[NIFL-WORKPLACE:398] News from the Workplace Basic Skills Network

From: Frank, Fiona (f.frank@lancaster.ac.uk)
Date: Thu Jan 31 2002 - 11:33:51 EST


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Subject: [NIFL-WORKPLACE:398] News from the Workplace Basic Skills Network
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> 	News from the Workplace Basic Skills Network
> 
> 
> 	See below for news of events and professional development opportunities
> being coordinated by the Workplace Basic Skills Network to help providers to
> develop your capacity to deliver quality  language, literacy and numeracy
> programmes in the workplace.  Events are coming up in London, Yorkshire and
> the South East, Professional Development opportunities are coming up all over
> the country (including our on-line Post-Graduate workplace basic skills
> module, enrolling now).   We're also looking for experienced workplace basic
> skills trainers who may be interested in doing some survey and analysis work
> with us - see below for further details. 
> 
> 	There's also news from other organisations about other events,
> conferences and campaigns around the country relevant for workplace basic
> skills providers.  This is a very England focussed 'update' due to the amount
> going on funded under Skills for Life.  There is a lot happening in Wales,
> Scotland and Northern Ireland too - watch this space for further news from
> around the United Kingdom.    
> 
> 	If you'd like to join the Network to receive our bulletin and other
> member benefits, please contact Sam Coram on email  s.coram@lancaster.ac.uk.
> 
> 
> 	Best wishes
> 
> 	Fiona Frank and the Workplace Basic Skills Network team
> 	Workplace Basic Skills Network
> 	CSET, Lancaster University, 
> 	Lancaster LA1 4YL
> 	Tel 01524 593405
> 	Email wbs.net@lancaster.ac.uk
> 	Fax 01524 844788
> 
> 
> 
> 	Events
> 
> 	London Regional Workplace Basic Skills Forum: Funding & Delivery
> Issues.
> 	Wednesday 6th February 10am-2pm at MIC, 81-103 Euston Street, London,
> NW1.
> 	This event is part of our work with the London Regional Development
> Agency and a range of other key partners - training providers and agencies -
> in the region.  (Other work we're doing in London includes the putting
> together of a directory of providers delivering workplace basic skills
> training, working with the TUC on Union events, a survey of professional
> development needs, and the provision of professional development and
> consultancy).  This event is free to London based organisations and
> practitioners, and costs £65 plus VAT for Network members from outside
> London, £90 plus VAT for non Network members. It will include a presentation
> by the LSC who will provide an update on funding for workplace basic skills
> and plans for 2002/03, and workshops on workplace language, literacy and
> numeracy programmes in the Transport sector.  There are still one or two
> places left.  For further information please contact Roberta Herd  on 01524
> 592274, e-mail r.herd@lancaster.ac.uk or visit the website at
> www.lancs.ac.uk/wbsnet.
> 
> 	Building Professional Capacity in Workplace Basic Skills in South
> Yorkshire
> 
> 	As part of our RDA funded work in Yorkshire and the Humber in
> partnership with Yorkshire Training Partnership  - which also includes a
> survey of the professional development needs of practitioners in South
> Yorkshire - we are running a networking event for providers on Thursday, 7th
> March at Sheffield Wednesday Football Club.   This event is free to Yorkshire
> based organisations and practitioners, and costs £65 plus VAT for Network
> members from outside Yorkshire, £90 plus VAT for non Network members.  It
> will include a presentation from Philippa Lester who's the new Yorkshire and
> the Humber Regional Coordinator for the Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit,
> workshops on different models of delivery, and a chance to network and share
> information about your own work. For further information contact Roberta Herd
> on 01524 592274, e-mail r.herd@lancaster.ac.uk.
