Case Study. Community Learning West Project. Duration: 9-10 months. Collaboration and Shared Services

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1 Collaboration and Shared Services Community Learning West Project Summary: This project aims to progress the development of the Community Learning West Consortium and its network of voluntary and community sector partners. The project plays an integral part among other shared services initiatives being run through the Consortium. The project has two strands: firstly, to build an umbrella website directory of all community learning in the West of England and, secondly, to build capacity within the voluntary and community sector through training and support programmes. This project has helped the Community Learning West Consortium to be selected as one of the 15 national pilot Community Learning Trusts (CLTs), which are testing new ways of delivering community learning. Lead partner and other partners: Bristol City Council Learning Communities Team (lead partner), South Gloucestershire Council Community Learning Service; North Somerset Council Community Learning Service; Voscur Bristol s Support and Development Agency for Voluntary and Community Sector organisations; JISC RSC (South West) - regional advice and support centre for use of technology to support learning. Duration: 9-10 months This case study is part of the evaluation of SFA s Collaboration and Shared Services Grant Fund that has been managed and supported by the 157 Group. Since autumn 2011 HOLEX, NIACE and TSNLA (Third Sector National Learning Alliance) have been working jointly, supported by 157 Group, to promote the collaboration agenda with adult learning providers, with a focus on both local authority maintained providers and on third sector organisations and social enterprises with a direct SFA contract. This collaboration was supported as an Adult Learning Shared Services Challenge Project, where the expectation is that specific developments will be made to advance local activity already underway.

2 This shared services initiative ties in with a host of other things which if put together as a jigsaw would provide a strategy for service survival for the next five to ten years. Bob Powell, Holex..this project is really enhancing our building of a local partnership. Jane Taylor, Project Lead In particular, partners identified the need for an umbrella directory providing clear information about all community learning taking place within the three local authority areas. At the moment no one has a total picture of provision. With our new website, they will be able to click on an area, or click on a curriculum area and it will list everything. Jane Taylor, Project Lead Rationale The aim of this project is to establish enduring shared structures and processes between three local authority community learning services and voluntary sector organisations. Prior to the project, the three local authorities were already discussing options of pooling resources to achieve a more cost effective and streamlined community learning operation across the West of England area. The formation of the Community Learning West Consortium in 2011 was influenced by the introduction of Minimum Contract Levels by the Skills Funding Agency 1. Capacity building was already in progress before the project in partnership with the local voluntary sector umbrella body, Voscur, who suggested developing a community learning network with their help and support as they have a membership of hundreds of voluntary organisations. Along with training and support programmes, it was envisaged that this network could also support members to work together in a coordinated way to access funding opportunities. Organisational background The three local authorities have worked together closely since 2005 when they collaborated with the LSC on a joint community learning strategy. The project area s voluntary sector includes diverse groups, for example, Bristol Community Housing Foundation, Refugee Women of Bristol, community projects such as Windmill Hill City Farm, community support organisations such as Southern Brookes Community Partnership, and disability organisations such as Vassall Centre Trust. Services Involved Through this project, partner local authorities now share resources to deliver community learning in the West of England, including: Skills Funding Agency contract management, business and strategic planning, marketing, quality and data management, staff development, tutor observation schemes, tutor training, and management information. The management information process 1 Minimum Contract Levels apply a minimum contract value of 500,000 for any provider delivering education and vocational training services, driving colleges and training organisations to bid together for contracts. 2

3 involves common documentation to capture standard data, for example learner enrolment forms, Individual Learning Plans, tutor review forms, learner feedback and tracking forms. A shared commissioning fund has been created which has brought in 19 new small providers. The new partnership website permits shared marketing of community learning across the three local authority areas. Prior History Having worked with neighbouring unitary authorities since 2005, Bristol City Council s Adult and Community Learning Board became the Community Learning West Consortium in When shared services project funding became available, the Consortium used the initiative to intensify the next phase of its development, with an emphasis on improving outcomes for learners by strengthening the capacity of the voluntary and community sector (VCS) as vital community learning partners. This happened in parallel with the Consortium bidding to become a Community Learning Trust national pilot, testing new ways of delivering community learning. Thanks to the shared services initiative, the Consortium were able to present a coherent vision and model to BIS, which helped them to be selected as one of the 15 pilot Community Learning Trusts (CLTs). The CLT has brought together the Consortium plus local Further Education colleges, the Workers Educational Association, and 100 other agencies and partners who have signed pledges to be part of the partnership. This wider CLT consortium has been named the West of England Community Learning Partnership. The CLT pilot runs during the academic year 2012/13, ending in July, when CLTs will continue to develop their partnerships and some of the approaches trialled by the pilots will be rolled out across the country. CLT pilots (and ensuing CLTs) do not receive any funding. However, Jane Taylor explains that the main incentive has been the opportunity to shape national policy through the pilot along with the kudos of contributing to the national evaluation of community learning partnership working. Shared Services Model Community Learning West is an informal consortium whose members have signed up to a memorandum of understanding. The direction of travel for LA teams is for the Consortium to eventually become a social 3

