Developing adult skills: Testbed Learning Communities

Tackling community disadvantage and supporting adult skills development are issues which sit high on GOSW’s agenda – and both are being addressed with the introduction of Testbed Learning Communities (TLC). This initiative emerged from the Government’s Skills White Paper, and GOSW has led their development in the South West.

Two were launched in October 2004; one in Cam and Dursley in Gloucestershire, and the other across part of Exeter. Each is exploring new and different ways of motivating residents to develop skills and extend their knowledge and abilities, by getting involved in learning and training courses.

GOSW established and chairs a regional steering group for the TLC programme, which includes TLC Project Managers, Learning Partnership Managers, the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA), the Learning and Skills Council and the Scarman Trust. This group monitors the TLCs’ performance, agrees the allocation of funding and co-ordinates policy developments.

GOSW also appointed a consultant to review the work and management of the TLCs. GOSW managed the initial budget of £70,000 for the projects, and also helped to develop links with skills programmes run by the SWRDA, to ensure future funding.

To date, the programme is going well. Cam and Dursley TLC is the more advanced, developed by the GL11 Community Project and Gloucestershire Learning Partnership with the support of a range of key organisations and agencies.

Cam and Dursley TLC is now working with a partnership of 148 organisations, of which approximately 45 offer some sort of education and training.

Questionnaires were circulated throughout the community to help to identify the skills needed by local employers - and the current gaps - as well as the views of individuals on work, training and barriers to learning.

The existing local learning provision has been mapped and a full report is currently being produced. This will be used to support negotiations with providers to help match learning opportunities with the community’s needs.

Cam and Dursley Project Manager, Jane Manning, says: “People want chances to build their confidence, skills and self awareness; The Learning Community will help them do that.”