Community Learning Trust Responsiveness Fund GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS The CLT Responsiveness Fund is funding by Staffordshire Skills Funding Agency (SFA) through Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities (NLDC) funding. The funding is for the delivery and benefit of training for the adults returning to learning. This funding is open to organisations to deliver a needs led project within Staffordshire. There is 250,000 available in total, with 130,000 for voluntary and third sector organisations only and 120,000 available for all adult learning providers. All projects will need to comply with Skills Funding Agency rules. Decisions on funding will be made by the Community Learning Trust Board Sub-Group based on: Funding priorities based on evidenced local needs An even geographical distribution of funds Alignment to the Business, Innovation and Skills New Challenges, New Chances Community Learning objectives ( see Appendix 1 of guidance document) Alignment to the Adult and Community Learning Service Commissioning priorities local and countywide ( see Appendix 2 of guidance document) Projects should: be delivered to adults 19 years and over have clear learning aims that will result in adults being better prepared to move on to further learning, work or volunteering be delivered by tutors with appropriate teaching qualifications They also: can have an aim of improving the local community can be centred on improving volunteers skills and qualifications can be accredited to level 1 if the course is not able to be funded through the Adult Skills Budget Staffordshire Community Learning Trust is a joint project between Staffordshire County Council Adult and Community Learning Service and adult learning providers from all sectors in the county. The Vision of the Trust is that: "Staffordshire has happy, healthy, well integrated and active communities that learn together, support each other, and enable all community members to prosper and thrive" CLT guidance 4 th June 2013 1
Our belief is that adult learning is the property of the community and that all applications to this fund will have to clearly demonstrate local support for the project by reference to local consultation. More information about the Trust can be found at www.communitylearningtrust.org.uk Programmes should be targeted at one or more of the following groups: Adults aged 19 years and over who are one or more of the following: Unemployed Economically inactive local residents in any Staffordshire district People with no or low qualifications. Adults with learning difficulties/disabilities. Adults from ethnic minority groups. Adults experiencing mental and/or physical health issues. Older people. Carers. Homeless adults and adults living in hostel accommodation Lone parents Volunteers Organisations can apply between July 2013 and March 2014. The sub-group will meet approximately every 6 weeks (dates can be found on the application and assessment document) with applications to be received 1 week before the sub-group meeting date. Guidance for completing the application form: General comment Please try to answer every question, by omitting answers you may hold up your application. Section 1 Organisation Details These are details about your group/organisation. This will help the sub Group to understand who you are and what you do within the local community. The UKPRN number is a registration with the UK register of all providers of adult education. There is no cost to register and the website for registering can be found at www.ukrlp.co.uk Your organisation is not required to be a member of the Locality Working Group, but this will assist you in detailing the local need and understanding local priorities. It is strongly recommended that groups take an active part in their Locality Working Group. Details of these can be found at www.communitylearningtrust.org.uk or Julie Staniforth. An application that does not detail the members of the management committee will not be considered. CLT guidance 4 th June 2013 2
An application that has not been approved by your group/organisation will not be considered. A group/organisation that does not hold a minimum 2 signatory bank account will not be considered. Providers must, as a minimum, hold insurance at the following levels: Public Liability Insurance of not less than 2 million (two million pounds sterling) in respect of any one occurrence; and Employers Liability Insurance of not less than 5 million (five million pounds sterling) in respect of any single claim or series of claims made in respect of any incident If and to the extent that the activity includes the provision of professional advice by the Provider, professional indemnity insurance in respect of any one occurrence will be required. A group/organisation that can not provide evidence of the policies listed will not be considered. A group/organisation that can not provide evidence of the insurances listed will not be considered. A group/organisation that can not provide evidence of their accounts will not be considered. A group/organisation that does not/will not carry out risk assessments will not be considered. Details of where you heard about the funding will help us in our marketing of the fund in subsequent years so please give us as much information as you can. A group/organisation without a constitution or set of rules will not be considered. If your organisation has an Adult and Community Learning service main contract you will need to explain why you cannot use that contract funding to deliver this project. Section 2 Teaching and Learning Anyone delivering courses funded by the Responsiveness Fund need to hold or be working towards a registered teaching qualification, for example the initial teaching qualification of Preparation for Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS), a Certificate or Diploma in teaching in the lifelong learning sector or equivalent. All tutors must have completed safeguarding training within the last 2 years. Section 3 The Project CLT guidance 4 th June 2013 3
