9 Points

2011 - 12

Introduction With an OFSTED Inspection imminent the Association asked Regions to develop a document summarising key points about the Region’s provision and priorities.

The purpose of this is twofold:

1 To focus our attention on what we wish to share with inspectors

2 To provide Inspectors with something for them to focus on when they visit us The 9 Key Points should be seen as a document which will change and probably grow. As such it will be a working document which will develop organically and through dialogue.

Trish Land and I shared an initial draft document with the Regional Management Team, The Regional Quality Improvement Team, staff, the Regional Executive and the Regional Education Committee. Through this process it has become a longer document and a better one.

Jol Miskin Regional Education Manager

Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

9 Key Points-Summary 1

Developing the WEA’s provision

Engaging disadvantaged adults.

Working with and supporting tutors.

Social purpose at the heart of curriculum development.

Improved retention due to better Information Advice and Guidance (IAG) and course management.

Learners develop significant skills and knowledge and achieve high standards of work.

The WEA is a highly responsive provider with learners represented at all levels.

2

Diversifying income through new business development, partnership and contracts

Innovative work-projects to core provision.

3

Developing volunteers, membership and fundraising

Developing volunteers-working in partnership with paid staff.

Raising money from donors and building a fundraising culture.

Committed voluntary movement.

4

Campaigning and profile

Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning (CALL).

YouTube/Blogs/Twitter.

Adult Learners Week.

Quality brochures, fliers, reports.

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Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

5

Promoting sustainability, equality and fairness

Projects lead to core provision.

Focus on those who have had least opportunity.

Equality, diversity and social justice.

6

Powerful partnerships

Operating at all levels in the Region.

The basis of ‘cutting edge’ educational innovation.

Impacting on individuals and communities.

Strong partnership agreements.

7

Leadership and management

At local, area, regional and national levels.

Effective at a time of constant change.

8

Quality improvement

Informing all our work.

Strong culture of critical reflection and continuous improvement.

9

Learners progress

Work.

Activism.

Voluntarism.

Education.

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Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

9 Key Points-Detail 1 Developing the WEA’s provision

i Engaging disadvantaged adults.

ii Working with and supporting tutors.

iii Social purpose at the heart of curriculum development.

Examples include:

Learning for Community Involvement project.

Tutor events in localities.

Blogs.

Self-Assessment Reports.

iv Improved retention due to better IAG and course management.

Examples: The implementation of ever more robust initial assessments and improved course information has helped improve the Region’s learner retention across all Curriculum Management Areas both accredited and non-accredited. Most notable is the improvement in retention of learners on ICT classes from 88.5% in 2009-10 to 93.5% in 2010-11. Poor retention in 2009-10 led to a review of the provision and changes in the Regional offer appear to have addressed these concerns.

v Learners develop significant skills and knowledge and achieve high standards of work and the WEA is a highly responsive provider with learners represented at all levels.

Examples:

Published works

l Anthologies produced by Sheffield Writers’ Groups and launched with readings at the annual Off the Shelf Festival.

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Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

l The Creative Writing groups at Osmondthorpe Resource Centre (ORC) for adults with physical impairments and the Headingley Branch class jointly produced an anthology for a public performance of their work.

l The stated aim of the 2011-2012 Headingley Creative writing course is to prepare the learners to publish their work in print or on-line.

l A Creative Writing course for Women has been running in Doncaster and learners have published three anthologies, the most recent being Above Rubies. They have also recorded a CD of Above Rubies in November 2011 so that people with visual impairments could share their work. They have also done public readings which despite some initial anxieties have become an important feature of their extra curricula activities. Twice a year they engage in a Train Writing journey to Cleethorpes and back!

Created crafts and artworks

l The ORC Art project is a partnership between Osmondthorpe Resource Centre for adults with physical disabilities and a group of learners with dementia from a nearby elderly residential home. In 2011 they made their own canvasses and produced their own artwork and had a small public viewing at the residential home. This year the same group are making a joint mosaic for their respective centres.

l A group of learners with mental health difficulties are involved in an Learning for Community Involvement (LfCI) project based at Leeds Art Gallery where, using the stimuli in the gallery, they then make their own canvasses and create their own art. This will lead to further partnership work between the WEA and Leeds Gallery.

l Students on two Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities (NLDC) funded courses for people with mental health problems created mosaics for public display on a course held over the Christmas Holidays 10-11. One is displayed in a CafĂŠ at Bootham Park Hospital in York and the other at Selby Town Hall.

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Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

Performance

l ORC public performance of their poetry and prose at the ‘Let Me Speak’ event @ Leeds Civic Hall 2010. The joint group were then invited to perform at the Headingley Literary Festival in March 2011 and have subsequently been invited back to perform at the 2012 Headingley Literary Festival, March 2012.

l The stated aim of the Osmondthorpe group is to write for radio and ‘read and discuss their work on radio’. They are working with a local on-line radio service to achieve this.

