Lifelong Learning: Learning for Life Needs Analysis 2014/15

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1 Lifelong Learning: Learning for Life Needs Analysis 2014/15-1 -

2 Contents Themes and Drivers...3 Planned Service Demographic for 2012/ Background to the Needs Analysis process...4 The needs analysis seeks:...5 Funding Priorities...6 Pound Plus...9 The Wider Adult Offer Managing the mix and balance of provision...11 Voluntary and Community Sector Engagement...12 Localism and Community / Civic Engagement...13 Progression...14 Skills for Life in ACL Learning...14 HAFLS Curriculum...15 The National Picture of Adult Learning...16 The Overall Hertfordshire Picture: Geographical Data...17 Funding Streams...20 Provision and providers...20 The Voluntary & Community Sector (VCS)...21 The Colleges...22 Other Provision (Internal Commissioning):...23 Libraries...23 Herts Music Service...24 Direct Delivery...24 What learners study HAFLS funded provision - SSAs...26 Who HAFLS learners are...28 BME...29 Men...30 Learning Difficulties and Mental Health Issues...30 Older Learners...31 Learners from Target Wards and Districts with higher levels of people without level 2 Qualifications...31 Community Voice...32 Local Stakeholder Groups...32 Learner Forums and Focus groups...32 List of sources...35 Glossary

3 Themes and Drivers There are several themes that come out of this Needs Analysis that need to be reflected in future subcontracting and service management. These are listed below: 1. Following the HAFLS Curriculum Review in 2012, HAFLS will continue to be looking to meet the recommendations set out in the final report 2. One of the outcomes of the HAFLS Curriculum Review undertaken in 2012 was to encourage and increase the number of civic engagement courses. This has not been particularly successful in the tender round for 2013/14, and will be a priority for 2014/15 commissioning. 3. HAFLS expects ICT to be embedded in non-ict classes, and will also be looking to commission some Bring Your Own Device courses in 2014/15 4. Hertsmere will continue to be a target area for 2013/14 funding, as not only is it an area of higher need, but the current HALFS reach is below the population demographic 5. Most current HAFLS providers are Matrix accredited, and the SFA Funding Rules now require all providers who are required to be on the SFA Register of Approved Providers to at least be working towards this accreditation. Further guidance from the SFA is awaited on this, and it may be that all providers will need Matrix accreditation. 6. HAFLS and its providers need to respond to local need and be accountable to local people. 7. In 2014/15 HAFLS will expect ASB funding to be focused on ESOL, Work and Employment skills, Functional Skills, and certificate units to support residents to return to employment or, if in low paid occupations, to improve their carer opportunities 8. There is a requirement within Community Learning to collect, report on, and increase the amount of additional income and savings that add to the value of the SFA funding. Providers who wish to be funded by HAFLS will need to be prepared to identify their contribution to adult learning to HAFLS for reporting to the SFA 9. Engagement of BME men is very low, and needs to be increased. 10. To ensure that the reach continues to those most in need, and so that HAFLS is able to reach a wider range of learners and meet the Localism agenda, HAFLS will be looking to expand the number of providers. This may impact on the maximum amount of funding that HAFLS is able to give individual providers 11. HAFLS and the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) need to work together to develop an understanding of the skills gaps in the Hertfordshire workforce, and how those furthest from the workplace can be reached - 3 -

4 Planned Service Demographic for 2014/15 ASB Community Learning Service Total Learners 3, % 10, % 13, % Male Learners % 2, % 3, % Learners without Level 2 Qualification 1, % 3, % 4, % Learners with Learning Difficulties % 1, % 1, % Learners with Mental Health Issues % 1, % 1, % Unemployed Learners % 1, % 2, % BME % 1, % 2, % Older Learners (60+) % 2, % 3, % Note Actual target learner numbers are likely to change when the level of funding is received. These numbers are based on 2013/14 funding levels. Background to the Needs Analysis process 12. Hertfordshire Adult and Family Learning Service (HAFLS) is contracted through the Skills Funding Agency to provide and co-ordinate Community Learning and Adult Skills Budget learning in Hertfordshire. HAFLS receives the following types of funding Community Learning, which includes a. Personal and Community Development Learning (PCDL) b. Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities (NLDC) c. Family English, Maths and Language (FEML) d. Wider Family Learning (WFL) Adult Skills Budget (ASB) 13. HAFLS receives all the Community Learning funding that comes into Hertfordshire, but only a small proportion of the ASB funding. The large majority of ASB funding goes to the 4 colleges who deliver a wide range of part time and full time courses, including apprenticeships. 14. HAFLS is still expected to provide a similar spread of course types, even though all the funding streams, bar Adult Skills Budget, have now been merged into one /14 is the first year that HAFLS has had Adult Skills Budget funding with all the attendant rules. In previous years we had received First Steps (FS) which was treated like Community Learning, and in 2012/13 some of the FS was treated as ASB, but not all of it. 16. The move to ASB has seen a shift in what can be offered under that funding stream, and the number of learners that can be reached. This will be explored later in this document. 17. In 2012/13 pilots were run to set up Community Learning Trusts, with a mind to rolling them out as the format for providing Community Learning in 2013/14. However, there has been a shift in government thinking that means that instead of providers having to become trusts, we now just have to apply the principles of Community Learning Trusts in our work. These principles are explored later in this document. 18. Pound plus is still a priority around this funding, so identifying, recording and reporting the additional funding, whether cash or in kind, that is used to augment the SFA funding is important. 19. There will never be enough funding to meet all the needs and wants of adults and families in Hertfordshire. The use of partners, the collection of data around and the increase of Pound Plus value, - 4 -

