15/09/2011

Government funding for adult and community learning

The funding is intended to use learning opportunities to help advance the government's proposals for creating 'the big society'.

The fund is managed by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE), and has awarded a total of £2.25 million to a variety of organisations who will begin work at the start of September.

Commenting on the projects, Skills Minister John Hayes said: "These winning projects are prime examples of the powerful impact that informal adult and community learning can have on individuals and society as a whole.

"It improves skills and job prospects as well as strengthening the networks and neighbourhoods that form the fabric of our everyday lives."

Projects which will be receiving funding from the SFA include:

• A project to create Workplace Learning Champions/Employee Learning Advocates in non-unionised workplaces.
• Projects to help support ex-offenders, in particular where volunteers will provide regular face to face support addressing barriers to accessing learning and employment and financial literacy.
• Courses designed to help people who have been homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless develop the skills required to manage their tenancy.
• Projects where the local community will take responsibility for the upkeep of an area and provide community food growing, family learning activities, environmental skills training and sustainability.