Skills for Life

The Skills for Life Partnership is recognised locally and regionally, as a model of good practice which can reflect the Norfolk perception on literacy, language, numeracy, teacher training and other SfL issues in a coherent fashion.

Working in collaboration the various  steering, operational and strategic groups have influenced national, regional and local consultations including the DIUS (Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills) ‘Consultation on Integration and Community Cohesion' and their ‘Informal Adult Learning Offer'.

The NLP, with the support of the CPD group will be the County hub and focal point for the ACER (Association of Colleges in the Eastern Region) led regional ESF Skills for Life Teacher Training Programme.  The CPD group also identified a gap in SfL teacher training around new teachers entering the profession. The NLP co-ordinated a bid to the Quality Improvement Agency (QIA), and have been successful in obtaining funding to run both a literacy and a numeracy ‘Introduction to Teaching Skills for Life' course at Level 3, which will enable smooth progression onto the new Diploma in Teaching in the Life Long Learning Sector and increase capacity. The NLP have also obtained other funding to support the SfL agenda in Norfolk.

 LEGI (Local Economic Growth Initiative) funding in Norwich has allowed two ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) opportunities. One working with isolated females and the other working with those who want to become childminders within their own communities. The ESOL Steering group continue to champion the needs of pre-Entry and Entry Level ESOL learners in the County.

 After the NLP identified the acute literacy, language and numeracy needs in the Hunstanton/Heacham area, it obtained IiC funding which has been targeting Entry Level learners through the embedded context of customer care in tourism and leisure, with over 70 participants so far improving their skills and employability.

 The EEDA (East of England Development Agency) Investing in Communities project has gone from strength to strength. Eight highly experienced practitioners now work in partnership with key stakeholders to deliver embedded Entry Level, SfL learning, to small groups, in a range of vocational settings.  New sectors added to the IiC offer this year include the Creative Arts and Tourism and Leisure. Vocational staff have benefited from embedded training to enable them to better support learners with SfL needs. 

The Norfolk Learning Partnership has received support from LSC Norfolk's core funding and also through LID (Local Initiative Development) funding to respond to SfL Workforce Development and Family Learning needs. Activity has included:

Working with the BBC RaW campaign, to offer embedded family learning days with new partners such as the North Norfolk Railway.

 

• Providing Core Curriculum training in Literacy, ESOL and Numeracy for 78 participants from a range of statutory, voluntary and Work Based Learning Sectors.
• Skills for Life Embedding Training for 36 teachers and teacher trainers.
• Move up teacher training for 20 practitioners.
• The NLP, working with NIACE, ACER and the QIA have launched the Norfolk Numeracy Cluster Network which will respond to the Leitch numeracy target demands through staff development.

The NLP will continue to ensure the Skills for Life needs of both learners and teachers are acknowledged and given a voice, and will continue to be busy on Norfolk's behalf in the following year.