Practical guidance for embedding Skills for Life - Excellence Gateway

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12 Skills for Life Quality Initiative6.3 Whole Organisation Approaches for Delivering Skills for LifeLed by KPMG, the first phase of the Whole Organisation Approach Pathfinder project iscurrently working with 27 pathfinder sites. The full report will be released in 2006.Emerging findingsIt is very important to get commitment and ‘ownership’ from senior managers andorganisational leaders to ensure the success of the project.> It is critical to identify a named person at a senior level as a contact point.> Ensure engagement of staff in all parts of the organisation, not just the obviousones.> Involvement of governors and trustees gives out clear messages to others withinthe organisation as to the priority of Skills for Life.> Successful implementation of an embedded approach is to develop and establishan appropriate action plan which identifies how the organisation will embedSkills for Life into its strategic process.> Bringing together previously separate areas for the purposes of internal qualityassurance, particularly internal verification has proved beneficial. Theconsolidation of key skills and basic skills has sent out positive signals.6.4 NRDC Research Report: Success factors in informal learning: youngadults’ experiences of literacy, language and numeracyThis NRDC project worked with three case study sites to explore the contribution ofinformal and non-formal education to literacy, language and numeracy provision foryoung adults aged 16–25. The research and development project was completed in March2005, and the final report will shortly be available to download from the NRDC websitehttp://www.nrdc.org.ukKey findingsSome of the key findings of the research project are:> Addressing the needs presented by young adults’ attitudes, goals and lifeexperiences was far more influential in guiding their learning programmes thanenvironment, funding or accreditation-related targets.> Practitioners have insufficient information about sources of funding for informaland non-formal LLN work with young adults.> There is an ongoing debate among practitioners about the benefits of makingLLN explicit in learning programmes rather than ‘teaching by stealth’.> Balancing ‘hooks’ and rewards with learning elements of provision was a constantstruggle for practitioners.> The use of Skills for Life initial and diagnostic assessment was closely related tothe amount and level of LLN training undertaken by practitioners.> Some form of initial or diagnostic assessment was widely agreed to be useful,whether specifically LLN related and formal or informal and more holistic. Formsof ongoing or formative assessment were rarely mentioned.
Practical guidance for embedding Skills for Life 13> Across all sectors, embedding literacy, language and numeracy was widelybelieved to be the most effective approach in working with young adults.> Practitioners concentrate mostly on literacy, with far less emphasis on numeracy.Oracy is often overlooked.> Practitioners reported a lack of materials to support their LLN work with youngadults. Consequently, the vast majority create their own resources, based on theirlearners’ interests and the needs of the learning programme.Research Report 8> Responses to accreditation, assessment and qualifications were mixed, with somepractitioners believing them to be a motivational force for learners, whereas aminority saw them as an intrusion into an otherwise informal programme.> The way in which accreditation is introduced to young adult learners, and thesupport offered to them, is central to its success.> Training and professional development for practitioners working to develop LLNamong young adults is an extremely emotive subject.> Most practitioners have very little specific training in the teaching of LLN.> Personal qualities and attributes associated with effective youth work, such aspatience and empathy, were considered essential; whereas LLN training was seenas desirable but hard to access, and sometimes inappropriate to the cohort.
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Practical guidance for embedding Skills for Life - Excellence Gateway

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