Get back into learning

Zena Chittenden, Lifelong Learning Officer, 01628 796709 zena.chittenden@rbwm.gov.uk

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Some background

The challenge we face is to engage the older community, who may not have attended any type of formal learning activity for some time and others who are at risk of social isolation or are excluded due to advances in technology and limited resources, in learning. In particular, the number of older learners accessing learning provision in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has fallen over the last few years due to changes in the way adult and community learning is being funded.

This project will address this decline and, through the power of collaboration, build the capacity to seek and bid for sources of funding to sustain the provision.

The purpose of this project is to;

Work in partnership to access the target groups, raise their awareness and engage them in learning opportunities
Work in partnership to agree how to conduct a needs analyses to determine the types of course to be offered
Source and publicise suitable courses and extend the range to attract older and hard to reach learners
Identify progression opportunities for the local community
Identify shared priorities and opportunities for new and existing partners to collaborate to draw down alternative sources of funding.
Identify and bid for alternative sources of funding using the BCNL Network.

We are working in partnership with housing associations in Windsor and Maidenhead, Windsor and Maidenhead Voluntary Action, Age Concern, Windsor and the Army Welfare Service as they all successfully engage with hard to reach learners.

Current activities

Having completed the research we are offering various new opportunities to meet the needs of the targeted groups. These include:

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