Film

l The Open Door Hate Crime has received much attention locally and is now being delivered to other agencies. It is also being used nationally by MENCAP as part of their campaign about hate crime bullying. (See: http://youtu.be/z_VJdAuYmKw). It has also been delivered as a fringe event at Ilkley Festival (See article in Telegraph and Argus on 17th Jan, search for Open Door). West Yorkshire Passenger Transport have expressed a desire to use it in staff training.

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Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

l The Region is now regularly posting films on to YouTube:

Title

Link

WEA Barnsley Tutors Discuss the Benefits of Social Purpose Education

http://youtu.be vbsghGaqAkQ

WEA Learner Feedback

http://youtu.be/zRLDEKtSrSc

Innovative Learning Through Digital Media

http://youtu.be/crN-9lTJyDs

WEA Community Interpreting Forum 2011

http://youtu.be/R86ok9BBVU4

Stan Lee Excelsior Award for Graphic Novels and Manga 2011

http://youtu.be/X5t1Chy1sz4

WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region Annual General Meeting 2010

http://youtu.be/gnqlBV5pN_k

WEA VPAM Training Events 2011

http://youtu.be/F1zTdqQ_LnY

The Stan Lee Excelsior Award 2012 trailer

http://youtu.be/ruBimietNcM

Making Moves project

http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=bXnhCLWTkSI

The WEA is a popular partner with the ability to respond quickly and imaginatively to proposals and requests for provision. These arise internally from branches and other learner structures as well as from partners and their clients and from other strategic bodies. Learner voice is strong through membership, branches and partner engagement.

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Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

2 Diversifying income through new business development, partnership and contracts

i Diversifying income.

ii Innovative work-Projects to Core.

Examples:

l Transformation Fund-Active Citizenship.

l Train the ‘Take Part’ Trainers.

l Take Part Champions and Development Fund.

l Take Part Pathfinder project.

l Tackling Race Inequalities.

l Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) e-learning.

l Archaeology project.

l Families get Active.

l Community Interpreting Harrogate MIND.

WEA Inclusive

Archaeology Education Project

Would you like to get involved?

Would you like to volunteer to help in the classroom or in the field?

Could you make some replica artefacts that could be used by the project or lead some experimental archaeology?

Do you have any specialist knowledge you would like to share?

Would you like to research or share you knowledge of a local site?

The project is a great chance for you to gain experience of community archaeology and see the benefits it brings to disadvantaged learners, with additional opportunities for access to training and work.

For more information contact the project workers:

Victoria on 0792 0161949 • vbeauchamp@wea.org.uk • Nicola on 0792 016 1349 • nthorpe@wea.org.uk

3 Vicarage Road, Attercliffe, Sheffield S9 3RH Tel: 0114 242 3609 The Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) is a charity registered in England and Wales (number 1112775) and in Scotland (number SC039239) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (number 2806910).

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Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

3 Developing volunteers, membership and fundraising

i Developing volunteers-working in partnership with paid staff.

ii Raising money from donors and building a fundraising culture.

iii Committed voluntary movement.

Area Councils - Branches - Regional Executive etc; Area Action Plans set out our commitment to building the voluntary movement…. Training on Social Purpose Education… Strong voice at Conference - motions etc.

Community Learning Champions course. Students on “Make Your Voice Heard” course at Harrogate Mind getting more involved in the running of their centre, becoming “User Reps” and contributing to a WEA Equality & Diversity (E & D) conference in York.

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Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

4 Campaigning and profile - developing the WEA’s campaigning role

i Promoting the WEA’s profile and public awareness: See Annual Review, Brochures and Fliers.

ii Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning (CALL) - Students, volunteers and staff have lobbied MPs and engaged in local campaigns.

l WEA English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) learners at Parkinson Lane School, in Halifax, exchanged their fresh, home-made samosas for petition signatures when they organised their own event as part of the National ESOL Day of Action.

Although rather last-minute, coming in the wake of a busy week of exams, the learners planned and organised the event, with support from their tutor, school Parent Teacher Association members and school head, Gugsy Ahmed. It was wonderful to see learners using all their different language skills outside the classroom, with such confidence.

They prepared the food, banners and leaflets beforehand, as well as learning a specially adapted version of ‘Bella Ciao’ and a few fighting chants!

Amid the chaos and noise at home time, over 200 samosas were given out to parents, staff and children and more than 250 signatures collected on the petition which has been sent to Linda Riordan MP, along with texts written by learners, explaining the need for free ESOL classes and pleading with the Government to change its plan.

