Adult learning strategy 2022 to 2027

Strategic Action Plan

The plan sets out the 23 actions outlined throughout the strategy alongside the outcomes expected as we work towards achieving our vision. It sets out detailed actions that members of the Adult Learning Strategic Forum for Scotland will carry out and aligns them to the four thematic workgroups that will be established to ensure that actions are being delivered effectively.

Theme 1 Expanding and Extending Adult Learning

1. Establish and develop a national Adult Learners Advisory Group, reflecting the diversity of community-based adult learners, to inform the development and delivery of the strategy.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Develop a training and support programme for the Adult Learners Advisory Group
• Organise an event to share best practice in learner-centred learning and policy making
• Publish an annual review of the strategy co-produced by the Adult Learners Advisory Group

Outcome

• The experiences of adult learners are at the heart of what we are doing to create the conditions for connected adult learning opportunities.

2. Develop coherent and consistent data and measurements for the impact of community-based adult learning based on methods being used across Scotland.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Undertake research to determine data for key indicators that will be the basis for measuring progress
• Agree on national impact measurements
• Support partners to collect data and measure impact
• Publish a national Adult Learning Impact Report for Scotland

Outcome

• Policy and decision-makers understand the impact of adult learning on learners and communities.

3. Evaluate the suitability and levels of funding arrangements for adult learning, assessing how these arrangements identify and meet demand, support progression, and how adult learners are included in decision making processes.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Engage across the sector to ensure the views of adult learners, providers and practitioners are taken into account
• Recommend improvements to funding arrangements and incorporate recommendations as this strategic action plan develops
• Support and strengthen partnership working between colleges and CLD partners
• Establish a baseline for current cross-sectoral investment in adult learning and set goals for future funding levels required

Outcome

• Appropriate levels of funding are available to engage and support adult learners across Scotland to meet their needs.

4. Undertake a review, with learners and practitioners, on the impact of 'Welcoming Our Learners: Scotland's ESOL Strategy 2015-2020' and 'Adult Literacies in Scotland 2020' to produce recommendations on next steps for these specialisms within the context of the adult learning strategy.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Establish an expert panel comprised of learners, practitioners and providers
• Incorporate review recommendations into the Adult Learning Strategy as this strategic action plan develops

Outcome

• The Adult Learning Strategy will build on and develop the outcomes from the review of the ESOL Strategy 2015-2020 and Literacies in Scotland Strategy 2020.

5. Increase access to and support for accredited learning underpinned by the SCQF, where appropriate, for community-based adult learning to support positive pathways for adult learners.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Map and promote current accredited learning opportunities
• Identify gaps in and availability of provision and respond by supporting the development of new opportunities
• Support providers to deliver credit-rated and accredited learning by delivering cross-sector training and sharing resources
• Support and strengthen partnership working between colleges and community-based adult learning providers to deliver accredited learning in the community

Outcome

• More opportunities are created and available for adult learners with few or no qualifications.

6. Increase availability of, access to, and support for, online learning options for adult learners.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Continue to increase access to digital devices and connectivity for adult learning
• Embed up-to-date cyber resilience and cyber security messaging within digital learning opportunities
• Map and promote current online learning options
• Support the development and promotion of SpeakGaelic resources
• Identify gaps in and availability of provision and respond by supporting the development of new opportunities
• Deliver sector-wide training and share resources to support practitioners to provide secure digital learning
• Produce an options appraisal for a national platform for adult learning

Outcome

• More digital learning opportunities are created and available for adult learners.

7. Increase learning activity that supports democratic involvement and community empowerment so adult learners can access and create opportunities that meet their needs.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Articulate and promote the ways in which community-based adult learning promotes democratic involvement and community empowerment
• Identify gaps in and availability of provision and respond by supporting the development of new opportunities
• Develop an engagement plan with communities and providers
• Co-produce learning materials based on key legislation and policy with learners

Outcome

• Adult learners become empowered and influence the decisions that affect their lives.

8. Increase cross-policy support for the role of community-based adult learning in improving outcomes across policy areas including education, employability, health, social isolation, poverty reduction and justice.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Undertake a research project to analyse the contribution CLD makes to achieving National Outcomes and to key policy areas
• Organise an event to share findings and develop new local and national connections
• Publish a national Adult Learning Impact Report for Scotland
• Continue to work at local and national level to improve the connectivity between adult learning and other provision

Outcome

• Policy and decision-makers understand the impact of adult learning on learners and communities.

9. Increase availability of, access to, and support for family learning.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Increase professional learning opportunities that are responsive to local need
• Support the delivery of family learning by sharing practice and resources

Outcome

• Family learning is available and accessible to help impact on raising attainment and closing the poverty-related attainment gap.

Theme 2 Connecting the Adult Learning Journey

10. Collaborate to act on recommendations in the SFC Review to build accessible, integrated and positive pathways for learners over their lifetimes.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Share findings from Pathfinders to support CLD providers to learn from integrated tertiary approaches
• Explore how adult learning providers can deliver micro-credentials as part of the development of a national framework
• Create alignment between the development of standards for online learning for colleges and universities with the development of CLD digital competences
• Support and strengthen cross-sector partnership working to plan for provision that meets local and regional need to aid economic recovery

Outcome

• Community-based adult learners are part of a more responsive and coherent education system.

