The Skills for Life Regional Directors are based with the Learning and Skills Council.

The Regional Director for the Yorkshire and The Humber region is Philippa Lester (07789 032 846).

philippa.lester@lsc.gov.uk

 Regional Skills for Life  - Capacity Building [Teacher Training] Project Overview

The Skills for Life Regional Forum was set up by DfES and key partners include:-

Yorkshire Forward; Regional Basic Skills Co-ordinator ABSSU; Learning & Skills Development Agency; CEI University of Warwick JobCentre Plus; NIACE; 4 Local Learning & Skills Councils; University for Industry; Association of Colleges; Probation Service; Prison Service; Basic Skills Agency; Basic Skills Quality Initiative; & Regional Forum for Voluntary Organisations

The Forum has recently approved and implemented a project to meet the findings of the Moser (1999) “A Fresh Start” report and to deliver the Government’s Skills for Life agenda (by improving learning provision), which includes improving the literacy, numeracy and language skills of over 78,000 adults in Yorkshire and Humberside by 2004. 

This is a collaborative project between the 4 Local Learning & Skills Councils of the region, with HE/FE partners as a principal delivery consortium, and representatives of the main basic skills delivery sectors of Further Education, Work Based Learning, Adult & Community Learning and University for Industry as host organizations.

The project aims to

·         Increase the capacity of the Yorkshire & Humberside region to deliver the Government’s Skills for Life agenda

·         Take a co-ordinated approach to the training & development of literacy, language and numeracy Basic Skills professionals

·         Directly increase the number of Level 4 professionally qualified staff available within the region by 75+ individuals

·         Develop a Basic skills career, training and accreditation framework to address issues of staff retention within the Basic Skills industry by identifying a clear progression route at other levels for existing staff.  (It is anticipated that between 80 and 100 staff will access a variety of Level 2 and 3 qualifications in the Basic Skills area during the lifetime of the project)

·         Ensure that access to Level 2 qualifications for existing staff is available to the wider delivery network including organisations with ‘first-rung’ basic skills provision typically associated with LSC Local Initiative Funding and ESF Co-financing activity.

·       Develop, review and evaluate a traineeship programme for literacy, language and numeracy and ESOL tutors at level 4 to include the new subject specifications approved by FENTO

·         Allow trainees the opportunity to gain a Cert Ed. or PGCE qualification in conjunction with the new subject specification in literacy, numeracy, .or language

·         Establish a comprehensive map of the current capacity of professionals and associated practitioners across the region and address gaps.

·         Consult a range of partners on an ongoing basis to raise their awareness and understanding of the project and to ensure they maximize on the benefits the project can bring to their own organisation.

·         Disseminate the findings and good practice on an ongoing basis to all partners in the region and to national audiences as appropriate.

For further information contact Philippa Lester. Alison Fender

Learning & Skills Project Co-ordinator

Yorkshire Forward

alison.fender@yorkshire-forward.com