> 
> 	Workplace Basic Skills in the South East of England
> 	As part of our SEEDA funded work in the South East we are currently
> mapping provision and professional development training needs, and planning
> for additional professional development delivery in the new financial year in
> the region.   We have a practitioner networking event planned for Thursday,
> 21st March in Reading,  which will include case studies of good practice from
> the region, including Ford Partnership, Kent Adult Education Service,
> Oxfordshire Adult Education Service, and others.   This event is free to
> South East based organisations and practitioners, and will cost £65 plus VAT
> for Network members from outside the region, £90.00 for non Network members
> outside the region. For further information contact Roberta Herd on 01524
> 592274, email r.herd@lancaster.ac.uk.  There will be a further practitioner
> networking event on 8th May 2002 in the region.  
> 
> 
> 	PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
> 
> 	Breaking Down Barriers 1
> 	The Workplace Basic Skills Network continues to work with the DfES and
> LLSCs to accelerate the building of professional capacity in workplace basic
> skills. To date there have been 39 Breaking Down Barriers 1 courses taken up
> by LLSCs with a few left to run up to the end of April - contact the
> Professional Development Team or the basic skills contact at your local LLSC
> for details of the courses coming up in February, March and April in Norfolk,
> Northumberland, London South, South Yorkshire, Shropshire, Sussex, Hereford
> and Worcestershire, Suffolk, Gloucestershire, Staffordshire, Bucks, Cheshire,
> Coventry and Greater Merseyside (dates at the end of this email).  
> 
> 	If your LSC is not listed here but you or your staff are qualified
> basic skills tutors who'd like to access a BDB1 Certificate course to equip
> you to deliver in the workplace, contact the Professional Development team
> here and also let the Basic Skills coordinator at your local LSC know that
> you're interested: we have some more funding from the DfES to allow us to
> offer these courses through to September 2002 and beyond.
> 
> 	Participants on the courses say:  
> 	"I found the course very valuable, professionally run and enjoyed the
> stimulation of working with colleagues on shared tasks"
> 	"The course was invaluable in realising that there are many differences
> between delivering basic skills in the workplace as opposed to the way it is
> done in community settings"
> 
> 	Breaking Down Barriers 2
> 	The Network is currently enrolling for the next on-line delivery of the
> Advanced Certificate in Workplace Basic Skills (BDB2). This course will be of
> particular interest to practitioners who have attended a BDB1 course. The
> start date for this course is 1st March and the deadline for applications is
> 11th February 2002. Please note that there are some FREE places on the BDB2
> course for London providers as part of the LDA funded regional development
> project. For further details please contact the Professional Development team
> on 01524 592273.
> 
> 	Postgraduate Studies in Adult Basic Education
> 	A Workplace Module
> 	Applications are also now being taken for this Postgraduate Module
> which starts on 11th April. The closing date for applications is 11th March
> 2002.  
> 	This innovative module is offered by the Workplace Basic Skills Network
> in partnership with Lancaster University's Educational Research Department
> and available to you if you can access web-mediated distance learning. The
> course provides extensive learning support materials. It is aimed at
> students, education professionals working in adult/further education and/or
> others who intend to move into or who are already involved in workplace basic
> skills education.	
> 
> 	The specialist programme will focus on:
> 		*	Definitions of Adult Basic Education
> 		*	Socio-cultural approaches to Workplace Literacy 
> 		*	Reflective Practice and Research 
> 		*	Stakeholders in Workplace Literacy provision
> 		*	International Policy Comparisons 
> 		*	Implications for practice 
> 	This module is a free-standing unit, and can be credited towards a
> Diploma or Masters Degree at Lancaster University or elsewhere. The course
> starts on 11 April 2002 with an induction day at Lancaster. The closing date
> for applications is 28th February.
> 	For further details and an application form please contact the
> Professional Development team at the Network, email
> r.horsfield@lancaster.ac.uk, tel 01524 592273.  The tutor is Chris Holland
> and you can contact her to discuss the course further on email
> chrisholland@paradise.net.nz <mailto:chrisholland@paradise.net.nz>
> 
> 
> 
> 	Workplace Basic Skills Network Bulletin
> 	The Network is keen to include information about your workplace basic
> skills project, forthcoming events, or news items, in our next Bulletin.
