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Department for Education and Skills, 2003
This booklet presents the lessons learnt by the Skills for
Life pathfinder projects which ran literacy, numeracy and
ESOL courses at venues away from the learners' homes, usually
over two to three days. It lists the benefits of such courses
for both learners - such as new learning opportunities, tangible
learning gains, new social relationships and skills, increased
confidence and a conducive, often beautiful, environment -
and for providers, such as new challenges and stimulation
for teaching, experimenting with new ways of delivering basic
skills, better relationships between learners and teachers,
and retention of existing learners who may otherwise have
dropped out.
The booklet contains many practical tips for planning and
delivering residential courses, including points that providers
should consider (venue, insurance, promoting the event to
teachers and learners etc), case studies, sample programme
outlines and sample materials, for example for publicity and
risk assessment.
Also available is a video, 'Get Away - Developing Residential
Learning'. This shows the benefits of residential learning,
focusing on teacher and learner experiences.
To order the booklet (reference: DRLLP) or video (reference:
VDRLLP) call DfES Publications on 0845 60 222 20, fax 0845
60 333 60, email dfes@prolog.uk.com
or order online from www.dfes.gov.uk/readwriteplus/Order_Publications
CASE report 16 (Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion)
Sara Awan and Liz Richardson, LSE Housing, 2001
Trafford Hall, a training centre near Chester, received funding
from the Adult and Community Learning Fund to run two types
of residential basic skills training course, called "Learning
Space" and "Barefoot Basic Skills Worker" (BBSW)
training. Learning Space was an intensive weekend course for
adult basic skills learners. The BBSW course ran over three
weekends, and was targeted at community volunteers and leaders,
and frontline staff in social welfare and voluntary organisations,
living and working in low-income areas. It aimed to equip
participants with the tools to tackle basic skills issues
in their communities, thereby also impacting on community
regeneration.
Barefoot
Basic Skills Worker training
The evaluation of these courses found that as a result of
the BBSW training, Barefoot workers had taken local action
such as raising awareness of basic skills; integrating basic
skills support into their existing social care work; helping
friends; and setting up new community-based projects. 83%
(52 people) of those who completed the pilot project took
local action after the training, and some had taken immediate
steps to alleviate some of the negative effects of functional
illiteracy in the lives of those around them, for example
by making written tenancy agreements more accessible. However,
some workers in voluntary and social care organisations were
prevented from making changes by a lack of support from senior
managers. Some participants went on to train for a basic skills
teaching certificate or Postgraduate Certificate in Education.
The BBSW training package is no longer delivered on its own,
but it was used as a foundation for the Level 1 and 2 basic
skills teaching qualifications, and by the Basic Skills Agency's
Link Up project.
Learning
Space
The Learning Space course appealed to both new and existing
learners, providing a pleasant, friendly and fun environment
and time away from home - and from the distractions that reduce
people's energy and ability to learn. It offered "stand
alone" learning gains to those in moderate need, helped
people to continue with learning at home, strengthened existing
learners' commitment and provided a springboard to learning
for those with a higher level of need. The course relied on
individually tailored teaching rather than on a set curriculum.
97% of the 64 who attended felt that the course had been
of benefit: 74% achieved at least one of their learning goals,
and participants also felt that their confidence had improved
and that they were able to relax and make friends. While for
some the residential setting did not prove an attraction,
such as for learners going through drug or alcohol rehabilitation,
other learners said that they wished that they could stay
longer. Being away from home seemed to make participants feel
less exposed over basic skills difficulties.
Learning Space is no longer run, although the Skills for
Life pathfinder residential courses covered much of the same
ground. Trafford Hall was one of these venues and continues
its work on social inclusion.
Mainstream versus "alternative"
provision
Trafford Hall used the expertise of West Cheshire College
of Further Education to develop and deliver both courses,
and the evaluation found that it is not possible or desirable
for "alternative" courses such as these to develop
from the further education sector alone. However, there are
gaps in the scope and quality of mainstream provision; the
exposure of this sector to alternatives, to communities and
to intensive ways of working can positively influence its
approach.
To read pdf documents you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (free
to download).
Awan, S., and Richardson, L. (2001). Barefoot Basic Skills
Work and Intensive Learning: Two experimental basic skills
projects. London: Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion,
London School of Economics
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