Learning and skills for neighbourhood renewal: Summary report on research for the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit
Sue Taylor, Learning and Skills Development Agency, 2003

Background
This report summarises the main findings from a study of how further education (FE) colleges and local authority (LA) adult education services contribute to neighbourhood renewal in deprived areas. It covers the policy context, the characteristics and extent of good practice, with examples, and the strategic role of learning providers.

The author suggests that learning provision and its relevance to neighbourhood renewal can be viewed as a continuum. At one end are courses aimed at widening participation in learning and raising skill levels in deprived communities, and at the other are courses designed to equip residents and regeneration practitioners with the skills and knowledge to improve conditions and tackle problems such as crime and poor health. Provision covering the extent of the continuum is necessary for successful neighbourhood renewal.

Key findings

• The Neighbourhood Renewal Unit (NRU)'s skills and knowledge strategy is not yet widely understood in the sector and the provision of specific training for neighbourhood renewal is patchy.
• Learning providers tend to see neighbourhood renewal learning as being the same as widening participation activity, not as a distinctive set of skills and knowledge. They will need encouragement from the NRU and Learning and Skills Council to ensure that these skills and knowledge are given due attention.
• There is, however, evidence of valuable provision directly or indirectly related to neighbourhood renewal which offers models for wider use, eg courses that develop skills for community learning or local leadership, as well as a range of community involvement, outreach and partnership activity that contributes to neighbourhood renewal.

Examples of good practice in response to the neighbourhood renewal agenda
These may involve direct or indirect learning provision for neighbourhood renewal, and are characterised by working in partnership - including with community partners - to develop and promote this learning, and drawing on the knowledge and skills present in the community.

• Northern College has run a pilot course for "Neighbourhood Animateurs" (community activists) and also runs "Community Health Animateurs" courses, which equip people to identify community needs and develop and manage community-led activities.
• Tower Hamlets College runs civic involvement courses, such as "Be a School Governor" for Bengali and Somali parents.
• South Birmingham College has established a Community Development Unit, which runs a Parent Partnership Project in conjunction with the LA. This recruits women in deprived neighbourhoods to work in schools to identify the learning needs of parents. Some of the women have progressed to permanent posts.

Reviewing performance
A statistical review of performance in FE colleges in deprived areas compared with the national average did not suggest that there are substantial problems, and the evidence showed that participation in the learning and skills sector is higher than average in deprived wards. The study recommends that statistics on participation in learning, retention and achievement be analysed to help judge performance in deprived areas, but points out that current measures of success focusing on inputs and outputs are not always helpful, and additional, qualitative benchmarks may be needed. These would include the availability of suitable learning programmes, how providers engage the community in developing learning provision for neighbourhood renewal, and how they work in partnerships to promote such provision. Success measures should relate to the impact of learning provision on long-term changes in communities, and the report also points out that such changes need sustained funding and resources.

Links:

• To download the summary and full reports, together with a policy review, visit www.lsneducation.org.uk (this link goes directly to the relevant page)
• For the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit visit www.neighbourhood.gov.uk
• The Learning and Skills Development Agency has become the Learning and Skills Network and the Quality Improvement Agency. For more information visit www.LSDA.org.uk
• For information on neighbourhood renewal visit www.renewal.net and www.regen.net

Taylor, S. and Doyle, L (2003). Learning and skills for neighbourhood renewal: Final report to the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit. London: Learning and Skills Development Agency.