4 enterprise outside of partner LAs. Currently, the Consortium bids for funds as an entity. The wider CLT - the West of England Community Learning Partnership - is also informal but members have signed up to terms of reference. Neither the Consortium nor the wider CLT receive any funding. In order to fund shared services activity, the Consortium has found money from existing resources by pooling budgets such as data management and quality management costs. For the wider CLT, a joint pot of 5,000 has been created to cover some of the shared services costs, such as capacity building activities, and Jane Taylor predicts that the website and capacity building/network of VCS partners will be funded through this pot next year. The project is led by the Bristol City Council Service Manager (Communities and Skills), Jane Taylor, who is also the lead for the Community Learning West Consortium and the wider CLT partnership. According to Jane, joining forces with the voluntary and community sector (VCS) is one of the main directions of travel across local authorities. it s very useful to know that there are other authorities and other agencies out there that are going in the same direction, and it s been really good to have some help making contact with those so that s going to stimulate even more new thinking. Jane Taylor, Project Lead Main Activities The project has two strands: Building a partnership website populated with information about all the different community learning providers across the three partner LAs. In a similar way to a Trip Advisor site, learners will be empowered to rate services and provide feedback that can be used by both service providers and other potential learners. Although largely selfsustaining, the website will be maintained and managed by Bristol City Council Learning Communities Team. Building capacity and developing support for the VCS, including targeted network meetings, e-group and published briefings, information sessions about commissioning opportunities, tutor training events, and support programmes such as tutor induction training and mentoring/shadowing activities. This strand of the project is in partnership with Voscur Bristol s Support and Development Agency for VCS organisations. Through this strand, the project aims to widen the engagement of VCS organisations in community learning and increase the range of providers and courses. 4

5 Size of Grant The project has received 17,700 of Adult Learning Shared Services Challenge Funding. Value for Money The project aims to achieve value for money by: engaging new partners in supporting community learning with the potential to reach new and different learners whilst also drawing on extensive in kind resources such as course promotion, recruitment and the hosting of courses utilising new technologies to connect providers and learners with minimal set up and on-going administrative costs. Main Achievements or Outcomes The intended outcomes of the project are: increased learner enrolment, increased diversity of provision and increased capacity of providers. As this project is in its early stages, it is too early to judge impact. For example, a desired outcome would be an increase in learner enrolment across partner authorities but this will not be quantifiable until September 2013 at the earliest. However, as already noted, the project contributed to the Consortium s successful application to be a Community Learning Trust national pilot, and since then the Consortium has successfully bid to secure further funding from NIACE. Jane Taylor reports that the website is making good progress. Currently, providers are in the process of uploading their course information to enable learners to search for provision in their area. After a year and a half of activity, the Consortium has been through its first joint Ofsted inspection and produced its first Self- Assessment Report (SAR). As Jane Taylor points out, both of these require a degree of openness in order to assess work jointly and identify improvement areas. There has also been an exchange of good practice, shared expertise and team building. Jane is delighted that the Consortium achieved a strong Grade 2 which marked an improvement for their two partner authorities: I think people are definitely feeling the benefit and that s just moved us forward even more. VCS Network and Capacity Building (carried out through both the Consortium and the wider CLT partnership) since May 2012 has included: A VCS launch event for the West of England Community Learning Consortium. Production of two e-bulletins about the community learning partnership. A survey questionnaire used to capture wider VCS sector involvement in community learning. VCS information sessions about commissioning opportunities for 12/13. 5

6 An induction for new providers and review meetings for existing providers, along with provider support networks. A tutor induction session for tutors employed by commissioned providers. A tutor day for tutors employed by the VCS which focussed on differentiation and functional skills. Procedures for a VCS tutor mentoring system have been drawn up and tutor mentors have been identified and matched with new commissioned tutors. Critical Success Factors Key factors in the project s development have been: Funding from the Collaboration and Shared Services Grant (Adult Learning Shared Services Challenge Funding) - this has provided resources to progress Consortium development and extend and refine their network of VCS partners. Strategic project leadership along with commitment from the Local Authority. Bristol City Council is backing the initiative and direction of travel for its education services. The benefit of being part of a bigger strategy as part of the drive to set up a Community Learning Trust. Legacy Sustainability is built in to the project as the activities being delivered through shared services funding are integral to the development of the Consortium s wider collaborative local model and the Community Learning Trust national pilot. It is intended that the website and the capacity building will be maintained. 6

7 Key Learning/Lessons Learned (with respect to both shared services and innovation more generally) Some key issues identified: Meaningful partnership working takes time and involves the development of shared vision, culture, systems and operations. As ever, funding for this type of project is based on a tight timescale so it is helpful when there is already the basis of strong joint working at a local level. Sustainability is always a challenge, even more so against a context of shrinking budgets and services. According to Jane Taylor, sustainability can best be achieved through pooling resources, joining up with other partners and contributing. Joining forces with the local voluntary sector is energising and through collaboration the Consortium expect to reach many new and different learners...it s strengthening all of us. By joining together we have improved the future sustainability of local authority community learning provision. By extending our partnership to include FE colleges, the WEA and over 100 VCSs and other supporters we can now optimise and increase resources for community learning. This can only be good for learners. Jane Taylor, Project Lead Contacts Jane Taylor jane.taylor@bristol.gov.uk Wendy Stephenson wendy@voscur.org facebook: Community Learning West facebook:golearn.me 7

8 Researched and published by CEI at the University of Warwick, www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/cei/ Commissioned by 157 Group,