Making Learning Work for Local Authorities Tricia Hartley

Making Learning Work for Local Authorities Tricia Hartley Joint Chief Executive Campaign for Learning

What is the Campaign for Learning? • National charity set up in 1996 to promote lifelong learning • Working for society in which: Øeveryone has the right to learn Øeveryone understands and values learning Øeveryone has the chance to learn throughout their lives. • Work in three main fields: Øworkplace Øschools Øfamily & community

Lifelong Learning?

What do we do? The Campaign for Learning: • runs national awareness campaigns • supports practitioners and professionals • runs, regional and local projects • runs award schemes • acts as a consultant, broker and facilitator • runs seminars & events, bespoke awareness & ‘training the trainer’ sessions • offers event consultancy and management • carries out research and produces publications • lobbies, runs campaigns and seeks to influence policy

Work with Local Authorities • ‘Learning Local Authorities’ campaign • ‘Making Learning Work’ project • Learning at Work Day support • Individual consultancy • Regional & local Projects • Work with EOLG & IDe. A on Sf. L & GO Award promotion

’Making Learning Work’ project • 3 year ESF action research project • Partners in UK, Finland, Austria • 6 Local Authorities & 2 private sector companies • Trying out what works best in engaging employees especially people with Skills for Life support needs - in workplace learning

What we learned (1) üDon’t create a ‘problem’ ü Take a whole organisation approach ü Consult with staff ü Develop learning champions üMake learning relevant ü Make it unlike school

What we learned (2) ü Use tasters & ‘Trojan horses’ ü Embed Skills for Life in other training ü Start small – but be prepared! ü Offer qualifications ü Provide for backup & options – eg e-learning ü Set an example

What worked in engaging learners (1) Genuine organisational commitment to learning NB importance of staff perceptions – eg Awards Ceremonies Visible senior level buy-in How to get it? ü Get top-level staff directly involved ü Terminology – communication/ presentation skills? budget management? ü Press the right buttons – Targets? League tables? CPA? Performance management? Quality? Equal Opps? ü Use matrix of support at all levels – line managers, Learning Reps, colleagues ü Keep profile high & celebrate success!

What worked in engaging learners (2) Removing practical barriers & providing incentives: ü Choice – re what, how, when to learn ü Making attendance easy - on-site Learning Centres, provision to fit work patterns, bite-size starters ü Relevance of learning/ work-focused approach ü Coherence – tie-in with work planning & performance management ü Opportunities to put learning into practice ü Incentives – paid learning time, qualifications ü Compulsion – sometimes!

How will you know when you’ve got there? • Begin with end in mind – clear objectives, SMART targets • Get regular feedback – from learners, line managers, senior leadership - & pass it on • Develop relevant organisational indicators that everyone understands • Build Sf. L into overall workforce development planning – part of skills continuum, not separate issue • Celebrate small improvements & go on doing so!

Why bother? ‘People who stop learning stop living. The same is also true of organisations. ’ Charles Handy