Tyneside TEC Bensham and Saltwell Greenwich London Southbank Careers Ferrier estate Hackney Hackney Borough Council Pembury & Stamford Hill estates Leicester Leicestershire Careers & Guidance Services Beaumont Leys estate Liverpool Career Decisions Norris Green estate Manchester Careers Partnership Wythenshawe Norwich Norfolk & Waveney TEC Mancroft, Catton Grove & Henderson Wards Sheffield Sheffield Careers Service for Adults Tinsley & Burngreave Slough Slough Borough Council Chalvey 109 The areas demonstrate a diverse range of economic and social problems. Typical characteristics included:- isolation (often poor transport links, low numbers of car owners and a lack of access to a telephone); poverty (reliance on benefits); low basic skills or inappropriate skills for the local labour market (eg. an over-representation of traditional craft skills in an area with job shortages for technician and managerial levels), allied with high levels of unemployment and a core of people with very long periods of unemployment; high percentage of lone parents; alienation from statutory services; high numbers of offenders with large volumes of vandalism, burglary, arson and drugs-related crime; discrimination (against the estate and/or individuals due to local reputation, ethnicity etc.). Objectives for local projects 110 Whilst the specific objectives of the projects were as diverse as the communities in which they were based, a number of common themes were evident. The following represents some examples, of which any number may apply to a single project:- taking information advice services out into the community; the training of workers who already have a presence in the area, but whose principal role is not in the learning arena (eg. housing workers); the recruitment and training of volunteers from local communities who live in the local estates; marketing the benefits of learning and raising the profile of current learning opportunities; taking learning opportunities into the community; working specifically with parents and carers in a family learning model. 111 One of the major challenges facing all the projects was the problem of overcoming existing (negative) attitudes in order to gain the commitment of local residents. Members of the target group often had extremely bad experiences of learning and/or learning environments in the past, making them fearful and sceptical about learning opportunities. Reaching target groups and gaining their confidence has , therefore, been central to project objectives. 112 The nature of the target groups vary, however. Some projects aimed to target specific groups within the community (eg. Asian women), whereas others had a more general approach (eg. capacity building). At least one project convened a focus group of employees living in the area to help define community needs and hence priorities for the project. Methodology 113 The aims of the external role, undertaken in this study by SWA, were defined as:- "to identify effective practice in engaging individuals living in disadvantaged communities; to develop case studies for wide dissemination; identify features of successful and effective partnerships in disadvantaged communities." It is important to note, therefore, that the purpose of this study was to identify elements of good practice rather than to produce an abstract piece of evaluation. 114 In addition to this report, six project briefings have been produced which include practical guidance, derived from the experiences and best practice across the projects. 115 Key components of the methodology were:- preparation and national events; fieldwork; project briefings and a review of parallel initiatives. Preparation and national events 116 Initial groundwork involved the review of project bids, which set the projects in a local context and outlined aims and objectives. Initial meetings with DfEE representatives were followed by a national event to introduce the role of SWA, facilitate informal networking among project representatives, and to set the initiative within a national context. A further national event was held to launch the interim report in March 1997 and to inform individual projects about national progress. Fieldwork 117 There were two main fieldwork phases, with visits to each of the projects arranged in consultation with local project managers. Their help is gratefully acknowledged. Typically visits included at least some of the following:- discussions with the project manager and the project co-ordinator; a tour of the project's target area and any premises used for outreach work; a meeting with representative(s) of partner organisation(s); attendance at a meeting of the project Steering Group; informal discussions with clients or volunteers. 118 It was also helpful to view any materials which had been produced as part of the project, including examples of marketing or evaluation tools. Project briefings and a review of parallel initiatives 119 Project briefings have been constructed using a theme-based approach (eg. "outreach: getting started") in order to enable insights and practical experiences to be included from several projects on the same issue. In this way a broader range of experiences across projects can be presented and particular approaches highlighted. 120 In order to broaden the range of good practice reviewed, suggestions were sought on parallel initiatives, which, although not formally part of this exercise, have yielded useful material. These have been fed into the project briefings, as appropriate, and include information from other local projects and relevant national (and European) initiatives. Report structure 121 The following chapter of this report constitutes an overview of progress made across the twelve projects. Project-by-project summaries are provided as appendices. These would be more appropriate for readers seeking information on one or more specific local projects. Brief reports are given on each in turn. 122 The following outline structure is adopted throughout:- project context; project objectives; management arrangements; progress against objectives; next steps; principal learning points.