Northumberland VCS Learning Consortium

Annual Review 2009

Background Established in 2005, Funded by Learning & Skills Council as part

of the ‘Working Together’ programme

Delivered a VCS management skills programme in 2005 to 77 learners

2005 Carried out action research with 100 VCS staff and volunteers to identify skills needs within the sector

2006 - 8 Community skills programmes including youth work, community development work, IAG, training trainers and assessors, health and social care, funds for 4 VCS organisations to achieve matrix standard, back fill funding for VCS groups

2007-8 Coordinated partnership delivery of ‘Now What’ programme of support to young people out of work, education or training

2009 – Train to Gain contract

Northumberland VCS Learning Consortium

• Membership of VCS learning providers

• Established in 2005 backed by LSC

• Has run four LSC contracts worth £350k

• Recognised and funded by NSP as strategic VCS voice on learning and skills

• Provides quality assurance framework for VCS learning delivery

VCS Membership of Learning Consortium

• Barnardo’s• CSV• Wansbeck CVS• Blyth Valley CVS• Project Northumberland• BCTV• Volunteering Northumberland• Shilbottle Skills Centre• WEA• Northern Learning Trust• Barnabas Safe and Sound• Age Concern• Bell View Project• Gateway into the Community• Gallery Youth Project• Berwick Family Centre• LINKS Tynedale• Adapt

• NCDN• Hexham Youth Initiative• CEP Associates• YMCA• Women’s Health Advice Centre• Northumbria Youth• Carers Northumberland• Northumberland Sport• Development Trusts Association• Headway Trust• NCBA• BECON• Trinity Youth• Bliss Mediation• Project North East• Castle Morpeth Disability

Association• Groundwork• FONDT

Collaborative Approach

• Tutors / assessors and learning supporters drawn from range of VCS organisations and public bodies - sustainability

• Working together to raise awareness and responsiveness• Economies of scale underpinning local linkages • Strong links with community venues and excluded

communities / diversity groups• Partners in Connexions, schools, extended services,

Adult Learning, regional specialists, Volunteering Northumberland, Northumberland Sport, Northumberland College

Northumberland VCS Learning Consortium

• Berwick Family Centre• Project Northumberland• Gallery Youth Project• LINKS Tynedale• Adapt• Bliss Mediation

•Hexham Youth Initiative•CSV•Training Solutions NE Ltd•Northern Learning Trust•Fourth Action

VCS and the personalised approach

• Every learner • Skills audit and tasters• Action plan and review cycle• Ongoing mentoring through learning process• Supported referral• Partnership approach• Access to placements for maximum flexibility• Accredited progression-based learning from

Entry Level to Level 2

VCS in delivery of learning

As employers - apprenticeships and diplomas

• LSC / NCDN apprenticeship pilot agreed by Lifelong Learning for community development and youth work – 2006

• Structured access to volunteering placements through Volunteering Northumberland and Learning Consortium, including Personal Best

• Community-based NVQ’s, mentoring, learning modules and technical support

VCS in tailored community-based progression

• Certificate – sized qualifications • Community-based personal and social

development learning• Community-based functional skills

The third sector in delivery of learning

As partners – with schools, Connexions, College, private providers, employers

• Specialist provision eg young women into construction, ‘personal

best’ programme support Learning disability support• Alternative programmes • No threat to school rolls – plus leverage of

further funds

Progression Pathway to Foundation Diploma or

GCSE’s

Progression Pathway to skilled work or an Apprenticeship

14-19 Foundation

Diploma

GCSE Learning

14-19 Intermediate

Diploma

Apprenticeship Level 2

Level 1

EntryLevel

NEET

InfluencingVCS Learning Consortium has a voice on:

14-19 Strategy Group and its task groupsArea 14+ groupsPersonal and Community Development Learning

Task GroupNSP Business Skills and Enterprise BoardIAG task group‘Whatever it takes’ NEET task groupRemoving Barriers to Work task group Regional VCS hub ‘Contracts Matter’

Remit influence the skills agenda for Northumberland and

contribute to strategic decisions on the provision of quality provision by and for the sector.

identify and simplify funding opportunities, facilitating the sharing and information within the wider VCS in Northumberland.

work together to ensure that VCS learning opportunities are widely disseminated and provided in an accessible way.

operate in coordination with other VCS sub-regional and regional consortia to join up activities for the benefit of the VCS as a whole.

promote equality and diversity in all activities.

1. What do VCS based learning providers particularly contribute to the needs of

community based learners?

Real understanding of community issues Trust built up over a number of years Good non-threatening environment – informal setting More flexible to learners needs and requirements Directed training, IAG, Support, Sector knowledge,

Links, Empathy Local delivery Specialist knowledge of client group More person centred approach (empathy)

2. What are the issues facing your organisation as a VCS learning provider?

Risks? • Short term funding • Unrealistic targets (in relation to client group)• Competition from larger organisations• Gov Funding restraints • Chasing same learners• Chasing same funding pots • Too many hard outcomes – restrictive!• Government contracting strategies• Focus, Funding, Resources, Staffing Opportunities?• Funding (Focused), Partnership, Lead partner, Capacity Building • LSC listening and responding to Voluntary Sector • Access to contracts via VCS Learning Consortium • Sharing good practice and skills via network • Research as a lever to attract funding (NRDC & others)

3. What are your organisation’s needs to develop your learning provision?

Assessor training Becoming a training provider

(viability/cost)Funding for training, delivery of essential

skillsStaff Training, - Bid writing – Quality

Assurance – Management Setting & Maintenance Standards

4. What should the Northumberland VCS Learning Consortium be prioritising in the next

three years? Making and managing consortium bids on behalf of VCS

learning providers Offering a brokerage role for VCS organisations with multi-

sectoral partnerships Offering small VCS organisations access to its accredited status Developing capacity to deliver new qualifications within the

sector Concentrate on community-based learners Concentrate on VCS workforce development needs Perform as sub-regional element of regional initiatives

Also:• identifying higher level training • More commitment from Consortium Members to influencing work• Assessor training • Support for more VCS groups to become training providers

2009?

What changing relationships are needed with:• VCS Consortium• Contracts Matter • New unitary arrangements / NSP• 14-19 strategy• NEWS network