1. Northumberland VCS Learning Consortium Annual Review 2009

2. Background  Established in 2005, Funded by Learning & Skills Council as part of the ‘Working Together’ programme  Delivered a VCS management skills programme in 2005 to 77 learners  2005 Carried out action research with 100 VCS staff and volunteers to identify skills needs within the sector  2006 - 8 Community skills programmes including youth work, community development work, IAG, training trainers and assessors, health and social care, funds for 4 VCS organisations to achieve matrix standard, back fill funding for VCS groups  2007-8 Coordinated partnership delivery of ‘Now What’ programme of support to young people out of work, education or training  2009 – Train to Gain contract

3. Northumberland VCS Learning Consortium Membership of VCS learning providers Established in 2005 backed by LSC Has run four LSC contracts worth £350k Recognised and funded by NSP as strategic VCS voice on learning and skills Provides quality assurance framework for VCS learning delivery

4. VCS Membership of Learning Consortium Barnardo’s CSV Wansbeck CVS Blyth Valley CVS Project Northumberland BCTV Volunteering Northumberland Shilbottle Skills Centre WEA Northern Learning Trust Barnabas Safe and Sound Age Concern Bell View Project Gateway into the Community Gallery Youth Project Berwick Family Centre LINKS Tynedale Adapt NCDN Hexham Youth Initiative CEP Associates YMCA Women’s Health Advice Centre Northumbria Youth Carers Northumberland Northumberland Sport Development Trusts Association Headway Trust NCBA BECON Trinity Youth Bliss Mediation Project North East Castle Morpeth Disability Association Groundwork FONDT

5. Collaborative Approach Tutors / assessors and learning supporters drawn from range of VCS organisations and public bodies - sustainability Working together to raise awareness and responsiveness Economies of scale underpinning local linkages Strong links with community venues and excluded communities / diversity groups Partners in Connexions, schools, extended services, Adult Learning, regional specialists, Volunteering Northumberland, Northumberland Sport, Northumberland College

6. Northumberland VCS Learning Consortium Berwick Family Centre Project Northumberland Gallery Youth Project LINKS Tynedale Adapt Bliss Mediation Hexham Youth Initiative CSV Training Solutions NE Ltd Northern Learning Trust Fourth Action

7. VCS and the personalised approach Every learner Skills audit and tasters Action plan and review cycle Ongoing mentoring through learning process Supported referral Partnership approach Access to placements for maximum flexibility Accredited progression-based learning from Entry Level to Level 2

8. VCS in delivery of learning As employers - apprenticeships and diplomas LSC / NCDN apprenticeship pilot agreed by Lifelong Learning for community development and youth work – 2006 Structured access to volunteering placements through Volunteering Northumberland and Learning Consortium, including Personal Best Community-based NVQ’s, mentoring, learning modules and technical support

9. VCS in tailored community-based progression Certificate – sized qualifications Community-based personal and social development learning Community-based functional skills

10. The third sector in delivery of learning As partners – with schools, Connexions, College, private providers, employers Specialist provision eg young women into construction, ‘personal best’ programme support Learning disability support Alternative programmes No threat to school rolls – plus leverage of further funds

11. Progression Pathway to Foundation Diploma or GCSE’s Progression Pathway to skilled work or an Apprenticeship 14-19 Foundation Diploma GCSE Learning 14-19 Intermediate Diploma Apprenticeship Level 2 Level 1 Entry Level NEET

12. Influencing VCS Learning Consortium has a voice on:  14-19 Strategy Group and its task groups  Area 14+ groups  Personal and Community Development Learning Task Group  NSP Business Skills and Enterprise Board  IAG task group  ‘Whatever it takes’ NEET task group  Removing Barriers to Work task group  Regional VCS hub ‘Contracts Matter’

13. Remit  influence the skills agenda for Northumberland and contribute to strategic decisions on the provision of quality provision by and for the sector.  identify and simplify funding opportunities, facilitating the sharing and information within the wider VCS in Northumberland.  work together to ensure that VCS learning opportunities are widely disseminated and provided in an accessible way.  operate in coordination with other VCS sub-regional and regional consortia to join up activities for the benefit of the VCS as a whole.  promote equality and diversity in all activities.

14. 1. What do VCS based learning providers particularly contribute to the needs of community based learners?  Real understanding of community issues  Trust built up over a number of years  Good non-threatening environment – informal setting  More flexible to learners needs and requirements  Directed training, IAG, Support, Sector knowledge, Links, Empathy  Local delivery  Specialist knowledge of client group  More person centred approach (empathy)

15. 2. What are the issues facing your organisation as a VCS learning provider ?  Risks? Short term funding Unrealistic targets (in relation to client group) Competition from larger organisations Gov Funding restraints Chasing same learners Chasing same funding pots Too many hard outcomes – restrictive! Government contracting strategies Focus, Funding, Resources, Staffing  Opportunities? Funding (Focused), Partnership, Lead partner, Capacity Building LSC listening and responding to Voluntary Sector Access to contracts via VCS Learning Consortium Sharing good practice and skills via network Research as a lever to attract funding (NRDC & others)

16. 3. What are your organisation’s needs to develop your learning provision?  Assessor training  Becoming a training provider (viability/cost)  Funding for training, delivery of essential skills  Staff Training, - Bid writing – Quality Assurance – Management Setting & Maintenance Standards

17. 4. What should the Northumberland VCS Learning Consortium be prioritising in the next three years?  Making and managing consortium bids on behalf of VCS learning providers  Offering a brokerage role for VCS organisations with multi- sectoral partnerships  Offering small VCS organisations access to its accredited status  Developing capacity to deliver new qualifications within the sector  Concentrate on community-based learners  Concentrate on VCS workforce development needs  Perform as sub-regional element of regional initiatives Also: identifying higher level training More commitment from Consortium Members to influencing work Assessor training Support for more VCS groups to become training providers

18. 2009?  What changing relationships are needed with: VCS Consortium Contracts Matter New unitary arrangements / NSP 14-19 strategy NEWS network