5 and the targeting of services is important to ensure that we are reaching as many people as possible, and particularly those most in need. 20. HAFLS therefore needs to look at where the funding is best spent which target groups and geographical areas are the most in need, and which sector subject areas and providers can have the most impact on the learners of Hertfordshire. 21. HAFLS also has to consider how support can be offered to increase learning opportunities and develop communication and partnership networks across Hertfordshire. 22. To try to do this, the HAFLS needs analysis seeks to collate, evaluate and present the Community Learning and Adult Skills Budget priorities identified by local, regional and national agencies. This process includes Focus Groups to collect views from learners and potential learners. SFA stated priorities HCC priorities Stakeholder Groups National, Regional and Local data sets and reports HAFLS and Provider run Focus Groups / Forums Census and other demographic data Needs Analysis PQQ & Tender Documents Evaluation of programme (SAR) Programme Commissioned Programme delivered 23. This Needs analysis will aim to use data and feedback from the current provision, learners and local groups, as well as the guidance that has so far been received from central government and local government priorities, to indicate possible directions for HAFLS. 24. The data in this year s Needs Analysis will be taken where possible from the 2011 Census. However, the data that has been released to date does not cover all our priorities, and other sources will be used where required (eg. local estimates) The needs analysis seeks: 25. To provide community profile that is as up to date as possible for targeting purposes 26. To provide some analysis of this data in thematic and geographical contexts 27. To use the feedback from local stakeholders, communities and learners to help inform the decision making process 28. To bring together priorities set out by the Skills Funding Agency / BIS, HCC, and HAFLS as well as local needs - 5 -

6 29. To come to some conclusions about the use of funding and identify HAFLS priorities for funding in 2014/15 to best serve the needs of the people in Hertfordshire. Funding Priorities 30. The priorities in this Needs Analysis are based on the guidance from BIS about the terms and objectives of Community Learning, Community Learning Trusts, and priorities set out through the HCC County of Opportunity Corporate Plan , the HCC Health and Community Services Plan, the outcomes and recommendations from the latest HAFLS Ofsted inspection and feedback from learners, potential learners, providers and stakeholders in Hertfordshire. 31. HAFLS believes that the main aim of the service is to engage learners who have had least opportunity, or have had a poor experience of education in the past. The courses that HAFLS commissions are largely engagement courses, with learners being encouraged to progress on to further learning, employment or volunteering when health, confidence and skills have improved. 32. HAFLS also ensures that the service is universal, through leisure courses that learners pay a fee towards. However, whatever the course type, progression should be available and learners should be informed of progression routes. 33. Community Learning needs to demonstrate its role in supporting government policies such as localism, health and wellbeing, value for money (pound plus), a strong economy, and social and digital inclusion. To do this, progression routes must be clear and actual progression of learners collected and reported. Progression should be seen as not just further education or moving into work, but also personal progression such as increased confidence, reduced isolation and improvement in mental health. 34. Progression also includes enabling and encouraging people to move into informal and / or self directed learning, enabling them to take control of their own development. 35. There is still an emphasis on meeting the skills gap, and increasing people s chances in the job market, but there is also a recognition of the impact that Community Learning can have on community wellbeing and social inclusion, and helping people develop the confidence and skills to influence decision-making in public services 36. The latest HAFLS Ofsted report (May 2012) recommends that not only should progression data be collected, but that there should be a greater emphasis on understanding and meeting the needs of local businesses, particularly within the ICT strand of provision. 37. To this end, HAFLS and the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) need to work together to develop an understanding of the skills gaps in the Hertfordshire workforce 38. The local LEP are currently focusing on the local need for higher qualifications to meet the demands of local industries. However, HAFLS have a valuable role to play in the continuum of learning across Hertfordshire by providing introductory learning and lower level qualifications and meeting the inclusion agenda 39. There is a requirement for Community Learning providers to have an infrastructure that enables collection of data about non-funded provision and an ability to show how funded and non-funded Community Learning provision works together. This is a major challenge, and one that HAFLS has already made efforts to meet through developing local stakeholder groups and use of Provider Business Days - 6 -

7 40. At the same time, there are still many of the same priorities from government, including volunteering, civic engagement, health and wellbeing, Thriving Families, and an ability to show the added value of community learning embedded in the new structure of Community Learning Trusts

