8.1 Partnership working in community learning and development
In almost all partnership areas, partnership working was strong and productive at the strategic planning level. However, this was not always the case at operational and delivery levels. In most partnership areas, a wide and diverse range of partners worked cohesively and productively towards a common purpose. In these cases, literacy outcomes were well linked to broader community aspirations. In other areas, partners did not contribute actively or effectively enough to maximise opportunities for learners in their area.
The availability of local challenge funds had enabled a broad range of community partners to contribute to addressing literacy issues. This had been useful in creating localised momentum and building capacity. However, the systems for partners to access these funds were often cumbersome and placed significant additional administrative burdens on providers. The approval, allocation and monitoring processes often constrained the ability of providers to respond quickly to identified needs and inhibited forward planning. In the worst cases, this created competition between providers which reduced inter-agency cooperation. Uncertainty as to the level and availability of future funds to partnerships limited the ability of service managers to plan provision effectively.
There were some good examples of partnership staff providing high quality guidance to learners about the range and types of provision available in their area. However, in too many instances providers and key influencers were not sufficiently well informed about other types and levels of provision and progression opportunities to be able to provide learners with comprehensive information.
Prisons worked in partnership with a wide range of agencies. However, there were inadequate arrangements for prison, college and CLD/ALNP staff to work together, and with other agencies to maximise opportunities for offenders.
Contractual arrangements between the SPS and colleges were mechanistic and restraining. The contracts were based on colleges delivering a specific number of hours of learning a year. This requirement militated against delivering one-to-one and small group provision, which many learners would have benefited from.
In a few local authority areas, colleges were not represented on strategic community planning partnerships. This impeded effective partnership working and restricted the ability of colleges to contribute fully to providing well-coordinated services for learners. Colleges working across a number of local authority CLD/ALNPs found it difficult to meet the needs of all partnerships, particularly where authority areas had different priorities and structures.
The majority of colleges had good relationships with their partnership agencies. In some cases, these relationships were highly productive and resulted in significant benefit to the development of literacy skills and the community. However, almost half of the colleges experienced difficulties in partnership working. In some cases, this was due to partner organisations not having sufficient or current knowledge of what colleges offered and could provide for individual learners and the community. In other cases, colleges were insufficiently proactive in communicating the context and nature of their provision to other organisations. In more than a few cases, community-based careers guidance providers did not always have current knowledge of the content and delivery styles of college programmes in relation to the development of core and literacy skills.
More than a few colleges considered their partners did not make sufficient use of college facilities and resources. Learning Connections has been working to build relationships at national level with Scotland’s Colleges in order to support literacy practitioners within colleges. However, there is scope for Learning Connections staff to strengthen their relationships with colleges at local level to support literacy provision and progression to further learning.
Learner Story |
"Being able to read and write has opened up a whole new world for me. I now have a thirst for learning that I never had before." |