Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report

1. Executive Summary

1.1. The September 2008 report informing the Executive Lead Member of developments in adult and family learning in Hampshire, made reference to the enquiry being made by the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills into adult learning.

1.2. The Secretary of State's enquiry began in 2008 and reached conclusions as set out in the White Paper published in March 2009.

1.3. This report highlights the main responses and conclusions reached in the White paper and how Hampshire's adult and family learning service will respond.

2. Contextual information

2.1. In order to respond to the Lead Member's request to see the development of a more vibrant adult learning service in Hampshire the following actions were taken.

· To continue to offer provision in all areas via a cost-recovery method and to begin the process of channelling resources to those areas of greatest need.

· To establish learning partnerships in each of the 11 district and borough council areas. To see greater emphasis on area working, rather than individual provider allocations so that a more corporate response to the needs of one area can be achieved rather than the efforts and contributions of single organisations.

· To establish a Hampshire Learning Board - to offer strategic direction, align budgets and where appropriate target areas of need.

· To raise the profile of adult and family learning in Hampshire.

· To maintain a mixed economy of provision based on contracted out provision or direct delivery.

· To create a `learning platform' to assist the flow of information about programme availability and to allow learners to comment on the service provided.

· To allocate staff from the central team to support greater area working.

2.2. Local concerns about the `downturn' in adult learning opportunities soon became a national issue - the supposed fall-off in participation, the lack of Government direction and in some areas, the demise of any local provision. DIUS (Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills) began a consultation/discussion on Informal Adult Learning - `Shaping the Way Ahead'. NIACE (National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education) - an independent but Government supported organisation - became a key contributor to the debate. NIACE wanted to develop proposals on the way ahead at a slower pace and began a more in - depth enquiry into adult learning. Their draft publication will become public in late September 2009.

2.3. Hampshire contributed to the Secretary of State's enquiry. Providers of learning for adults in the County welcomed the return of the view that learning for its own intrinsic value makes an enormous contribution to creating the kind of society we can be proud of. There is though the need to note the views of the current main political opposition party which leans more towards the emphasis on skills development. They also stress the important role informal learning can make as a method of encouraging adults to consider and engage in higher level learning. Thus we need to offer a portfolio of opportunities which embrace both the skills agenda and the more exciting and innovative informal learning. Indeed we divide and separate these two linked agendas at our peril.

2.4. Supporters of informal adult learning were pleased with the personal interest of the Minister - who was very involved in the consultation process. The White Paper on the proposals for the development of adult learning was finally published in March 2009.

2.5. The White Paper refers to "a rich tradition of adult education". Hampshire itself has such a `rich tradition'. The White Paper seeks to ask what a secure, thriving and joined-up informal learning strategy will look like in the 21^st century. This question is asked by the Minister to his own Department, to those who receive DIUS funding via the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and to the rest of the Government.

2.6. The Minister indicates that he feels that "over the past years there has been a quiet learning revolution taking place". From a Hampshire prospective we know that to a certain extent this is true. Hampshire accepted the leadership role of the `Laying the Foundations' - `Action for Communities' project (NIACE and LSC funded) which brought together partnerships of adult learners in various locations in Hampshire to investigate `where the learners had gone?', `how were they thriving?', `were any organisations involved in their activities?', `how can learners needs be best met?'. The results of that project started our own `Learning Revolution'. Some learners had left the traditional organisational model of providers offering learning opportunities. Groups of learners had started new ventures, set up on their own - but they felt isolated, forgotten and any `joined-up thinking' and the creation of learner pathways was not practicable. They wanted to join in again, to be part of a countywide movement, to contribute, to join a `step change' revolution - where there was more provision - not less. So, in Hampshire a quietly fanned revolution was taking shape and the contents and recommendations in the White Paper have to be seen as a natural extension of what had been happening to adult learning in Hampshire over the past 18 months.

2.7. The White Paper emphasises that future learning for adults needs a Government-wide strategy. It should be seen as being supported by ministers and officials from across all departments.

2.8. Core principles:

The White Paper gives a working definition of informal learning in the 21^st century. It may be broad but it is suggested that the breadth can be a strength. A full copy of the definition and overarching principles are set out in Appendix 1.

2.9. The White Paper consists of 4 chapters:

· Building a culture of learning

· Increasing access

· Transforming the way people learn through technology and broadcasting

· Making it happen

2.10. The Building a Culture of Learning chapter offers 4 initiatives:

The Learning Pledge:

· The Pledge is about putting principles into practice.

· About getting a wide variety of organisations to pledge commitment to the informal learning movement - Government departments, local authorities, sports bodies, broadcasters, major companies etc.