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Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

Sheffield WEA have taken a lead in the local CALL. The Branch Chair, Liz Naylor, officiated at a large public meeting addressed by amongst others the NIACE Director Alan Tuckett:

iii YouTube

See key point number one.

iv Adult Learners Week - twelve nominations were made in the Region.

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Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

5 Promoting sustainability, equality and fairness

i Projects lead to core provision. ii Focus on those who have had least opportunity. iii Equality, diversity and social justice.

The WEA embeds E & D through all its work. The evidence is very strong in terms of learner profile with Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic (BAME) participation often higher than representation in the community in general. There are high proportions of disabled and excluded learners and there are many examples of course or teaching adaptations to suit the needs of learners.

E & D and its importance is also shown in training we have given to staff and tutors on E & D issues around the Single Equality Act and Safeguarding.

The region also encourages negotiated ground rules within courses.

Examples of good practice:

l Bumble Bees - Inclusive Rugby course which was shortlisted for a star award and the learners have progressed on to do a higher level course with an accredited rugby qualification built in.

l New Bradford Inspiring Women’s Branch.

l Addison Day Care Centre (Rotherham) caters for adults with moderate to severe learning and physical disabilities. We run two craft groups and a drama group. The groups have produced some lovely work, there is a DVD of the last drama performance and the craft and pottery tutors have photos of students’ work.

l Making Moves (Osmondthorpe).

General Data 1 Male participation is up on last year but not where it was in 2009-10.

2 We have increased young learner participation year on year.

3 The percentage of Asian/Pakistani women engaging more than other in WEA courses is increasing.

4 More female learners have a recorded disability year on year.

5 The number of BAME learners from deprived backgrounds has increased year on year.

6 More learners are from BAME groups year on year.

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Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

6 Powerful partnerships

i Operating at all levels in the Region.

ii The basis of ‘cutting edge’ educational innovation.

iii Impacting on individuals and communities.

Examples:

l Remploy/GMB, Sheffield.

l St Mary’s, Sheffield.

l Regional Empowerment Network.

l National Association for Voluntary and Community Action.

l TUC.

l Local Authorities.

l ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ between National Association of Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA) and the WEA –

developed by the two Chief Executive Officers.

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Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

7 Leadership and Management

i At local, area and regional levels.

ii Effective at a time of constant change.

There has been intensive change in the Region in recent years, most recently with a reduction of Regional Education Managers from four to two and with the move of the Regional Director to a national position.

In spite of these changes the Region has achieved against core contracts, Skills Funding Agency (SFA) targets and annual improvements as identified through the Self-Assessment process.

There are effective structures and managers propose and lead strategy and actions for improvement.

Examples:

l Widespread and shared understanding of Self Assessment Report (SAR) and Improvement Plan.

l Management and curriculum teams involved in Self-Assessment.

l Improving office systems such as on-line enrolments, fee collection, IAG.

l Highly effective and motivated staff teams.

l General culture of ‘can do’, shared by all staff and Governance.

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Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

8 Quality improvement

i Informing all our work.

ii Strong culture of critical reflection and continuous improvement.

There are wide ranging and related processes at learner, class, tutor, manager, regional and national level which support quality improvement.

Examples:

l Observation of Teaching and Learning (OTL) reports.

l Course monitoring.

l Strong use of data: Indivudualised Learner Record (ILR) Planning & Learner Management Report (LMR).

l Regional Curriculum meetings/Area Team meetings.

l Quality at core of all Regional groupings.

l Annual “learner journey” and regional SAR.

l Regional and National Quality Improvement Teams (RQIT and QIT) membership.

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Nine Key Points about provision and priorities in the WEA Yorkshire and Humber Region • 2011 - 2012

9 Learners Progress Learners progress both vertically and horizontally within the Yorkshire and Humber WEA. Many courses have clear progression pathways whilst some have numerous opportunities to study at the same level but to significantly broaden the learners’ knowledge and experience.

All Curriculum Areas have identified progression routes and there is increasingly effective guidance about other opportunities and courses.

Evidence from individual learners and partner organisations show that WEA courses have had a significant impact on an individual learners’ direction.

Many examples include learners at our partnership centres and courses: i St Mary’s and Burton Street, Sheffield. ii Castaway, Selby. iii Kirkgate Studios and Workshops, Shipley. iv Mind-Hull, Harrogate, Leeds, York and East Yorkshire. v Kirklees Council. vi NHS Trust, Wakefield.

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Workers’ Educational Association Yorkshire & Humber Region 6 Woodhouse Square, Leeds LS3 1AD Tel: 0113 245 3304 Email: yorkshumber@wea.org.uk Web: www.wea.org.uk/yh Last Updated March 2012

The Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) is a charity registered in England and Wales (number 1112775) and in Scotland (number SC039239) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (number 2806910). Registered Office: Workers’ Educational Association, 3rd Floor, 70 Clifton Street, London, EC2A 4HB