Mapping Adult Learning in Stoke-on-Trent

The City Council has formed a partnership with many local agencies to map and plan adult learning in Stoke on Trent. You are invited to participate in the mapping exercise. There are numerous benefits to all agencies who participate in this mapping, these include:

• Any courses you run will be available through Stoke on Trent City Council's website for all the community to view. Currently we experience 600,000 page views per month to the website;
• You will have up to date information of the learning activities that are available to adults in Stoke on Trent;
• You will have access to maps that illustrate the key data that is being captured by this survey;
• You will be able to identify gaps in provision that you may able to focus your business on;
• You will be able to signpost your learners to other courses that will help them to progress;
• You will be able to influence the adult learning that the city council should focus LSC funding on.

What do we want to map?

We want to start by mapping learning that is classed as Personal, Community Development Learning (PCDL for short). This is learning for personal development, cultural enrichment, intellectual or creative stimulation and for enjoyment. It is also learning developed with local residents and other learners to build the skills, knowledge and understanding for social and community action.

The mapping that we want to undertake will focus on four key categories of learning, these are:

1. Developing Individuals
2. Supporting Families
3. Strengthening Communities
4. Enhancing Employability

These categories are further defined as follows:

1. Developing Individuals - Including learning undertaken primarily for the enjoyment of the subject and / or to develop a recreational interest

• Leisure learning - arts, crafts, photography
• Leisure learning - music, dance, performing arts
• Leisure learning – languages
• Leisure learning - history, society etc
• Leisure learning – gardening
• Leisure learning – ICT
• Life-skills and Personal Development e.g. budgeting, communicating with confidence, leadership, health & safety
• Health and well-being e.g. yoga, Tai Chi, beauty, healthy eating

2. Supporting Families - Strengthening the family unit through family and/or intergenerational learning including that contributing to health and school agendas

• Parenting – including communication, discipline, healthy relationships, under fives developmental play etc
• Managing challenges – drug / alcohol dependency, care dependency, language / cultural barriers, learning disability, mental illness.
• Managing family life - e.g. cooking on a budget, time management, household finances, family health
• Leisure and recreational family learning e.g. early years play and development

3. Strengthening Communities - Learning designed to engage and empower residents, groups and organisation and develop capacity for self-sustainability

• Community safety e.g. fire prevention, personal safety, road safety
• Active Citizenship e.g. campaigning, volunteering, using public services
• Improving the local environment e.g. recycling

4. Enhancing Employability - Learning designed to move the individual towards employment or enterprise or to make positive changes to improve career prospects

• Career planning & job search
• Job application skills
• Transferable work skills e.g. literacy, numeracy
• Self employment & business start-up

Why does the partnership need to undertake a mapping exercise?

• We want to establish what learning is available across the city to make sure there is a cross section of subjects
• We want to identify any gaps in provision
• We want to influence the planning of provision in the future to ensure we are offering a co-ordinated range of learning opportunities across the city.
• We want to work together to make sure learners have adequate progression routes available to them
• We want to ensure funding is targeting the correct learners at the correct time offering the best subjects to meet their needs
• There is a requirement from the LSC to ensure that appropriate partnership arrangements are in place for 2007/08 allocations.

How will I get access to the survey results?

The results will be published in March 2008, with copies made available to download from the City Council’s websites.

Who are the members of the Partnership?

In forming the partnership we have tried to ensure that there is adequate representation of as many agencies across Stoke-on-Trent as possible whilst maintaining a manageable number. It is envisaged that the Partnership Steering Group, who are responsible for strategic planning of provision, comprises of:

• David Poole, Learning Skills Council. Tel. 01782 463063. E-mail david.poole@lsc.gov.uk
• Simon Hillman, Learning Skills Council. Tel. 01782 463067. E-mail simon.hillman@lsc.gov.uk
• Carol Smith, Stoke on Trent City Council, Civic Centre, Glebe Street, Stoke on Trent,  ST4 1RJ. Tel. 01782 236887. E-mail carol.smith.hr@stoke.gov.uk
• Kath Reynolds,  Stoke on Trent City Council, Civic Centre, Glebe Street, Stoke on Trent,  ST4 1RJ. Tel. 01782 232365. E-mail kath.reynolds@stoke.gov.uk
• Anne Mackey, Stoke on Trent City Council, Hanley Library, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke on Trent, ST1 3RS. Tel. 01782 238410. E-mail anne.mackey@stoke.gov.uk
• Judith Robinson, Staffordshire University, College Road, Stoke on Trent. Tel. 01782 294522. E-mail j.m.robinson@staffs.ac.uk
• Fleur Parker, Workers Educational Assoc, 4th floor, 67 Newhall street,  Birmingham, B3 1NQ. Tel. 0121 237 8120. E-mail Fparker@wea.org.uk
• Maggi Rowland, Stoke on Trent College, Cauldon Campus, Shelton Road, Stoke on Trent. Tel. 01782 208208. E-mail maggi.rowland@stokecoll.ac.uk
• Maureen Atkinson, Stoke Voluntary Action Group, Dudson Centre, Hanley, Stoke on Trent. Tel. 01782 683030. E-mail matkinson@vast.org.uk 
• Sue Walmsley, LEAP, 70 Foregate Street, Stafford,  ST16 2PX. Tel. 01782 295341. E-mail Sue.walmsley@cxstaffs.co.uk
• Julia Barraclough, Groundwork Enterprise Centre, Albany Works, Moorland Road, Burslem, Stoke on Trent,  ST6 1EB. Tel. 01782 829900. E-mail Julia.barraclough@groundwork.org.uk
• Andrea Bromfield, Community Empowerment Network, Equality House, 75-77 Raymond Street, Hanley, Stoke on Trent, ST1 4DP. Tel. 01782 407965. E-mail a.bromfield@stokecen.org.uk

How do I access the survey?.

• To print the survey or to complete it electronically on your own PC, you can download it by clicking on the link below. 
• Or, you can use our convenient simple online system which will record the data straight on to the web site. With this option you can update and change the information at anytime, it also gives website users access to your course information straight away. To complete online you will need a username and password that can be obtained from sending a request to adult.learning@stoke.gov.uk . Please follow the link on the right-hand side of the page to access the online system.

In anticipation that you will see the benefits to your organisation taking part in this mapping exercise we would like to thank you for your time and look forward to sharing the survey outcomes with you in the near future.