· The object is to create a network of ambassadors who have signed up to the pledge.

Festival of Learning:

· Because so many people/organisations took part in the consultation process which led to the creation of the White Paper, an annual informal learning EXPO event to be held in each area to:-

- develop new ideas

- celebrate successful partnerships and new delivery methods

- discuss new trends in informal learning

Transformation Fund:

· A prospectus will be published inviting bids to a new £20m Transformation Fund.

· The object of the fund is to maximise the opportunities for learning by supporting creative collaborations and innovation.

Open Space Movement:

· The Government wants organisations to "throw open" their facilities for informal learning.

· Keen to offer space to groups to organise their own learning, with support in finding low cost venues, training for group facilitators/selection of tutors.

· Other Government departments are also working to open up spaces and places - schools and children's centres etc.

· New White Paper on `The 21^st Century School' is to be published in spring 2009 - Department for Children, Schools and Families will refresh guidance on adult learning in schools.

· Department for Communities and Local Government to work with Local Government Association to raise awareness.

· Department of Health will continue to influence PCT's to open up space, get involved and support the pledge.

· Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) has set targets to encourage 3,000 museums, libraries and archives to get involved. MLA to set up challenge fund to offer small grants to generate appropriate action.

2.11. Increasing Access:

· Government ambition is for every adult to be able to access and benefit from a wide choice of informal learning.

· The government working with partners will take action to:

- widen informal learning opportunities for older people

- reach out to the disadvantaged

- support community champions

- increase availability of informal learning in the work place

· Keen to increase opportunities for older people to learn. Need to have better targeted information for this group.

· They wish to counter-discriminate on grounds of age.

- Many providers withdrew age-related fee concessions on the basis that they were unlawful - in the light of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations Act 2006. The White Paper suggests that age-related practices like fee concessions can be justified. Need to demonstrate `a proportionate response to a legitimate need' but the choice is left to local providers and it is suggested they take legal advice.

· Want to see more informal learning opportunities in care homes etc.

· Suggests that informal adult learning must reach out to people who are disadvantaged. There are `foot soldiers' in communities who can support this `reaching out' process. Third sector organisations are often seen as being best placed to do this activity.

· DIUS will continue to invest £20m each year for Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities (NLDC).

· Funding for family learning will still target disadvantaged families.

· Introduce a new package to support learning champions, ambassadors and other `foot soldiers'.

2.12. Transforming the Way People Learn Through Technology and Broadcasting:

· Government strategy aims to:

- help adults develop skills, confidence and access to technology so they can participate in a variety of learning experiences.

- harness the power of technology to create more, and different, learning opportunities.

- stimulate new partnerships - using broadcasting and technology to bring learners together.

- maintain momentum so that informal learning is at the forefront of emerging new technologies.

· Estelle Morris to review ICT skills for adults - to understand and state the current position.

· Require UK Online to take on a stronger role in championing informal learning and supporting digital inclusion.

· Keen to create sustainable, online space where adults can find out about learning opportunities.

· Keen to engage broadcasters - big/small/local etc., to get involved.

2.13. Making it Happen:

· Government will act as a catalyst, investing additional funding to build capacity and creating the `wiring' that enables innovative learning to flourish.

· Further emphasis again on the importance the Government gives to its own `joined-up thinking' and that of other strategic organisations. "Ensure that Government policy is reflected in joined-up action on the ground".

· Establish a National Advisory Forum - made up of public, private and third sector partners. Remit - to advise on implementation and to steer strategy and future development.

· Forum to establish `high level' group to help drive progress and keep momentum going. This group will be supported at ground level by all those organisations who signed up to the `pledge' and who support the principles of the `The Learning Revolution'.

· To put the national vision into practice, the Government will ask local authorities to provide the local leadership and necessary infrastructure to create a joined-up, innovative and broad local learning offer - "local authorities uniquely placed etc."

· Want local authorities to build on the best of what exists now.

· Local authorities to work with others to provide 5 core elements:

- Innovation

- Universal access

- Targeted support

- Collaboration

- Promotion

· Local authorities to create strong partnerships.

· Government expect to see `joined-upness' between Primary Care Trusts ( PCT's) and third sector.

· They want to see informal learning clearly visible and integrated within local strategic partnerships.

· DIUS will maintain investment to secure a core offer in each local area.

· DIUS will enable local authorities to shape the funding from LSC/SFA to facilitate the `join-up' the Government wants to see.

· Expect local authorities to develop a much stronger leadership role and to align LSC/SFA funding with other funding, including their own for museums, schools, libraries, sport, plus that of others e.g. Primary Care Trusts.