8 41. The objectives of community learning are set out below: Purpose of Government Supported Community Learning:! Maximise access to community learning for adults, bringing new opportunities and improving lives, whatever people s circumstances.! Promote social renewal by bringing local communities together to experience the joy of learning and the pride that comes with achievement.! Maximise the impact of community learning on the social and economic wellbeing of individuals, families and communities. Objectives:! Focus public funding on people who are disadvantaged and least likely to participate, including in rural areas and people on low incomes with low skills! Collect fee income from people who can afford to pay and use where possible to extend provision to those who cannot.! Widen participation and transform individual s destinies by supporting progression relevant to personal circumstances, e.g. o improved confidence and willingness to engage in learning o acquisition of skills preparing people for training, employment or selfemployment o improved digital, financial literacy and/or communication skills o parents/carers better equipped to support and encourage their children s learning o improved / maintained health and/or social well-being.! Develop stronger communities, with more self-sufficient, connected and proactive citizens, leading to: o increased volunteering, civic engagement and social integration o reduced costs on welfare, health and anti-social behaviour o increased online learning and self organised learning o the lives of our most troubled families being turned around.! Commission, deliver and support learning in ways that contribute directly to these objectives, including: o bringing together people from all backgrounds, cultures and income groups, including people who can/cannot afford to pay o using effective local partnerships to bring together key providers and relevant local agencies and services o devolving planning and accountability to neighbourhood/parish level, with local people involved in decisions about the learning offer o involving volunteers and Voluntary and Community Sector groups, shifting long term, blocked classes into learning clubs, growing selforganised learning groups, and encouraging employers to support informal learning in the workplace o supporting the wide use of online information and learning resources minimising overheads, bureaucracy & administration

9 42. The Adult Skills Budget (ASB) strand of funding that HAFLS now receives is different from Community Learning in that its main focus is qualifications. 43. In 2013 the majority (57%) of the courses commissioned (i.e. not including the Direct Delivery courses) in this strand of funding were around employment or volunteering skills, including career planning and job applications as well as specific jobs skills such as Working in retail or Working in Warehouses courses. These courses accounted for 86% of the planned guided learning hours (GLH) 44. IT courses, which in many ways overlap with job skills, accounted for 28% of the courses, and 12% of the GLH. 45. The courses planned by the Direct Delivery team are mostly around Functional Skills qualifications 46. In 2014/15 HAFLS will expect ASB funding to be focused on ESOL, Work and Employment skills, Functional Skills, and certificate units to support residents to return to employment, or, if in low paid occupations, to improve their carer opportunities Pound Plus 47. Guidance from the SFA now states that Community Learning Funding must now be a contribution to the service delivered. 48. This means that HAFLS and all sub-contracted providers need to find ways of adding to the income received from the Skills Funding Agency, and recording and reporting this income. 49. HAFLS is required to set targets for year on year increases in the level of income generated in addition to the SFA funding. 50. There are three categories of pound plus, as set out in the Evaluation of Community Learning Trust Pilots: Summary of Key Findings (BIS: September 2013). These are shown below: Direct Income! Fee income from learners! Sponsorship! Grants and tenders! Sales from products and services Cost Savings! Savings in accommodation! Use of volunteers to support learning! Savings in staffing through partnership! Shared services eg; back office functions Value for Money! Setting up self organised groups! New methods of delivery - 9 -

10 51. One of the challenges that is still with us is to ensure that Government funding is focused on those most disadvantaged, while ensuring that the offer is also universal. Maximising fee income from those who can afford to pay is seen as a way of the better off members of society supporting or subsidising those more in need. 52. Fee collection has increased over the past few years, with most of HAFLS providers now collecting some contributions from at least some of their learners. HAFLS needs to ensure that this is continuing, while not impacting on the learners who cannot afford to pay a contribution to their learning. 53. In 2012/13 the actual cost to HAFLS per learner decreased compared to 2011/12, with more learners paying a contribution towards their course. HAFLS are also very good value when compared to other contracted out Community Learning providers. 54. This cost per learner decrease has happened while the number of GLH delivered per learner has increased very slightly 55. To keep HAFLS sustainable the collection of fees needs to continue, even within targeted provision, and those who can afford to pay more should be encouraged to do so. All subcontracted providers have to work within the HAFLS Fees policy 56. Another way to gain the best value is for providers to use other funding streams in conjunction with HAFLS funding. This has been done successfully by several providers in 2012/13, and will be encouraged in the future 57. If other funding streams are used for co-funding, there needs to be clarity about what each fund is supporting to avoid double funding (i.e. funding the same thing twice such as counting the same learners for more than one funder. This can be avoided by using some funding to pay for e.g. outreach, and another stream to pay for the learning that takes place)