> Contributions to the bulletin should be no more than 600 words and should be
> forwarded to neil.chatterjee@lancaster.ac.uk by 7th February. Any photographs
> that would accompany any news item or article would also be welcome. You can
> also contact Neil directly on 01524 592350.
> 
> 	To ensure that you or your organisation are kept fully up to date of
> our events and other activities please become a member of the Network. For
> details on membership please contact Sam Coram on 01524 592274 or e-mail
> s.coram@lancaster.ac.uk.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 	CONSULTANCY OPPORTUNITIES
> 
> 	We are currently looking for expressions of interest from experienced
> workplace basic skills trainers who are interested in working with us on a
> consultancy basis on: 
> 
> 	a) carrying out interviews with providers - initially in the Greater
> Merseyside area - about their workplace basic skills provision and   their
> organisation's professional development needs 
> 	b) analysing and reporting on surveys 
> 	c) becoming Approved Network Trainers and delivering our Professional
> Development programmes 
> 
> 	If you're interested in these opportunities, please send your CV and a
> brief outline of your relevant experience to  Sue Batt on
> s.batt@lancaster.ac.uk, (for a) and b)  and to Jaine Chisholm Caunt for ( c)
> .   To discuss these opportunities further telephone Sue on  061 448 1836 or
> Jaine at 01524 593498.
> 
> 
> 
> 	Other News
> 
> 
> 	News from the Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit
> 
> 	On 7 January 2002 the second burst of advertising kicked off with a new
> advert, which shows people overcoming their 'gremlins' and improving their
> lives as a result.   You should ensure that information about your courses
> and your contact details are on the national learndirect database, to ensure
> you can benefit directly from the campaign.  You can check your details via
> the search option at www.learndirect-advice.co.uk
> <http://www.learndirect-advice.co.uk> or simply telephone the usual
> learndirect number (0800 100 900) and an adviser will be able to take your
> details and send information about the service.  In the meantime if you want
> more details of the 'Get On' campaign you can call the Strategy Unit's 'Get
> On' campaign office on 020 7544 3130, or e-mail get.on@fishburn-hedges.co.uk.
> 
> 	Work is now in progress on a follow-on 'Get On at Work' campaign with
> work also progressing on a comprehensive 'Employer Toolkit' covering all
> aspects of  introducing workplace basic skills at work - more details as we
> have them.  
> 
> 	The Basic Skills Agency 'Broker Scheme' is currently being rolled out
> further.  Under this scheme  'brokers' are being trained to market basic
> skills to companies, working with several 'approved providers' in each
> region.  Contact the Basic Skills Agency or your local Learning and Skills
> Council for further information.
> 
> 
> 
> 	Workplace Basic Skills in the South West of England
> 	'SLIM' is the Skills and Learning Intelligence Module, based at Exeter
> University.  They've been coordinating a SWERDA funded Workplace Basic Skills
> project, which came to an end with a well-attended dissemination event at the
> beginning of January, addressed by Eoin McLennan-Murray, head of Employer
> Initiatives at the Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit, as well as Fiona Frank
> from the Workplace Basic Skills Network, and TUC, employer and provider
> inputs.  A very active email discussion had raised all the usual issues about
> uncertainties about funding, and  difficulties in marketing to SMEs, and
> well-organised discussion sessions took place at the event too.  A report by
> SLIM on the work they've been doing will be available shortly and it's hoped
> that the project will lead to further regional work in the South West.  
> 
> 
> 
> 	Skills Insight's Annual Conference 2002
> 
> 	Skills Insight works in the South East of England to provide a
> comprehensive central resource for labour market information and
> intelligence.  They will  be holding their 2nd Annual Conference on 6th March
> 2002. The theme for this year's conference is 'Skills, Productivity and
> Economic Growth'.
> 
> 	Keynote speaker is: John Healey MP - Parliamentary Under Secretary of
> State for Adult Skills.