· Aim is to improve choice/opportunity via collaboration and innovation and to reduce bureaucracy.

· Local models will vary dependent on background/existing arrangements.

· There will be changes to existing arrangements for some colleges and those organisations which currently receive LSC funding direct.

· During 2009/10 the government will begin to change policy by creating a working group with support of LGA, leading Local authorities (LA's), LSC and other partners.

· LSC will establish detailed guidance and transitional arrangements on use of DIUS funding for informal learning.

· Government will want to know how well the new approach is working/whether it is fit for purpose. This will be via:

- New national indicator for informal learning - this will be used in future spending rounds.

- Ofsted to develop and pilot new approach to informal learning to be implemented from September 2010. This is to be in line with Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) process.

- DIUS will `free up' funding for informal learning and in return will be asking local authorities to account for their role in promotion and support.

· Government will continue to recognise and value the importance of qualified teaching staff. They will also expect to see a range of other enablers being utilised - paid non teachers whose role is to deliver/enable learning, leaders and facilitators of self-organised groups and outreach workers.

3. Finance

3.1. The White Paper mentions application to the Transformation Fund and MLA. Hampshire Learning will make a bid to the Transformation Fund. The timescale for making the application is short and the timeframe for carrying out your project has to be completed by March 2010. Representatives from various organisations are constructing the bid which will involve learning partnerships, target older learners in creating their own self-organising learning groups in `areas where there is little such provision'. This style of enabled learning programmes will begin to flourish and sits well with the more traditional model of provision which develops, owns, operates, funds and manages the programmes. This style of operating will be a new opportunity for Hampshire providers and learning organisations.

3.2. Currently Hampshire receives £2.1 million from the LSC to support a variety of learning programmes. The LSC will cease to exist next year (2010) and will be replaced by a new funding body-the Skills Funding Agency (SFA). Hampshire will seek support for its learning programmes via the SFA. Currently £210 million is set aside as safeguarded national funding to support current provision.

4. Performance

4.1. Over the past year we have been 'laying the foundations` so that the `step change' required by the Council can be delivered. Numbers of learners have increased and the vision set out in the White Paper will encourage learner numbers to grow even more.

4.2. We are currently not capturing total learner numbers and for contractual reasons have only counted and collected data on those learners who attend funded provision. In the next 6 months we will begin to count all learners - whether they are attending formal, informal or non-formal types of learning.

5. Other key issues

5.1. Mention has been made already of the Learning Pledge. The Government has invited organisations to show their commitment by signing a Learning Pledge - kick-starting a new movement owned by local people and organisations that promote learning for its own sake. The pledge invites a wide range of organisations - Government departments, local authorities, the cultural sector, sports bodies, national membership organisations, broadcasters and technology companies to sign up to the core principles and make a practical, individual contribution to implementing the strategy.

5.2. Hampshire Learning has already signed the pledge. As an Authority, we have been involved with senior Government officials in building the case for further development in adult learning. If we had not signed at an early stage we could have been seen not to support the development and as it was in line with our own developing strategy, it was thought that signing up to the pledge would ensure we were involved in future discussions and have access to funding opportunities. It is suggested that impact nationally will heighten if we sign up to the development of the service as a whole County Council. This action is covered in our recommendations in Section 8 of this report.

6. Future direction

6.1. The White Paper is extremely clear that, in order to put the national vision into practice across the Country, the Government asks local authorities to provide the local leadership and the necessary infrastructure to create a joined-up, innovative and broad local offer. There is confidence that Hampshire learning and its partners can offer a broad local learning offer. Programmes range from those which offer personal and community learning, wider family learning, family literacy and numeracy, first step learning, learning in deprived neighbourhoods, those programmes which help with employability, skill programmes to assist with independent living, accredited courses which lead to a national qualification and online learning opportunities which offer short, mainly IT programmes to those who find attending a local centre difficult for a range of reasons.

6.2. Hampshire Learning has been developing the infrastructure to respond to the challenges set out in the white paper. Real partnership working has been embraced, strategic management has been created at the centre and approximately 200 providers of learning programmes have been primed to respond.

6.3. Local authorities are uniquely placed to unlock the learning potential of many local services. There is confidence that key local authorities can play a strong role in local strategies for community cohesion, active citizenship, health and wellbeing. The Government is keen for Hampshire to build on the best of what exists now and have the autonomy and tools to drive the creation of a new culture of informal learning.

6.4. The White Paper asks that local authorities work with others to provide five core elements to underpin a strong local offer:

· Innovation: public funds used flexibly, complementing private and third sector investment effectively, enabling learning opportunities to thrive by building new partnerships and connections.

