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Hampshire County Council response to the Green
Paper, "The Learning Age".
Introduction
This response, agreed by the Education and Recreation &
Heritage Committees, is based on consultation with the County
Adult Education Forum and County Lifelong Learning Group
established to develop an approach to lifelong learning.
The Lifelong Learning Group is chaired by the Director of Arts
Countryside and Community. Its Adult Education Section
services the Lifelong Learning Group which includes
representatives of:
* Arts, Countryside and Community which also includes Sports
and Community Development,
* Education including the Youth Service and Community
Education (which supports the community aspects of schools
other than adult education)
* Social Services which with adult education, has a joint
policy for the support of learning opportunities for adults
with learning difficulties and/or disabilities,
* the County Library Service,
* the County Museums Service
* Hampshire Record Office,
The Adult Education response was informed by the results of a
consultation with representatives of the 65 providers
financially supported by the County Council to deliver
non-schedule 2 adult education and their partners in the
community. These include Colleges, schools, arts, community
and voluntary organisations.
In total twenty eight questions posed in the Green Paper were
addressed. However overall impressions and issues arose
during the consultation which could not easily be answered by
replying to any of the specific questions. These are
addressed in the Report to the Recreation and Heritage and
Education Committees which is enclosed with this detailed
response.
The responses
Chapter 1: The Individual Learning Revolution
1. Are there other obstacles that people face beyond
those
set out ?
1.1 For some adults experience of the pass/fail cultur
e in
schooling and the emphasis on examination and testing
plus overemphasis by employers on work related skills
and knowledge to the detriment of non-work related
personal development. Success in adult learning needs
to be more clearly expressed in terms of personal
improvement/development to show the significance of the
benefits of learning which are not always obvious.
Non-vocational learning has to be valued.
1.2 The volume of bureaucracy associated with enrolmen
t and
delivery of learning opportunities. There is a need to
rationalise what is collected by every agency of
government.
1.3 For some people, the cost of courses and lack of e
nough
tax incentives for employers and employees.
1.4 Despite our commitment to IT, we recognise that fo
r some
it can be an obstacle to learning as well as a benefit
unless value is afforded to the need for people to learn
with others as well as on their own.
1.5 Lack of locally accessible learning advice and guidance.
* In Hampshire this authority, with its extensive
network of Local Information Points, in Libraries and
in the community plus its IT network, in partnership
with Hampshire Training and Enterprise Council, VT
Southern Careers, Portsmouth and Southampton City
Councils and fifteen colleges is pioneering a Learning
Information Network within current resources. It
offers a model for national use which, if properly
funded and linked to Learning Direct would greatly
enhance learning advice and guidance.
1.6 Staff and provider attitudes to disability and
difference unless training and awareness raising are
given a high profile.
1.7 Lack of outreach work to bring opportunities, ofte
n
informal, to people in isolated communities in rural and
urban areas. Networking and partnership alone cannot do
this. More funding is required.
1.8 Territorialism among providers. It is difficult t
o have
true collaboration in the interests of the public while
there is competition for funding.
2. Do the steps outlined cover the main changes needed?
2.1 Plans for seven day a week learning hint that it i
s most
likely to be available via new technology. Unconfident
or inexperienced learners will need contact with tutors
and other learners to aid them in their studies.
2.2 The notion of "child care" needs to be widened to
include "dependent care".
2.3 Only legislation and funding will bring about
significant changes in provision.
3. How can we raise awareness of UfI?
3.1 Ensure that, while remaining impartial, it promot
es
itself by using local structures and organisations and,
wherever possible, develops through them e.g. Libraries,
careers service and Learning Information Networks, Youth
Service, local further and adult education providers,
Small and Medium sized Enterprises, community and
voluntary organisations and schools where it will reach
tomorrow's adults and their parents.
3.2 Show how it links the National Grid for Learning.
4. How can we best link the UfI to Individual Learning
Accounts?
We are not convinced that it should be. The questi
ons
assumes that the worth of ILAs is proven. The use of
ILAs to buy into services increases the difficulty of
predicting demand. It would be unwise to rely on them;
there is a need to provide core funding to plan and
offer services.
5. Should the UfI focus exclusively on using new tech
nology
to deliver learning?
5.1 No; though its use is vital if learning opportunit
ies
are to be brought to more people individual support and
contact will always be needed; technology is not
accessible to all or appropriate to all. However, mass
participation will be limited if budgets cannot provide
the technology
6. How can Learning Direct best fit in with local sources
of advice?
6.1 By implementing the plans made by the previous
government to link it to Local Learning Information
Networks and funding them to do the job properly.
Local Authority venues and staff, already well versed
and trained to give advice and information about almost
anything, could become key players. Other existing
community advice centres e.g. CABs, housing offices need
to advertise it, once they are sure that it will be
effective.
7. How can Government and broadcasters maximise
broadcasting's contribution?
7.1 By using popular entertainment to raise awareness
and
to motivate individuals - give positive role models and
celebrate success with supporting promotion in
supermarkets and libraries.