In this section you need to explain the activity or project that you aim to deliver. In the overview and content you should try to tell us: Why you are delivering the activity How you have identified the local need How the project relates to the county and local priorities and BIS objectives found in the appendices attached to the application form What you hope to achieve Who the activity is aimed at How you intend to deliver it, for example 2 hours a week for 3 weeks The venue you plan to use to deliver When you plan to deliver it. Please note that the activity needs to be complete no later than 31 st July 2014. Activities can be single short courses or multiple activities. The sub Group need to establish the total number of learners you will be delivering to so please only count learners who are attending more than one activity once. How will you measure impact? Impact is not just about successfully achieving a learning outcome, but also about the impact on the learners life. How will you measure wider outcomes? Please indicate below how you will collect evidence of change from individual learners. Examples of measures are focus group at the end of the course, ILPs, learner diaries, surveys, interviews. Please note: projects will be expected to complete an impact measurement tracking sheet. Section 4 Target Learners In this section you need to tell us about the learners that you are going to target for your activity. There will be an expectation that you will be familiar with, and have a relationship with, the learner groups you are targeting and will not advertise for learners. Section 5 Progression of Learners The funding for the Responsiveness Fund is intended to help individuals from excluded and under represented groups into learning to help them into employment, voluntary work or further learning opportunities or become active members of their community through voluntary or paid activities. In this section you need to explain what you will do to help individual learners progress during and after their learning activity. The sub Group need to know what steps you will take to help learners to seek and secure employment, or progress into further learning or volunteering or participate further in community life. For example will you be involving other agencies in the learning activity, for instance Adult Advancement and Careers Service, Job Centre Plus, JET, local colleges and voluntary services. We will also need to know what referral processes you have in place to these organisations. CLT guidance 4 th June 2013 4
Section 6 Costs of Project Funding levels: There is 250,000 available from this fund, 130,000 is allocated for third sector organisations only, 120,000 is allocated for any learning provider type (school, college, private provider, third sector etc). There is no minimum amount for a project although we would expect a small project to have a minimum of 8 learners. Fees: Charging your learners a fee is not mandatory although, where appropriate, we would encourage a fee to be considered at a level that is realistic for your learners or the partner organisation you are delivering to. You will need to identify the costs that you need to meet to deliver your activity- (a) on the costs table. Funding may be requested for payment of: Teaching staff Learning support in the classroom Childcare Carer support Learner travel costs (not including staff travel) Consumable and materials Equipment necessary to deliver the learning activity Venue costs The Responsiveness Fund should not be the only source of funding for the activity and you should indicate the amount of funding that you or another organisation is contributing -(c) on the costs table. Organisations funded through The Responsiveness Fund must not rely on this funding for their longterm survival. You are also asked to detail any in kind contribution you will make and assign it a monetary value - (b) on the costs table. The cost per learner is the amount of funding that you are asking for divided by the number of individual learners. The sub Group will seek to get the best value from this funding; they will therefore be looking to fund organisations who can deliver high quality learning at a competitive cost per learner. Section 7 Declaration Applications need to be signed by the person within the organisation who is authorised to claim the Responsiveness Fund. If applications are being sent electronically then a signed back page needs to be forwarded as soon as possible. CLT guidance 4 th June 2013 5