· Universal access: all adults able to shape and access the learning activities they want for personal development and fulfilment wherever they live, whatever their qualifications and income.

· Targeted support: those in most financial need given greatest support. In relation to taught courses, most adults should contribute in part or in full to the cost of their learning wherever it is provided, and local areas should actively use fee collection to reinvest in extending the reach of what is on offer.

· Collaboration: a wide range of partners and services working in partnership, aligning funds where appropriate, to maximise the scope for offering high quality, inspiring learning opportunities, increasing choice and helping adults move from one learning opportunity to another.

· Promotion: the maintenance of good, up-to-date information on informal learning opportunities to be freely and openly available to local communities.

7. Recommendation(s)

7.1. That the Executive Lead Member endorses the strategy Hampshire Learning is making to incorporate the vision set out in the White Paper published by the Government in March 2009.

7.2. To continue the strategy of promoting more of a culture of learning for adults and their families within the Council, within district and boroughs - via partnerships, voluntary organisations, clubs etc.

7.3. To note that the tone of the Paper is very much about cross-departmental working - working with others, both at Government level and at local council level. Hampshire has recognised that a single organisation is unlikely to make the `step change' in adult learning which is required to support the County Council's corporate strategy, in particular maximising wellbeing and enhancing the quality of place for Hampshire residents.

7.4. To acknowledge that the concept of organisations signing to pledge support for the vision sits well with our own developing strategy. At a Hampshire level we will draw together those companies who have pledged support to see if individually and collectively their interest can be used to further support the development of the Hampshire adult learning offer. To date the service has really benefited from working in partnership with external partners e.g. the provision of a mobile learning unit to take learning opportunities to those in challenging locations. This mobile facility has been achieved by a partnership between First Bus Company and Portsmouth Football Club. We want to work with other Hampshire companies to further develop positive partnership working.

7.5. That Hampshire will continue to maintain a `mixed economy' of provision, based on contracting out some provision and by very focused direct delivery support. That the offer to residents will incorporate a variety of programmes which embrace the skills /accreditation agenda, informal learning and non-formal learning.

7.6. That Hampshire Learning develops, with others, the concept of facilitating individual and group learning via various models of self-organising groups. The White Paper offers a clear steer that there should be more experimentation with groups energised to form around an area of interest and that the role of Hampshire Learning should be to support, encourage, and develop the skills of such groups to be self-organising. Hampshire Learning will encourage this development as part of its over-all offer to local residents.

7.7. Hampshire will make a unified application to the Transformation Fund to seek funds to begin the process of changing the thrust of some of its work from that of provider to that of enabler/facilitator. We will link this main application to the Transformation Fund with other bids from a variety of areas of work within the county - museums, archives etc., so that we offer a united strategy to a variety of funding bodies - and if successful, one plan links to another and all benefit.

7.8. The service will hold a festival of learning in Spring/Summer 2010 with planning taking place in late Summer/Autumn 2009.

7.9. The White Paper offers another clear steer that if there is emphasis on any particular learner age group in society, the focus should be on those in greatest need - those with low or few skills and those of advanced years. We will work with a variety of agencies and providers to ensure this focus becomes a reality to individual learners in local communities. The service will take advice on how a reduction in fees for the elderly can be achieved.

7.10. The White Paper indicates that technology and broadcasting can transform the way people learn. We will continue to ensure that technology is used/ encouraged widely in all taught courses. Many individuals cannot manage to attend their local centres for a variety of reasons. The service has 7 years experience of online learning via our Learndirect operation. With changes to funding and the demise of the LSC, continuation of these schemes will not be an option. However, by working closely with Hampshire IT Services we hope to continue to offer Hampshire Learning online programmes.

7.11. Our share of the £210 million safeguarded funding from the Government remains. Access to the funding has been via the LSC and, with their demise in 2010, we will gain our access of support via a new body - the Skills Funding Agency (SFA). We will begin to make contact and seek a positive relationship with this new organisation over the next few months.

7.12. We welcome the news that Ofsted will develop a new model of inspecting our work in the future. Their new model, when developed, will link with the CAA procedure.

7.13. That the development of the Hampshire's `learning platform' continues - to incorporate a number of online learning programmes developed in association with IT Services and focuses on those who find regular attendance at a centre/programme impossible because of age/disability or who find travel/mobility difficult.

7.14. That the Executive Lead Member recommend to the Leader that the County Council itself should sign up to the informal learning movement pledge (a copy of the pledge documentation is given in Appendix II along with a selection of named companies and organisations who have already signed up).

A full copy of the White paper `The Learning Revolution' is available for Members.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Links to the Corporate Strategy

.

Other Significant Links