Training News Archive

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

Learning Zone at the County Show

If you're coming to the County Show this year, then pay a visit to the Learning Zone on Band Avenue . The Learning Zone is a "one stop shop" incorporating all the training and educational choices in Pembrokeshire for adults over 16 years of age. PAVS will be present as usual to give information about courses for voluntary and community groups, as well as volunteers.

Everyone will be able get advice about learning new skills and gaining qualifications that can help in progressing careers or managing work better.

There will be a mixture of demonstrations every day on the hour from 11am until 4pm. "This year, we really have a great range of demonstrations from genealogy to tips in interior design, and from willow weaving to growing plants from cuttings," commented organiser, Keith Allen.

Pembrokeshire Learning Network 2008 Learner Forum

The Forum brought together learners participating in adult learning courses in Pembrokeshire, and gave them the opportunity to feedback on their learning experiences.

The learners who participated in the Forum were on courses run by a number of different providers, who are part of the Pembrokeshire Learning Network (PLN). These included Learning Pembrokeshire, Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services (PAVS) and Pembrokeshire College . A number of those attending were also taking part in courses provided by the U3A (University of the 3 rd Age).

Members of the PLN are committed to providing opportunities for learners to participate in the process of developing their services. Learner Forums form an important part of this; information gathered is invaluable in helping providers to develop opportunities for the future.

Certificates Ahoy for PAVS Learners

Congratulations to all the Learners who braved the wet weather to join us on board the tall ship "Kaskelot" to collect their certificates. Learners had attended a variety of different courses from Training Skills for New Trainers and Mentoring Skills to Food Safety in Catering and Health and Safety. Unfortunately a number of learners couldn't join us on the evening but we wish them our congratulations as well.

Courses such as Mentoring Skills are accredited through the Open College Network and carry a nationally recognised certificate. These courses are usually around 3 days long and the Learners have to complete a portfolio of their work. Other courses such as Food Safety in Catering are certified through other organisations (such as CIEH) and the participant will have sat a multiple choice quiz at the end of the one day course. If you are interested in any certificated courses such as First Aid, Successful Presentations or Health and Safety please contact Louise Walters . Or you might like to visit the Learning Opportunities page of this website to see what courses are currently available.

Launch of Skilled to go                                                            

Skilled to go has been developed in collaboration between the Office of Fair Trading and LLU+ at London South Bank University . It develops consumer skills, confidence and knowledge alongside literacy and numeracy skills with additional suggestions for use with ESOL learners.    

Key features of Skilled to go include:

•  three different modules - Utilities, Technology and Buying and selling

•  a wide range of activities using everyday consumer situations such as choosing a mobile phone, using internet auction sites or deciding whether to switch energy companies - as contexts for learning

•  fully authorable content

•  designed to appeal to young adult and adult learners

•  designed for use at Entry 3, Level 1 and Level 2

•  comprehensive teachers' notes and user guide

•  customised versions for use in England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland

•  detailed consumer information to assist teachers in planning and delivering sessions.

Successful pilots in London and Glasgow showed how this versatile resource can be integrated into a wide range of further education programmes including, for example, discrete LLN, offender learning and life skills courses.   Learners, as well as their teachers, reported increased consumer skills and confidence with plenty of examples of putting these into practice in real life situations.                  

The Skilled to go materials are available on the OFT website

http://www.oft.gov.uk/oft_at_work/partnership_working/consum
er-alliance/resources/toolkitfront/

PAVS Receives Valued Partner Award

On 6th December PAVS received a "Valued Partner" Award from Careers Wales West (CWW). Three members of PAVS staff attended the award ceremony and lunch at the Tower Hotel Swansea, the award was presented by Sara Edwards and a fantastic time was had by all. The link between PAVS and CWW was initially established through the Adult Guidance Network. PAVS has been working with CWW as a sub contractor providing information and guidance to adult clients in Pembrokeshire. PAVS and CWW have also been involved in the planning and attendance of events such as the Learning Zone, Adult Learners Week Market, Carer and Volunteers group and joint working across the 14-19 Network has seen the partnership develop from strength to strength. There is a joint commitment to positively promote and support Learning and Development opportunities across both organisations.

For more information on CWW please visit the website

Measuring the Difference Event

This successful one-day conference looked at the different ways of measuring the work we do. The event was attended by over 70 participants, from Carmarthenshire Pembrokeshire and further a field, and was held at the Nant Y Ffin Hotel on 4th October. Both keynote speakers, Geeta Patel and David Boyle, gave informative and entertaining talks. Workshops were also held on topics such as Social Accounting, Measuring Distance Travelled (RARPA), Clinical Governance and Measuring Outcomes.

Participants were given a tantalizing taster of the different options available, from informal tips through to more formal models - without having to play the numbers game.

If you missed the event but are interested in learning more about measuring the difference your work makes to the lives of the people you support, contact Louise Walters at PAVS on 01437 769422.

This event was joint funded by Building Strong Bridges (Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire).

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