11 Case Study Herts Mind Network Partnership working Herts Mind Network (HMN) recognised the need to develop the social enterprise arm of the organisation, Let s Talk. Effective partnership working is essential to meet the complexity of challenges faced by people experiencing mental health conditions and to ensure sustainability for HMN. Funding for vocational advice services to support people back into work, delivered at 7 Well Being Centres across east and west Herts, comes from 5 different funders. Herts Partnership Foundation Trust seconded a business development manager to HMN to explore how social enterprise opportunities could be developed to take advantage of specific available funding. Department of Health funding was secured with Luton and Beds Mind to set up Workshop in Mind, a project to recruit, train and develop people with a mental health condition to become self employed Support Assistants. Services are marketed, for example 1-1 community support, to members of the public who purchase these services. Let s Talk grounds maintenance received start up funding from the Social Enterprise Initiative Fund to purchase grounds maintenance machinery, vehicles and training. Working within strict health and safety guidelines people with a lived experience of mental health are contracted as grounds maintenance operators. Let s Talk Green Canteen is a horticultural community based training centre and retail trading shed, a partnership between HMN and Watford Community Housing Trust. HAFLS funded the training courses for people with a mental health condition to be ready to face the challenge of working in the Workshop in Mind and Grounds Maintenance projects. RITE training courses provided the additional mental health training that people identified as a training need. In all, 15 different organisations working in partnership to make the projects successful. 58. There is a requirement within Community Learning to collect, report on, and increase the amount of additional income and savings that add to the value of the SFA funding. Providers who wish to be funded by HAFLS will need to be prepared to feed this information to HAFLS for reporting to the SFA The Wider Adult Offer Managing the mix and balance of provision 59. Both ASB and Community Learning funds are aimed at adults of 19 years and over. Within this cohort, there are specific groups that are priority, or targeted, learners. 60. The SFA priority groups of learners include: Low skilled Those yet to achieve a level 2 Those not in employment but wanting and able to work Those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities Those seeking to access Community Learning

12 61. In addition to those groups outlined above the HAFLS service has agreed that the following groups of learners should be considered as priorities: Male learners Learners with learning difficulties Learners with mental health issues Adults without a level 2 qualification Carers Unemployed BME learners 62. In 2011/12 HAFLS spent some time looking at learners with multiple identities, and now recognises that there are areas for improvement, particularly around the BME community. Some work is currently being done in the form of projects, but in 2014/15 this work needs to be embedded in the mainstream provision. 63. Engagement of BME men is very low, and needs to be improved. In the same way there are very few BME learners with LDD or mental health issues. Voluntary and Community Sector Engagement 64. In the 2010 Community Learning review, BIS said that the reform of community learning should involve more voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises as providers to develop greater community involvement and ownership. 65. Historically the VCS have had a better reach to learners in target groups than the mainstream system. Although in recent years colleges have shown an improvement, most target groups are still better reached by VCS providers. 66. In the latest Ofsted inspection report (May 2012), HAFLS was cited as outstanding in working with the voluntary sector. 67. HAFLS is already fully engaged with Voluntary and Community Sector providers, who currently access PCDL, NLDC and Family Learning funding. In 2012 HAFLS commissioned 13 VCS providers. 68. For 2013/14 academic year, this number has gone back up to 14, following the recruitment of 4 new VCS providers and the loss of 3 through the tender process. One of these three is now represented in the contract with their parent organisation, and the work of one of the others has been taken up by another, related VCS group. 69. The relevance of community venues was recognised in the focus group activity undertaken in 2009/10 where learners felt more comfortable in the community based venue than at a larger venue, such as a college, and in 2012 when most participants in the focus groups stated that local, community venues suited them best. 70. However, some concerns about the quality and suitability of some community venues has been flagged by both Ofsted and learners 71. Over the past few years there has been a number of providers who have received larger and larger contracts. While this is good for those individual organisations, and does allow for some economy of scale, for HAFLS as a whole it can be seen as a limiting factor. 72. One of HAFLS strengths in the last Ofsted inspection was the range of providers worked with, and therefore the learners that could be reached

13 73. To ensure that the reach continues to those most in need, and so that HAFLS is able to reach a wider range of learners and meet the Localism agenda, HAFLS will be looking to expand the number of providers 74. This may impact on the maximum amount of funding that HAFLS is able to give individual providers. Localism and Community / Civic Engagement 75. Although the phrase Big Society has now changed to Localism, the basic tenets of the idea are still core to the priorities of Community Learning 76. The development and progression of learners into self organised groups, independent learning and volunteering are still clear objectives within Community Learning, as well as enabling learners to be more involved in their local communities 77. One of the outcomes of the HAFLS Curriculum Review undertaken in 2012 was to encourage and increase the number of civic engagement courses. This has not been particularly successful in the tender round for 2013/14, and will be a priority for 2014/15 commissioning. 78. To develop this area firstly a definition needs to be found to describe Civic Engagement. Wikipedia has a useful definition as follows: Civic engagement or civic participation has been defined as "Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern Civic engagement can take many forms from individual volunteering to organizational involvement to electoral participation. It can include efforts to directly address an issue, work with others in a community to solve a problem or interact with the institutions of representative democracy Another way of describing this concept is the sense of personal responsibility individuals should feel to uphold their obligations as part of any community. In a study published by CIRCLE, the Centre for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, divided into 3 categories: civic, electoral, and political voice. Civic Electoral Political Voice Community problem solving Regular voting Contacting officials Regular volunteering for a nonelectoral organization Active membership in a group or association Participation in fund-raising run/walk/ride Other fund-raising for charity Persuading others to vote Displaying buttons, signs, stickers Campaign contributions Volunteering for candidate or political organizations Contacting the print media Contacting the broadcast media Protesting petitions Written petitions Boycotting Buycotting Canvassing