Applications need to be forwarded to: For Staffordshire (other than Stoke-on-Trent) Julia Staniforth Adult and Community Learning Development Officer Adult and Community Learning Service Walton Building Martin Street Stafford ST16 2LH E: acl@staffordshire.gov.uk For queries: Julia Staniforth Mob: 07800626536 tel: 01785 278771 julia.staniforth@staffordshire.gov.uk The Evaluation Process Completed applications will be reviewed to ensure that all following aspects have been passed: Section 1. Organisation Detail Charitable status Committee/Management Board members Application approved by Committee/Management Board Policies Insurance Constitution Accounts Withdrawal of public funding Health and Safety risk assessment Health and Safety - Breach Example Reasons for unsuccessful application Organisation is not in the voluntary sector Too few people on the committee, not enough members are cheque signatories. Answer of No and not approved No policy in place for any area listed No copies of insurance submitted or certificate out of date Organisation does not have a constitution/set of rules No suitable accounts or bank letter enclosed yes and no explanation offered No risk assessment carried out and no agreement to adopt ACL standard risk assessment Answer of YES to prosecution and no explanation provided and/or explanation not satisfactory CLT guidance 4 th June 2013 6
2. Teaching and Learning No information completed, tutors have no safeguarding training within the last two years. 4.Target learners No suitable target learners identified Sections 3, 5 and 6 will be discussed at the steering group meetings and the table below will be completed will a final result allocated. CLT guidance 4 th June 2013 7
Provider: Section 3 comments Section 5 comments Section 6 comments Result: 1. Approve 2. Refer for further development 3. Not approved CLT guidance 4 th June 2013 8
The application process July 2013 Application process begins Funding applications received are acknowledged within 2 days. You may be contacted by a member of Adult and Community Learning Service to discuss your application. Depending on their recommendations your application may be forwarded to the next available Funding sub Group. The funding sub Group will decide whether to award a grant or they may request further information. This will usually take place no more than a week after the sub Group meets. See dates below. When the application is approved funding will be awarded in two stages; half will be awarded with the contract, the other half when a successful quality monitoring visit has been undertaken. Outcomes of applications will be communicated within one week of every Funding sub Group. CLT guidance 4 th June 2013 9
Subgroup Application Review Meeting for 2013-2014 August 22 nd 2013 October 3 rd 2013 November 14 th 2013 January 16 th 2014 February 27 th 2014 April 10 th 2014 CLT guidance 4 th June 2013 10
Appendix 1 BIS New Challenges, New Chances (www.bis.gov.uk) Extract relating to Community Learning Objectives Community Learning funding will: 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 people 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 self-employment 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 pro-active 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 self-organised learning groups, and encouraging employers to support informal learning in the workplace o supporting the wide use of online information and learning resources o minimising overheads, bureaucracy & administration. CLT guidance 4 th June 2013 11
Appendix 2 Staffordshire Adult & Community Service Draft Commissioning Priorities 2013/14- ranked 1. To provide a community learning offer that contributes to better health and wellbeing, employment and social inclusion for all learners including individuals with mental health issues and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities 2. To provide courses for adults who are otherwise least likely to engage in learning, and support them to progress to further learning, employment, selfemployment or volunteering 3. To provide access and progression for people who are disadvantaged and who are furthest from learning both geographically and through lack of opportunity and therefore least likely to participate in community learning programmes 4. To provide community learning provision which raises aspirations and promotes progression opportunities, supporting local communities through activity that inspires, enthuses and enables ambition and self-improvement 5. To provide targeted Family Learning programmes to raise the achievement of children and help parents and carers to develop their own learning, parenting skills and progress into economic activity or volunteering 6. To provide community learning provision that maintains high quality standards as determined by Ofsted in the Common Inspection Framework, actively promotes safeguarding issues and delivers equality and diversity duties. 7. To provide community learning provision that incorporates confidence building activities into courses or offers courses designed to build confidence. 8. To embed English and Maths skills development in programmes and signpost learners to further English and Maths learning where a need is identified 9. To provide community learning provision that integrates quality information and advice for learners. 10. To provide community learning provision in computing to allow Staffordshire adults to access new technologies and the benefits that digital inclusion brings. 11. To provide community learning provision that offers learners, sufficient opportunity to develop social activities 12. To provide programmes of English for speakers of other languages 13. To provide community learning provision that provides value for money and Pound Plus and maximises fee income from people who can afford to pay in order to increase access to learning for people who are furthest from learning. CLT guidance 4 th June 2013 12
Local priorities (if available these can be found on the website www.communitylearningtrust.org.uk or through your Locality Working Group contact which is also on the website) Working in Partnership funded by CLT guidance 4 th June 2013 13