South East

This project aims to open up access to adult learning in the arts for spouses of army personnel, improving connections between arts learning providers and army communities, encouraging ideas for new programmes and supporting learners create a thriving adult learning scene in the arts in army barracks nationwide

The Digital Learning Champions project will reach out to those individuals that are at risk of being disconnected from the growing requirement of participation in learning and active citizenship. Working with existing Berkshire Neighbourhood Learning Centre Partnership members we will change the lives of 150 people in Berkshire.

Our innovative clubs provide a safe level platform to introduce and explore a variety of financial management techniques, including addressing debt and financial intelligence. Playing as part of a team, in a fun supportive environment, participants will learn tolerance, negotiation, critical and decision-making skills, inter-generational collaboration, mutual understanding and interdependence.

DIG IT in Cambridgshire works with 34 learners through Horticulture. They cannot attend Traditional learning. Learning through Gardening will enable learning such as communication, team work in the social community, Skills for Life preparation, to engage in improvement of their skills and ability to progress in learning via different methods.

This project is to support elderly people living in sheltered accommodation to engage in, enjoy and benefit from gardening activities through a series of 10 week programmes. The programmes will be suitable for everyone, whether they have experience or have never had the opportunity to garden before.

The project will build the capacity of Oxfordshire Mind and the County Library Service to deliver 6 ‘Get into Reading Groups' in mental health and community settings, benefiting 60 learners. It will demonstrate the intellectual, social and health benefits arising from this type of informal learning pioneered by the Reader Organisation.

Sounding Out Your Heritage will enable hard-to-reach over-60s in Kent and Medway to come together in small groups to explore their heritage. They will celebrate their achievements and produce resources, based on their discoveries, to share with others. Toolkits will help more over-60s to learn and shout about their heritage.

'Memories are made out of this' celebrates the past and creates new futures through the medium of radio and theatre. Devised by a new partnership between Portsmouths's community radio station Express FM and local theatre New Theatre Royal, memories from local people in the city will be collected and blended into a community radio soap, into live performance in the theatre and ultimately form part of a living memories wall in the rebuild of the theatre. A living legacy for the city.

The delivery of a 20 week parenting programme (20 weeks x 2hours, plus informal one to one mentoring and support) to socially excluded young parents (19 - 25) with additional support needs living in Supported Housing.

Through informal adult learning which achieves a customized award we hope to raise self-esteem and confidence. Confidence in parents enhances the lives of their children and so cycles of under-achievement can be broken in future generations.

This PCC project of 10 learning providers will create 50 new learning volunteers; create new spaces and partnerships for learning, enhance existing arrangements and change the informal learning landscape of Portsmouth and increase the number of learning opportunities for Adults in the city with a focus on disadvantaged learners.

This innovative project will pilot a new, empowering approach to learning on climate change with non-traditional learners across Oxford and rural Oxfordshire, while building a strong, cross-sector partnership for longer term work with communities most at risk from climate change.
The learner-led educational activities and materials created will be available for everyone online.

Our aim is to encourage and develop a passion for learning in various parts of Hampshire by encouraging self-organising learning groups to form and grow. Our locally-based partnerships will encourage this growth so that new learners, ideas and creativity - influence and sustain ongoing development.

We would provide over 50s with interactive, inspiring courses in IT, creative writing, music technology, and web design and maintenance. Each course includes learning handouts. A constituted creative arts group would result, and linked creative writing and music websites for all over 50s in East Sussex to contribute their compositions.

Learning how to make and broadcast radio, finding out how to access a podcast, and using local radio to promote community activities and build community identity are the themes of this neighbourhood learning project.

The "Take a Chance" scheme will offer taster sessions by means of a voucher scheme. The main aim of the scheme is to enhance the confidence and self belief of those involved in taster sessions, by ensuring the learning opportunities are accessible to all and delivered at an individual pace.

A pilot "informal family learning" opportunity; delivered in three hard to reach areas bringing together social care, family learning and community development.

The project will highlight the value of the arts as a language tool, rather than a subject; providing an accessible and relevant approach to learning for vulnerable groups.

The MK Festival of Learning encourages adults to develop their confidence and be inspired to continue to develop their skills.

Adults who are:

• suffering depression
• homeless or in deprived communities with dependency issues
• disadvantaged by a lack of computer skills
• older learners not involved in their community