14 79. Following this, HAFLS will define Civic Engagement Courses as courses with the main aim being to develop civic and community engagement. This could include training volunteers, community allotment courses, learning champions, SOG facilitator training, How to become a school governor, citizenship, having a civic voice and community leader courses. Progression 80. HAFLS expects all learners to receive appropriate IAG (Information, Advice and Guidance). This must clearly defined relevant next steps (e.g. Into further learning or employment) for the learner on completion of their course. Information about possible course funding (e.g. Loans) should be included 81. Most current HAFLS providers are Matrix accredited, and the SFA Funding Rules now require all providers who are required to be on the SFA Register of Approved Providers to at least be working towards this accreditation. 82. The SFA have not finalised this guidance yet, and are possibly looking at requiring all providers to work towards Matrix accreditation. 83. In 2012, a total of 25% of learners who took part in HAFLS focus groups said that they had not been given further information about progression routes % of those interviewed said that they would like to progress on to further learning 85. HAFLS expects providers to be aware of appropriate local progression routes for their courses, and signpost people effectively to encourage them to continue with their learning and development. To support this, HAFLS encourages networking at provider business meetings and wider stakeholder groups meetings. 86. Progression needs to be seen in it s widest sense, and should include not only moving into further learning or employment, but also personal development such as increased confidence, reduced isolation and improved mental health. 87. In 2012/13 providers were required to run a progression survey, with the following figures reported: 89% of learners who responded felt that their confidence had improved 13% progressed into new or improved employment, and 12% into volunteering 32% moved on to further learning 88. In 2012/13 there was a 29% re-enrolment rate on to HAFLS courses, which means that only approximately 3% of learners progressed on to courses outside of HAFLS funding. 89. While this seems low, it needs to be remembered that providers were only asked to sample 6% of their learners for the progression survey, so 94% of learners were not asked this question. Skills for Life in ACL Learning 90. PCDL and NLDC do not have specific targets for Skills for Life (SfL) attainment. It is expected to act as a first point of engagement and to support those learners in accessing learning and referring them on to appropriate provision where it is applicable. It is considered best practice to embed SfL learning in mainstream provision, where this is not possible learners must be referred to appropriate provision

15 91. ASB funding can be used for Functional Skills qualifications. However, qualifications are not always easily accessible, particularly for learners who are not confident enough to commit to a long course or feel able to take exams. 92. Meeting Skills for Life needs means that providers need to ensure: The needs of learners are identified. Learners are encouraged and supported to develop their English, maths and language (EML) skills enabling them to fulfil their potential. Providers must feel confident to offering appropriate support, including referral to other agencies where appropriate The support offered is appropriate, of a high quality and meets the needs of learners. 93. All providers will need to consider how they might support learners with EML needs access to learning and achievement. Areas of Hertfordshire with the highest EML needs include Stevenage, Hatfield, Broxbourne and Watford. 94. To support this, HAFLS are putting into place some guidelines around supporting SfL in the classroom, and will expect providers to adhere to these in 2014/15 academic year. HAFLS Curriculum 95. Over the past few years there has been a drop in the number of GLH per learner (from an average planned 14.6 hours per learner in 2010/11 to 12.5 in 2012/13), and per enrolment. Some of this is due to the fact that while everyday costs have increased, the Community Learning funding has remained the same, and in real terms, decreased. 96. This means that HAFLS courses now show less value for money than in previous years. 97. While providers have worked hard to put fees in place for learners, the longer the course, the higher the fees need to be, which means that those most in need, and therefore the learners that HAFLS targets most, may not be able to access longer courses 98. However, it is recognised that compared to national averages, HAFLS are still near the top of contracting out providers when it comes to value for money. 99. In 2012 HAFLS undertook a curriculum review to ensure that the service was meeting the needs of local communities and local and national government priorities 100. The main recommendations are as follows: That the curriculum should focus on the following themes: Community and Civic Engagement. Courses should help develop more self sufficient, connected and pro active citizens leading to volunteering, civic engagement and social integration. These courses can include Community learning champions, Self Organised Groups(SOGS), allotment courses, training of volunteers and having a civic voice Digital inclusion. As more services go online, learners will need to be confident to access these services. Learners also need to be able to access a range of information that is now available on line. They also need to know how to keep themselves safe on line. Curriculum should link clearly with key council policies and agendas. The Council has a key remit for Reducing Childhood Poverty. HAFLS courses can contribute to this through courses that

