Training News Archive

Here you will find some of the older news items which you still might find interesting.

Reaching Wider Project

Reaching Wider is a Wales wide project which aims to encourage and inspire people from disadvantaged communities to engage in higher education. Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire are covered by the South West Wales Partnership.  Rebecca Griffiths is the new Western Development Officer and she is currently looking for groups to work with who would be interested in finding out more about higher education.  Activities could include visits to a local university where taster workshops can be held for you.  All events and activities are free and transport can also be arranged.

To find out more please contact Rebecca on 07970 288075 or email r.griffiths@swansea.ac.uk.

Learning, learning everywhere…

This year you might have seen the PAVS Training stand at a number of events. Two of the biggest events this year was the Learning Market (Adult Learners’ Week) and the Learning Zone (at Pembrokeshire County Show). PAVS was involved in organising both events and a number of voluntary groups took part.

During Adult Learners’ Week (May) events were held in Haverfordwest, Pembroke Dock and St Davids. Fishguard Arts Society held some arts based workshops in the Bishop’s Palace alongside the Pembrokeshire Guild of Weavers Spinners and Dyers who gave hands on spinning demonstrations. The Pembrokeshire Federation of Women’s Institutes attending the Market in Haverfordwest and provided some wonderful craft taster sessions at the Pater Hall in Pembroke Dock. The Pembrokeshire U3A and Welsh Dyslexia Project both attended the Learning Market.

The Learning Market will be taking place again from 15-21 May 2010.

The Learning Zone at the Pembrokeshire County Show was even bigger than pervious years with 13 organisations represented (including PAVS, Pembrokeshire WI and the Welsh Dyslexia Project). It was estimated that over 2500 people passed through the marquee during the 3 days of the show. The County Show next year will run from 17-19 August 2010.

If you would be interested in taking part in the Learning Market, want to deliver a taster session of any kind, or have a stand the Learning Zone and your organisation provides any kind of learning opportunities in Pembrokeshire,  please contact Louise at PAVS on 01437 796422.

National Development Programme for young people in Wales

The National Development Programme (NDP) for Young People is part of the second National Basic Skills Strategy for Wales ‘Words Talk - Numbers Count’. It is aimed at young people aged 14-19 who are at risk of disaffection or exclusion, particularly those with low levels of literacy and numeracy. It supports practitioners in developing innovative learning programmes which will motivate ‘hard to reach’ young people. It supports providers in reaching the requirements of the Basic Skills Quality Standard.

Unitas are delivering the following services through the NDP for practitioners and young people in Wales:

TextNow - TextNow is an innovative reader engagement programme that motivates young people to become more confident and able readers. The model is based on a structured programme of daily 20-minute reading sessions each weekday for a period of 12 weeks supported by trained volunteer coaches, a small library and an incentive scheme.

Summer Arts Colleges

Short intensive basic skills courses

A range of arts enrichment learning resources

Training in the use of the resources

To ?nd out more visit the website www.unitas.uk.net/Programmes/NDPinWales/  or contact: Jane Dixon, Development Adviser, NDP for Young People

email: jane.dixon@unitas.uk.net

Employer Pledge

Learning Pembrokeshire is the learning arm of Pembrokeshire County Council and delivers a number of courses throughout the County. Currently Learning Pembrokeshire is focusing on an initiative called 'Employer Pledge' – But what is that?

Employer Pledge brings learning to the workplace - Learner and Employer focused, Community orientated.  Employer Pledge addresses Basic Skills issues in the workplace.

Learning Pembrokeshire are able to deliver Basic Skills courses within the “workplace” that are custom made to go hand in hand with the type of activity or service offered by your organisation - whether that is dealing with customers or working behind the scenes.

Basic Skills have become important because of the technological changes in the workplace.  There is a widely differing spectrum of Basic Skills needs because of these changes.  Basic Skills embraces gaps in peoples learning ranging from numeracy issues such as switching from imperial to metric measuring to spelling and punctuation.

With Learning Pembrokeshire, working within the Employer Pledge ethos, employers can deliver constructive training to their employees and volunteers, plus attract grant money, knowing that such training can only enhance their employees self esteem, confidence and ultimately their ability to do a good job.

For more information on becoming part of the Employer Pledge family in Pembrokeshire please contact: Sara Gill, Employer Pledge Liaison Officer

01834 843297

THE LEARNING JOURNEY:  A collaborative approach to Adult and Community Based Learning in Pembrokeshire

With funding from the ELWa Common Investment Fund, the research project was coordinated by three major providers of ACL – Pembrokeshire College, Learning Pembrokeshire and the voluntary/community sector (PAVS), with a wider partnership of providers involved in planning, focus group research, and review of findings.

The project included:

• mapping and review of ACL provision

• feedback from learners – Pembrokeshire Adult Learners’ Survey 2005

• piloting/evaluating different Learning Delivery Models

• researching existing Learning Networks

The clear recommendation emerging from this work is to establish a Pembrokeshire Learning Network under a strong, single brand, operating within a robust quality framework for ACL delivery, sharing information systems, resources, administrative and back-office functions. 

There are clearly resource issues to be addressed in order to take this initiative forward, and it is hoped there may be opportunities for a second phase of work to be delivered with support from the Common Investment Fund.

Whatever the future holds, the key partners in this project remain committed to working collaboratively, particularly around professional development for ACL tutors; quality frameworks (including self-assessment); and joint promotion of training activity.

Please use the links below to download research reports:

The Learning Journey: 

A Collaborative approach to Adult and Community Based Learning in Pembrokeshire

Full narrative report* English

Executive Summary English

Overall conclusions/recommendations English

Learning in the Voluntary and Community sector: 

Research and review of Adult and Community Based Learning provision in the voluntary and community sector in Pembrokeshire

Full narrative report* English / Cymraeg

Executive Summary English / Cymraeg

Overall conclusions/recommendations English / Cymraeg

Pembrokeshire Adult Learners’ Survey 2005

Full narrative report*

* Please contact PAVS if you would like to receive electronic versions of the appendices