7.2 National franchises to commercial media should re
quire
inclusion of educational aspects.
7.3 Free learning channels with repeat programmes
Chapter 2: Investing in learning
8. Are our funding principles the right ones?
8.1 Yes, but they need extension e.g
i) while it is acceptable for students to contr
ibute
towards the cost of tuition, government should be
ensuring that that there is funding to support the
infrastructure needed to deliver courses,. This
should encompass a coherent approach in which all
levels of funding for courses are considered
together and arrangements co-ordinated across all
levels of HE/FE/non-vocational/schools/business;
it should also include tax arrangements,
definitions of who needs most financial support
for learning.
ii) Bring the "Best Value" approach to all publi
cly
funded bodies to ensure that there remains a focus
on cost- effectiveness, quality and outcomes of
funding without requiring a bidding culture. This
should be extended to projects funded by the
National Lottery.
9. Are there further steps we should be taking?
9.1 Unless there is a shift of resources to target pub
lic
subsidies on those unemployed or unwaged they will be
further disadvantaged if employers fund more training
for those in work.
9.2 The guarantee for free full-time education should
be
extended from 18 to 19 years of age to take account of
the fact that some young people now are 19 before the
end of their sixth form education or its equivalent.
9.3 Ensure that learners over 50 are not denied access
to
adult, further and higher education because they do not
have sufficient incomes to participate in learning which
meets their individual or communal needs. There is now
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clear evidence that there is a connection between
healthy ageing and continuing to learn. In Hampshire
targeting of resources has ensured that the proportion
of over 60s participating in LEA subsidised
non-vocational education increased from 16% in 1994-95
to 18.5% in autumn 1997.
10. Is it realistic to expect more?
10.1 Incentives could be given for graduate training
programmes where employers pay for employees to complete
higher education?
11. How should learning accounts and the learning smart card
be developed?
11.1 The smart card should be capable of being used as
a
credit card so that those without savings can access
learning when they need to. The smart card should be
retained by its owner with the information it contains
only being made available to those authorised by the
owner.
12. On what basis should the government's contribution be
allocated?
12.1 Give higher priority to those who are less well
qualified.
13. What will be needed to make learning accounts
attractive?
13.1 Successful learning experience - people will only
buy
educational products if they represent good value for
money - backed by sound learning advice.
13.2 High profile awareness raising through popular TV, radio
and magazines.
14. Should learning accounts channel other forms of public
support?
14.1 They could be but there is a danger of limiting
participation by creating maximum entitlements. A way
needs to be found to use funds from those who underuse
their entitlement to help those service users who need
more if their support is not to be held back.
14.2 There is a danger that they may create a view that
the
only service of value is one which is paid for.
Perhaps this could be alleviated by giving credits to
volunteer "teachers" who share their skills with others
14.3 Care will have to be taken to ensure that those wh
o have
never had bank accounts or credit are not doubly
disadvantaged, particularly as they are seen as key
beneficiaries of learning
15. Are the steps we are taking sufficient to create a
fair
and effective system of student support?
15. 1 No, unless there is new money. Also to answer this
, more
information is needed about the process by which
educationally disadvantaged people will be targeted.
15.2 For students to be well supported there needs to b
e an
infrastructure to manage the support, using information
readily available. In this context the role of the LEA
might be redefined.
Chapter 3: Learning at work
16. How should we develop the national framework for
learning at work?
16.1 There is little recognition of the public sector a
s
employers and the types of training and learning
opportunities they offer their employees. Some local
authorities provide good models of how to match the
learning goals of their employees with the aims of the
organisation as a whole.
17. What measures are needed to ensure that people in
work
have the time they need to learn?
17.1 Employers, including local authorities, should be
able
to charge training/study time for their employees
against investment instead of against expenditure.
Chapter 4: Realising the learning age
18. How should the careers service help?
18.1 Change the name - "careers" is essentially a
professional/middle class term. and not appropriate for
young people most in need of advice.
18.2 Better software programmes for adults to determine
their
own options - and access to them. This would lessen the
need for one-to-one advice for adults.
19. How can the Youth Service support the strategy?
19.1 By building self esteem, giving opportunities to b
e
successful to those who are failing in formal education
and delivering support to help counter exclusions from
schools.
19.2 By identifying more specific learning outcomes for
the
work undertaken with young people which can be recorded
and used to give evidence of progress both to young
learners and others.
19.3 By enabling young people to influence policy decis
ion in
public life.
19.4 By taking the lead role in supporting government
initiatives by working with young people to develop
their social and life skills and their ability to relate
to all key organisations and agencies.
19.5 By working in partnership with other agencies e.g.
Foyers, Colleges and other adult education agencies,
community organisations, Police and Probation services
etc., all tiers of local government.
20. How could the UfI support IiYP?
20.1 Be available for young people from 16 to 18. Many
young
people may want to find courses/experience alongside
their formal post-16 education for social/recreational
purposes. This should be encouraged.