16 support financial literacy and enabling learners to either gain or become more confident to gain a qualification. The other key agenda is Health and Well Being. HAFLS makes a key contribution to the Health & Community Service Plan. HAFLS should place a key emphasis on courses that promote Health and Well being. HAFLS provision should promote courses that promote pathways to employment. Use of project funding to support new initiatives and meet identified gaps in the provision. Consider how the curriculum reaches underrepresented groups. Monitoring of the curriculum to ensure that progression opportunities are in place and promoted. Support localism and systems for local accountability and ensure the provision reflects the learner voice. Ensure that there is a balance of provision across the county. Ensure that Family Learning continues to offer courses that support families and improve outcomes for children. Promote independent learning. Develop learners in and outside the classroom to manage their own learning. Develop the curriculum in ways that support the plus. This will be done by developing courses that support volunteering, reduction in welfare, care and health costs and generating additional income through fees. Recognising the importance of measuring the impact of the curriculum by exploring opportunities for using the SROI (Social Return on Investment) 101. While some of these recommendations are covered elsewhere in more detail, it is worth noting that HAFLS will be looking for courses that encourage civic engagement, including those around local democracy, innovative ways of engaging male learners not just employment courses, and courses that involve learners from under represented and hard to reach groups with multiple identities HAFLS also recognises that embedding ICT in other SSA classes is a good way both to tackle the digital divide by introducing people to non-threatening ICT and to enable learners to develop more independent learning skills 103. Embedding can be done in a variety of ways, but in 2013/14 HALFS would like to commission some Bring Your Own Device courses to support this agenda and increase the use of devices such as mobile phones and tablets in learning The National Picture of Adult Learning 104. The data for this section has been taken from the BIS National Adult Learner Survey 2010 (NALS), BIS Community Learner Survey Report - March 2013 (CLSR), and the Data Service Quarterly Statistical Release data July NALS covers all forms of adult learning, whether government funded or not, while the Data Service report is specifically about funded learning and the CLSR focuses on Community Learning alone. All reports refer to 16+ learning NALS identifies 3 types of adult learning: Formal Learning, Non-Formal Learning and informal Learning. Most HAFLS funded provision falls into Non-Formal Learning (i.e. being taught in a class but not leading to a qualification) NALS shows a national drop in participation in all forms of adult learning of approximately 11%. NALS states that the largest drop is within non-formal learning (17% drop from 2005 to 2010)

17 However, this trend is shown to have evened out in the latest Statistical Release, with numbers remaining about the same in 2010 and HAFLS has shown a decrease in enrolment numbers of 2.7% from 2010 to 2011, and several providers have noted that recruitment has become harder in the last year. This is in line with the Data Service figures for Community Learning (a 2.6% drop in the last year). However, the number of individuals taking part in HAFLS courses remained approximately the same over the two years NALS suggests several reasons for these drops in participation, including the economic downturn of recent years (with 58% of their respondents citing cost as an obstacle to engaging in learning), and a reduction in participation in ICT skills as a larger proportion of the population has developed basic computer skills These reasons would seem to be reflected in HAFLS, with Libraries in particular having issues recruiting to their previously very popular ICT sessions, and more providers being encouraged to ask for some contribution to the cost of courses from their learners Other potential barriers to engagement in learning identified in NALS were inability to fit it round job and family commitments, and a lack of time All of these barriers are also reflected in the CLSR, and seem to be consistent with HALFS experience 113. The CLSR had more of a focus on what learners got out of their learning experience, what motivated them to take up learning, and the demographic of the learners HAFLS does not collect information on all of the outcomes that the CLSR looked at (such as the improvement in quality of life), but there are some comparisons to be made:! CLSR reported 10% of learners moving into work, HAFLS shows 13% in 2012! CLSR reported 11% moving into volunteering, HAFLS shows 12%! CLSR reported that 82% of learners were more confident in their abilities, HAFLS shows 89% of learners gained in confidence (however, this is broader than the question asked by CLSR)! CLSR showed that 52% had already moved on to further learning, HAFLS showed 32% 115. These figures show that outcomes for HAFLS learners are at least consistent with country wide outcomes, if not slightly better, except in the progression on to further learning This suggests that more work may need to be done on identifying progression routes, and supporting learners to understand the benefits that they may get from a move into courses that may cost more The Overall Hertfordshire Picture: Geographical Data 117. The demographic information about Hertfordshire in this document has been taken from the 2011 Census (where it is available) and Hertfordshire Forward publication The State of Hertfordshire: An Evidence Base on our People and Places The 2011 census records the population of Hertfordshire at 1,116, Of this total 851,200 are over 19, and so fall into the Community Learning demographic. Of this number, 27.8% are