> 
> 	As well as featuring prominent speakers, the conference  will identify
> the critical skills and related issues that the region faces over the next
> five years, which will help provide a context for the skills challenges that
> organisations will be tackling and provide an opportunity to network with the
> key policy makers on skills issues, both at regional and local levels from
> across the South East. Further details on the Skills Insight website,
> http://www.skills-insight.org.uk
> 
> 
> 
> 	ESOL training
> 
> 	NIACE is a member of the DfES's national ESOL Training and Development
> project consortium led by the London Language and Literacy Unit.  NIACE is
> organising ESOL Core Curriculum Training courses as part of this work, and is
> particularly keen to recruit tutors from workbased learning providers.
> Recruitment for a  second phase of training, taking place between May and
> November 2002, is happening now and will close on 12th April.  The programme,
> booking form, course dates and locations are available on the NIACE website,
> http://www.niace.org.uk/projects/esol or from Carl Liquorish at NIACE, tel
> 0116 204 4274. 
> 
> 
> 	RAPAL Conference
> 
> 	The  annual Research and Practice in Adult Literacy conference takes
> place on June 28/29 2002 in London.  
> 	Strands include Developing Inclusive Research Methodologies, and
> Reflections on the current changes in basic skills.  If you'd like to lead a
> workshop on one of these topics, send an outline proposal to Wendy Moss on
> w.moss@citylit.ac.uk by Friday 22nd March.  
> 
> 
> 
> 	Learning at Work Day, 2002
> 	Thursday 16th May
> 	Part of Adult Learners' Week
> 
> 	Learning at Work Day, coordinated by the Campaign for Learning,
> generated an enormous amount of media coverage last year and reached 500,000
> employees.  The main aim of Learning at Work Day is to make learning a part
> of everyday working life, especially for those employees that do not
> traditionally benefit from workplace learning.  Key themes this year are: 
> 	 - coaching skills for managers and supervisors (stimulating staff
> learning)
> 	 - learning from meetings (making your meetings more productive)
> 	 - learning from experience (ensuring you don't lose the knowledge of
> your retired staff)
> 	 - fit for growth (developing a learning plan for SMEs)
> 
> 	All the themes will incorporate a basic skills element.  and the
> Campaign for Learning is keen to ensure that Learning at Work day stimulates
> workplace basic skills programmes.   
> 
> 	The Campaign for Learning and Niace will be working with The Mirror  to
> produce a learning supplement for Adult Learners' Week in May, 2002. A public
> relations campaign for Learning at Work Day, targeting national and regional
> media, will be launched in January 2002.  The Campaign for Learning will
> produce planning and publicity materials for Learning at Work Day 2002.  They
> will be available free of charge by calling 0117 966 7755. Materials will
> include a planning guide, posters and a flyer. Regional partners will be able
> to sponsor their own version of the Learning at Work Day flyer.  See the CFL
> website , www.campaign-for-learning.org.uk  for further information.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 	For reference - 'BDB1' forthcoming course dates:
> 	(contact the Professional Development Team at the Network or the Basic
> Skills coordinator at your local LLSC for more information)
> 	Norfolk 7,14,21 February, Northumberland 11-13 February, London South
> 13,20,27 February, South Yorkshire 26-28 February (with additional courses
> being run through our RDA funded project in South Yorkshire on 5-7 March,
> 12-14 March and 9-11 April, contact the Professional Development team at the
> Network for details of these), Shropshire 1,8 and 15 March), Sussex 1,8,15
> March, Hereford and Worcestershire 4,11,18 March, Suffolk 5-7 March,
> Gloucestershire 6,13,20 March, Staffordshire 6,14,21 March, Oxfordshire Bucks
> and Milton Keynes 12,13,14 March, Cheshire and Warrington 12,19 and 26 March,
> Coventry and Warwickshire 20-22 March and Greater Merseyside 12,19 and 26
> April.  
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 	Best wishes
> 
> 	Fiona Frank
> 
> 	Fiona Frank
> 	Workplace Basic Skills Network
> 	CSET
> 	Lancaster University
> 	Lancaster
> 	LA1 4YL
> 	01524 593405
> 	fax 01524 844788
> 	email wbs.net@lancaster.ac.uk
> 	http://www.lancs.ac.uk/wbsnet
> 
> 
> 



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