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Learning Leicestershire

Leicestershire County Council

The Learning Leicestershire project was led by Leicestershire County Council.

What were the project aims?: 

Learning Leicestershire linked organisations which provide informal adult learning to create:

  • new places and spaces for learning;
  • new forms of informal learning; and
  • new bridges into learning for "hard to reach" groups.
What did the project do?: 

The project was delivered in five strands: structures, spaces, technology, people, and content.

Structures: Local Learning Forums were set up and met twice each in each district council area, resulting in 14 forum meetings;

Spaces: a greater use for the delivery of informal adult learning of public buildings (libraries, museums, schools etc) and of some Co-op cafes/training rooms. Smart-card/key-pad access was fitted to library doors for out-of-hours use.

Technology: this involved (a) assistive technology purchased, demonstrated and installed; ( b) a feasibility study completed on linking the library catalogue to other resources for learning; (c) information and communications technology (ICT) equipment purchased for e-learning champions to use with learners.

People: local volunteers recruited and trained to act as community learning and e-learning champions.

Content: this included (a) Community Learning web page with "how to" videos created on the Leicestershire Villages website; (b) dedicated space on the learning platform to support an e-learning champion network; (c) podcasts of content created for people to view online ; and (d) a list of useful learning websites researched and collated.

Learning Leicestershire also delivered 'The Learning Champion Conference' to bring together the community and e-learning champions with project staff.

What did the project achieve?: 

'The Learning Champion Conference' provided an excellent way of disseminating information about all the strands of the project,  as well as celebrating the work of the learning champions. The conference was attended by 97 people, of which 56 were learning champions.

Forty-six community learning champions (CLCs) have been recruited and trained and 42 e-learning champions were recruited and trained. The Adult Learning Service learning platform has been extended to support these champions through a learner forum. 

A Local Learning Forum was set up in each district council area (seven across the county), and meetings were organised which were attended by a range of organisations. Assistive technology kit was purchased, and demonstrated to individuals in various locations.

The Library Service pioneered the installation of devices to library doors (smart cards and keypads) in order that libraries could be used by informal adult learning groups when the library is otherwise closed.

The development of skills of staff and volunteers, particularly in video editing, was an unplanned outcome.

What lessons were learned?: 

The project is a good example of the importance of learning what expertise, knowledge and skills partners bring to a joint venture and using that knowledge effectively.  Partners need to ensure that, before they start something new, they identify, co-ordinate and use what is already available (e.g. using the Leicestershire Villages website which already has credibility and a good reputation rather than a new portal; linking to existing services). 

Other lessons learnt include:

  • the importance of having an excellent administrator was a huge help in keeping the project and the budget on task;
  • the realisation that planning and procurement always takes longer than anticipated; and
  • the fact that recruitment and vetting of volunteers was a lengthy process.
How can I get more information?: 

Leicestershire County Council, Room 117, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester LE3 8RF. 

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Resources

Learning Leicestershire YouTube Channel

A number of "how to" videos were created and are available on the Learning Leicestershire YouTube Channel. For example this one on learning platforms.