18 120. The proportion of older learners taking part in HAFLS funded learning in 2012/13 was 24%. This is a slight rise from 2011 (22%), but is still not reflective of the Hertfordshire demographic The 2011 census shows that people from BME groups (non-white) make up 12% of the overall Hertfordshire population, with Watford having by far the highest proportion (27%), and Welwyn Hatfield (15%), Hertsmere (14%) and 3 Rivers (13%) all having above the average level The percentage of population identifying themselves as White: Other White makes up 5% of the Hertfordshire population, with Watford (8%), Broxbourne (8%), Hertsmere (7%) and Welwyn Hatfield (6%) being above the average The Census information shows that the four districts with the largest proportion of people over 16 without a level 2 qualification are Broxbourne (43.2%), Stevenage (39.5%) and Dacorum and Hertsmere ( both 33.5%),. This has shifted since the last data collection, where the figures were Hertsmere (30.1%), Three Rivers (29%), North Herts (28.5 %) (Hertfordshire Forward District Profile Reports May 2011) It has to be borne in mind that the figures below are for the population of 16 years and over, while HAFLS only funds learning for those 19 and over, and this may affect the outcome of the measures. However, it does offer a picture of the needs in Hertfordshire The table below is data from the 2011 Census: All Persons No Qualifications Highest level of qualification: Level 1 qualifications Total Below Level 2 Qualification Total Below Level 2 Qualification Number Percentage Percentage Number Percentage Hertfordshire 892, , % Broxbourne 74, , % Dacorum 115, , % East Hertfordshire 110, , % Hertsmere 79, , % North Hertfordshire 102, , % St Albans 110, , % Stevenage 66, , % Three Rivers 69, , % Watford 71, , % Welwyn Hatfield 90, , % 126. The latest claimant figures show recent falls in the number of people of working age claiming unemployment benefit, and in June 2013 were at 2.2% for Hertfordshire as a whole. (LEP Economic Report 2013 June Update) 127. Between May and June 2013 there has been a decrease in those claiming benefit in all districts in Hertfordshire, except Welwyn Hatfield. These decreases range from Stevenage, down 0.1% to East Herts, down 6.7% 128. Hertfordshire is one of the least deprived areas in England, with no Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs small geographical areas covering around 1500 people) in the worst 5% or 10% deprived in England (2007 Index of Multiple Deprivation)

19 129. The top 50 most deprived wards (out of 192 wards in total) in Hertfordshire have been constant target areas for the last 7 years The Deprivation across Hertfordshire: Analysis for the sustainable Community Strategy and Local Area Agreement report by OCSI published in August 2008 points out that the large majority of people with no qualifications who are not in employment do not live in the most deprived areas Programmes aimed ONLY at these areas would be projected to meet 16% of this group at the most This means that HAFLS needs to be aware that a continuing push to increase numbers from these wards could lead to gaps in the reach of HAFLS to people who need educational support bet who do not live in these areas HAFLS has now moved this target to a maintenance target. There is already a good reach in these areas, and increasing it further would have a detrimental effect on the ability of HAFLS to reach target learners who live in other parts of the county The districts with the most wards in the top 50 most deprived list are Stevenage (10) and Broxbourne (9). East Herts has only one ward in the top 50 most deprived list but this does not mean that there are not other pockets of deprivation there Of the three districts with the highest number of deprived wards (Broxbourne, Stevenage and Watford), Broxbourne and Stevenage are also in the top three districts with the most adults with below a level 2 qualification These districts have shifted since the last data as reported in 2012/13 Needs Analysis, with only Hertsmere remaining Family Learning, in particular, focuses on the most deprived wards with 47% of all Family Learning learners coming from the targeted wards, compared to 38% overall. Family Learning delivered 40% of their courses to people from the 3 districts containing the most deprived wards The table below shows the level of HAFLS delivery in the districts with the most adults with below level 2 qualifications. ASL Family Learning FL Learners as % District Learners % FL All % All Learners All 13,698 2, % Broxbourne 1, % % 26.40% Dacorum 1, % % 9.06% East Hertfordshire 1, % % 9.17% Hertsmere % % 18.71% North Hertfordshire 1, % % 15.84% St Albans 1, % % 11.89% Stevenage 1, % % 25.47% Three Rivers 1, % % 23.81% Watford 1, % % 21.62% Welwyn Hatfield 1, % % 30.18% Unknown and Outside Herts % % 8.99% Districts with most adults without level 2 qualification or above 138. Hertsmere will continue to be a target area for 2013/14 funding, as not only is it an area of higher need, but the current HALFS reach is below the population demographic

