Julia Strong, Deputy Director, National Literacy Trust
“Literacy is fundamental to learning. A good way to engage adults who lack confidence in reading is to introduce them to books that appeal to them.
“That’s why Quick Reads, which are short, fast-paced books by a variety of bestselling authors, are invaluable. Once adults start to enjoy reading, it is so much easier to engage them with learning.
“The Vital Link, a partnership project of the Reading Agency and the National Literary Trust, links libraries and further education providers, and aims to get reading for pleasure onto the adult learning agenda.
“Quick Reads, launched by The Vital Link in 2006, also explains which books work best for the reluctant reader.”
Jane Mansour, Director, Ingeus Centre for Policy and Research
“Improving the integration of skills with employment interventions is fundamental.
“The Integrated Employment and Skills pilots commence operation this year and will focus on how clients are screened (by assessment of skills in literacy, numeracy, language and employability)
and referred to training opportunities.
“However, the pilots could do more: target and financially reward learning and employment providers on sustainable job outcomes (as measured at 52 weeks in work); work with employer programmes to improve opportunities for flexible working; increase learner control over funding and allow individuals to access broader (including non-Learning and Skills Council) provision.”
Carol Taylor, Director of Literacy, Language and Numeracy, and the Workplace, The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education
“Adults don’t willingly join a class to improve their basic skills – they usually get there by a much more circuitous route – through a ‘leisure class’, a family literacy group, or through the sheer hard work of a Trade Union Learning Representative.
“We need to bring back funding for short courses, which are often the motivation to take the next step. We need to make numeracy ‘sexy’. We need to lean on employers to recognise the value of learning in the workplace. And we need to offer good quality and relevant literacy, language and numeracy skills.”
Tunde Banjoko, Chief Executive, Leap, a charity which helps disadvantaged adults find work
“Our experience is that in order to get adults to take up training that they would not otherwise consider, that training has to clearly be a conduit to something that they do want – like a job.
“The type of adult that lacks basic skills does not want training for training’s sake and is even more resistant if they think its just part of a numbers exercise from the Government.
“What we have done so well is to make training relevant to them, to help them to see the positive effect that learning with us can have on their job prospects and their lives in general.”
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