20.2 By investing in training for teachers working with
11-16
pupils in work-related learning including:
i) raising understanding of vocational ar
eas through
teacher placements,
ii) developing materials to help teachers
prepare
pupils for work,
iii) supporting an accredited staff develop
ment scheme
to motivate teachers and raise the status of
work-related learning,
iv) develop a quality framework for staff
development
in this area,
v) involve the Teacher Training Agency in
preparing
teachers to understand work-related education.
21. How can we make sure that wider participation is
achieved in FE?
21.1 Through the funding system which should allow up-f
ront
funding for outreach work in target areas or among
specific groups rather than being totally dependent on
the end results.
21.2 Require funded organisations to meet targets but g
ive
them time to get results in areas with high levels of
socially excluded people.
22. Main priorities for FE?
We agree with these.
23. Further steps to assist learning?
23.1 Define 'adequate' level of FE provision in LEA are
as and
so create an expectation within LEAs they should give
higher priority to this area of work.
23.2 Give local authorities a lead role in co-ordinatin
g
lifelong learning. They already have the financial and
administrative structures in place to be the channel for
receiving and distributing resources. They have
experience of establishing partnerships among
appropriate agencies, providers and community groups and
developing provision in locations where the greatest
need is found.
23.3 Offer grants towards family learning projects int
he
same way as summer literacy schemes have been
successfully piloted.
23.4 Funding should be long term, not just pump priming
or
for one year. It takes time to reach new clients and
consolidate expectations.
23.5 Dependent care to be available throughout the day
and
evening/twilight to suit home life.
24. How could UfI support community learning?
24.1 Resource learning centres in the community - at sc
hools,
libraries, community centres, housing offices, village
halls.
24.2 Link to local databases of voluntary community
organisations e.g. Hampshire County Council's COUSIN
public access database: assist with the recruitment of
volunteers.
25. Have we identified the right priorities for people with
disabilities?
25.1 The resources already earmarked are not adequate,
especially in relation to access to buildings and
opportunities for people with disabilities to exercise
the kinds of learning choices open to others.
25.2 People who have learning disabilities have very
individual needs and some will .require individual help
for which new technologies are vital. However they also
need to learn with others.
* Schemes such as "New Ways" and "Tandem" which
Hampshire County Council supports, match volunteer
helpers with people with disabilities to give them a
much wider choice of learning opportunities and
personal development, not just practical courses .
Without extra resources any organisation's ability
to
support in this way is limited.
25.3 The lack of choice is not just about resources but
about
funding systems, staff and organisational attitudes
which tend to discriminate against students with
learning and/or other disabilities unless they are
already socially acceptable, can achieve an acceptable
qualification in two years and will gain employment
where they will need little supervision.
25.4 There is a need for students with learning and/or
other
disabilities to be able to repeat their learning
experiences when it is evident that the original
learning needs reinforcing. Many people with learning
disabilities may be users of FE for up to 50 years.
25.5 The lack of bridging funding over the post-16 summ
er
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transition period leads to much loss of skills for
students with learning disabilities.
25.6 Clarify, through legislation, the role played by S
ocial
Services Departments (currently defined by the Sick and
Physically Disabled Act of 1970) in offering lifelong
educational opportunities to people who have
disabilities. In Hampshire, Adult Education and Social
Services have tried to tackle the legislative gap by
having a joint purchasing policy for non-vocational
education opportunities.
25.7 Give local authorities a lead role as brokers of
learning opportunities for students with learning and/or
other disabilities. In Hampshire where evidence of the
success of brokers in helping disabled people reach
higher than expected levels of achievement.
25.8 There is a need for time allowances, without financ
ial
penalties, for funding of courses for students with
mental health problems, who may have relapses during
their courses. Hampshire County Council takes this into
account in its funding formula which is linked to the
achievement of guided learning hours.
26. What areas should the next EU programme support?
26.1 Funding to equip learning centres with the necessa
ry ITC
hardware to make UfI truly accessible (LP).
27. Libraries
27.1 There was no question which had specific reference
to
libraries. Potentially significant developments for
libraries should be backed by government e.g.:
* formalising or cementing libraries' links with the
post 16 sector,
* being more accessible through active links with
community organisations, companies, TECs, Careers
Services as in Hampshire with the new Learning
Information Network (LIN),
* developing as advice/learning resource centres,
27.2 Library staff and particularly community librarian
s
should have an enhanced role backed by training and
resources.
Chapter 5: Ensuring standards, quality and accountability
28. What approaches to quality will be most effective for
adult education?
28.1 When establishing one model of inspection accord
inspection of Local Authority adult education the same
priority and resources as those of the FEFC.
28.2 Working with local authorities, establish quality
standards Local Authorities must achieve. Highlight good
practice and support its wide dissemination.
28.3 Define "adequacy". Much work has been done on this.
28.4 Require that Local Authority education development
plans
include lifelong learning.
28.5 Recognise that work with adults is as much a
specialisation as work with children and that therefore
teachers in adult education should have recognised
qualifications for teaching adults. These could be
acquired by the accreditation of prior experience,
learning and understanding.
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