20 % of learners came from Dacorum where there is quite a high concentration of providers. As Dacorum is neither one of the districts with the highest number of deprived wards, nor one with the highest level of adults without level 2 qualifications this shows an overprovision for the population and need level of the area As may be expected, NLDC is concentrated in Dacorum, with 32% of all NLDC learners coming from this district in Although this is understandable with the number of VCS groups based in this area, it is a very large proportion to be based in one district, although it is a lower proportion than in previous years In 2010 there was no NLDC delivered in North Hertfordshire. In 2012, there was still very little NLDC delivered in North Herts, Stevenage and St Albans., but as shown above, Family Learning is strong in Stevenage. The 10% over all HAFLS provision in North Herts is generally reflective of the population In 2012 provision in St Albans has fallen below the general demographic, but although there are pockets of need in St Albans, it is a less deprived area in general that many other districts in Hertfordshire Nearly 7% of all HAFLS learners in 2011/12 live outside Hertfordshire the same as in 2011/ Working with HAFLS providers and partners has highlighted several areas where there is a lack of provision both funded and non-funded. These specific areas are Borehamwood, Buntingford, Royston, Rickmansworth, Berkhamsted and Tring Funding Streams 145. The SFA have recently restructured the funding streams, but although individual funding streams within ASL funding will no longer exist we are still currently expected to report by course type to ensure there is a continuation and balance of Family Learning, NLDC and PCDL type courses Adult Skills budget sits outside of the Community Learning budget, and has very different funding criteria To keep a balance in provision it is still be important to provide some Family Learning, some skills for jobs, and some community and personal development courses. However, there HAFLS will need to ensure that the curriculum balance for Community Learning and ASB work together to create a cohesive offer across Hertfordshire 148. Any leisure courses that do take place have to charge fees to fit with the government s drive for cofinancing of adult education and the need to show value for money There will also be an expectation to charge contributions for non-leisure courses as well to help bring down costs. All providers delivering Community Learning will need to follow the HAFLS Fees policy. Provision and providers 150. In 2012 the HAFLS service commissioned Adult and Community Learning across a wide range of providers which consisted of 13 VCS groups, 4 Colleges (plus Next Step), and 2 HCC departments, as well as a Direct Delivery team. HAFLS also has its own Family Learning team

21 " Of the 15,440 enrolments in 2012/13 in Community Learning funding streams (ie. Not including ASB) 6,086 (39.4%) were delivered through voluntary sector providers. " The four Hertfordshire colleges delivered 4,565 enrolments, 29.56% of the total. " The remaining 31% were delivered through libraries, Herts Music Service and by the HAFLS Family Learning Team These proportions have remained much the same in comparison to 2011/12 provision The Voluntary & Community Sector (VCS) 152. Up to the end of 2012/13, levels of funding for VCS programmes was drawn from NLDC and PCDL provision with one contract for FEML and WFL, and totalled 775,438 across the four streams. 13 VCS providers were commissioned in total, 6 for NLDC. The lowest amount of funding was 10,490 and the highest 136,705 (PCDL and F L contracts combined) The actual amount of learning measured in planned GLH (actual GLH not available for college data) delivered by the VCS in these funding streams was 71,410 against a total of 172,457 (41.4%), demonstrating that they contributed just under the expected amount of learning for the funding they received. They received 44.1% of the funding in these funding streams To deliver this programme VCS projects used 104 individual tutors The VCS demonstrates a clear effectiveness in meeting the needs of hard to reach learners. It has given the HAFLS service the opportunity to deliver in trusted organisations, with close links to the community. It has also offered HAFLS the chance to engage some highly specialised provision. Case Study Community Learning Partnership May 2012 Community Learning Partnership contracts with Hertfordshire Adult and Family Learning Service (HAFLS) for the provision of adult safeguarded learning in the PCDL, Wider Family Learning and Family Language, Literacy and Numeracy funding streams. CLP s target groups are families living in disadvantaged communities, and in which the adults have low skills and works in partnership with schools, children s centres, Extended Services, specialist providers, and other HAFLS providers. CLP delivers adult and family learning in Central, South and West Hertfordshire, concentrating on the most deprived areas. CLP have been delivering family learning courses in De Havilland School, Hatfield for parents who do not have a numeracy or literacy qualification. The courses have been designed so that the parents study on their own for the first part of the class and then move on to learning with their children. The course has helped the parents gain their national qualifications as well as helping them improve their self-confidence. It also has a two fold benefit as the children have improved in their school work and also in their own sense of self belief. The Extended Schools Co-ordinator, who has been involved in recruiting the parents to the course said This course has helped the mums so much as they have gained confidence in themselves as people and as parents. They now have a support network in each other as well. The children have improved in every way also. They are so excited when they get to come in and work with their mums. One of the parents stated I am a single mum of two and I have never had the time to do anything for myself. I have been doing quite a few courses at De Havilland School with CLP and now I am ready to take my Level 2 qualification in numeracy. Hopefully I will achieve this and then I can get a learning assistant job, which has been my dream.. Another parent added I have done voluntary work as a youth worker for a while, but now I have my national qualifications, thanks to CLP, I can study a proper youth work qualification and move on to a paid job, which will be great for me and my kids