| This article first appeared in the March 2002 issue
of Literacy Today
(issue no. 30). |
Nine pathfinder areas are playing a pivotal role in testing
out the new adult basic skills standards, national tests and
curriculum, as outlined in the Government's Skills for Life
strategy. With challenging targets for improved participation
in basic skills programmes, the Cambridge pathfinder has developed
an innovative approach to attract new learners. Literacy Today
editor Viv Bird reports.
When in April 2001 the local Learning and Skills Council
offered additional money to Cambridge Regional College to
put on more basic skills classes, basic skills manager Di
Fuller refused. She believed that it was more important initially
to get on board local groups and agencies whose clients were
the ones most likely to benefit from basic skills help. As
a result, a bid that was submitted by the Cambridgeshire and
Peterborough Learning Partnerships for an innovative capacity
building project was awarded Learning and Skills Council local
initiative funds.
The Cambridge Pathfinder capacity building project incorporates
a basic skills director and a team of development workers
to work proactively in the county to raise awareness, train
volunteers and promote and market all basic skills activities
in their area. Organisations contacted range from local employment
services and careers guidance, social services and health
care to local voluntary organisations, community education
and libraries. Capacity building in this context is not about
teacher training or teaching students. As basic skills director
Di Fuller explains, "We are building awareness among front
line staff in how to recognise basic skills needs so that
they can deal with it more appropriately."
Because the capacity building team is not linked to individual
providers, such as local colleges, it does not 'sell' particular
courses and therefore has more flexibility to meet individual
organisational needs. While tailor-made courses are provided,
organisations can also choose from a menu of free training,
including one day courses in basic skills awareness, screening
and initial assessment and how to use Target Skills, the online
assessment tool.
Training in running taster sessions and events workshops
to build the demand for learning is also provided. This has
led to many successful events. For example, after a
drop-in session held in the learning centre at Peterborough
Regional College, 23 people signed up to find out more about
basic skills. Taster sessions held in December for mums in
a local families project had them using the computer to make
Christmas cards. Later on they tried out the Learndirect learning
materials which are available on laptop computers the development
workers take to the sessions. Local Learndirect centre managers
report significant numbers of people signing up for basic
skills courses after taking part in taster sessions like these.
According to development worker Eva Alldritt, a lot of her
work is helping to break down barriers and misunderstandings
about basic skills. "People think it means those who cannot
read and write at all." In fact, very few fall into this category;
many more just need to improve their spelling and writing.
When employers understand that improving basic skills can
reduce absenteeism and wastage and improve employee motivation,
they soon see the link with increased productivity and profitability.
As a result, many sign up for the screening and initial assessment
training. Development workers are not necessarily basic skills
specialists. Eva's professional background was in human relations,
and prior to working for the project she was an Investors
in People trainer.
The project has been inundated with requests from organisations
wanting awareness training. With a pool of people now having
completed the first stages of awareness training and enthusiastic
to find out more, the programme has expanded since January.
It now includes in-depth mentor training for those who want
to provide practical basic skills support to their clients.
Di Fuller has encountered no problems with providers. "As
a result of networking, training and marketing materials,
we are bringing more students into basic skills provision
as well as providing a pool of enthusiastic advocates for
the Skills for Life strategy. Some of these advocates are
now interested in becoming basic skills tutors."
Building awareness of basic skills needs in local communities
can lead to local tensions when voluntary groups want to provide
basic skills tuition themselves. Di Fuller believes that we
need to celebrate, and distinguish between, the different
agencies who can all help in their own way to improve adult
basic skills. Professional centres in colleges and community
education centres can provide trained tutors that are supported
and properly resourced to deliver adult basic skills. The
strength of the voluntary sector is that they know their client
groups and how to engage with them within a supportive, learning
environment. "The challenge is how to match the two sets of
skills and facilitate people to make the transition into classes,"
she observes.
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