11. Connect community-based adult learning with careers and employability services to create positive pathways for learners who face significant barriers to accessing work.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Promote Skills Development Scotland's careers services to learners and providers
• Build capacity with adult learning practitioners by delivering training on Skills Development Scotland services and resources
• Work to increase CLD membership on Local Employability Partnerships to align and integrate with local priorities
• Explore how to embed the No One Left Behind approach and emerging employability policies and practices within adult learning provision

Outcome

• Adult learners have access to the appropriate level of information, advice, guidance and support at each stage of their learning journey.

12. Provide support and recognition for structured partnerships to ensure the needs of adult learners are at the heart of the decision making process locally, regionally and nationally.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Create guidance on building and strengthening partnerships
• Share exemplars of successful partnerships to promote best practice
• Co-produce a good practice guide to support organisations to ensure that learners are at the heart of their decision making

Outcome

• Partners effectively contribute to planning for community based adult learning to ensure adult learning is learner-centred, available and accessible.

13. Strengthen partnership arrangements which identify and meet the advice, guidance and support needs of adult learners.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Establish a professional guidance network with the aim of creating a more cohesive lifelong learning journey
• Share exemplars of successful partnerships to promote best practice
• Support the development of qualifications in adult guidance
• Support the development of progression routes for Gaelic learning
• Create and promote opportunities for guidance professionals to upskill and for adult learning practitioners to build knowledge and skills
• Explore how to best integrate information, advice and guidance for adult learning in national guidance systems and services

Outcome

• Adults learners have access to the appropriate level of information, advice guidance and support at each stage of their learning journey.

14. Evaluate the effectiveness of existing systems for Recognition of Prior Learning to ensure a coordinated national Recognised Prior Learning process that takes into account qualifications gained overseas and a diverse range of needs including language and additional learning needs.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Establish an evaluation panel with the Adult Learners Advisory Group
• Engage across the sector to ensure the views of adult learners, providers and practitioners are taken into account
• Develop and agree on a national process

Outcome

• Adult learners' experiences are recognised throughout their lives to support their progression.

Theme 3 Access, Diversity and Inclusion

15. Collaborate with adult learners and equality groups to explore, define and remove barriers to learning.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Support the Adult Learners Advisory Group to advise strategy working groups on the actions needed to remove barriers to learning
• Incorporate recommendations from the Adult Learners Advisory Group as this strategic action plan develops

Outcome

• Barriers to learning are removed in collaboration with adult learners.

16. Ensure consistent and appropriate use of Impact Assessments to plan accessible provision which reduces the persistent inequalities experienced by people with protected characteristics.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Co-produce guidance for involving people with protected characteristics in the co-production of impact assessments
• Deliver sector-wide training and share resources to support the use of impact assessments
• Promote the embedding of impact assessments in plans and evaluations

Outcome

• Barriers to learning are removed in collaboration with adult learners.

17. Increase public awareness of adult learning opportunities, guidance and support nationally and locally through joined up and accessible messaging.

Detailed Actions for Forum Members

• Actively promote opportunities using forum members' existing channels
• Promote Gaelic learning opportunities to increase the use and visibility of Gaelic
• Consult with adult learners and those not engaging in learning on the most effective and inclusive communication methods
• Develop a collaborative Communications and Marketing Action plan
• Co-produce adaptable marketing materials in a range of formats to promote the benefits of adult learning
• Explore how to best integrate information, advice and guidance for adult learning in national guidance systems and services

Outcome

• Adult learners are aware of the learning opportunities available and how to access them.

Theme 4 Workforce Development

Theme 4 Workforce Development actions will be taken forward by the CLD Standards Council who will lead the Workforce Development working group and report progress to the Adult Learning Strategic Forum

18. Ensure appropriate and accessible professional learning opportunities and pathways.

Detailed Actions for the CLD Standards Council to lead on

• Update work undertaken in the CLD Standard's Council Review of Career Pathways to map qualifications and uptake to develop a cohesive professional learning framework
• Support the development of new entry level qualifications

Outcome

• Adult learners will benefit from a skilled and coordinated workforce that has clear professional pathways.

19. Strengthen cross-sectoral professional learning opportunities available for staff and volunteers, supporting the use of the SCQF framework to underpin learning.

Detailed Actions for the CLD Standards Council to lead on

• Map and promote relevant existing cross-sector opportunities
• Conduct a training needs analysis to identify needs and gaps
• Plan and deliver a programme of cross-sectoral opportunities
• Work with colleges to provide opportunities for community-based adult learning practitioners

Outcome

• Adult learners across Scotland have learning opportunities delivered by a workforce enhancing their knowledge and skills through professional learning.

20. Explore the development of national occupational standards for community-based adult learning.

Detailed Actions for the CLD Standards Council to lead on

• Engage across the sector to ensure the views of adult learners, providers and practitioners are taken into account
• Produce recommendations on next steps

Outcome

• Adult learners across Scotland have learning opportunities that are provided by a workforce with high standards of performance.

21. Increase development opportunities for adult learning volunteers and those who support them.

Detailed Actions for the CLD Standards Council to lead on

• Support and promote use of the Volunteering in CLD resources on i-develop
• Support the sector to embed the Volunteering for All framework
• Share best practice examples from across the sector
• Promote the use of quality frameworks such as Volunteer Friendly Award and Investing in Volunteers
• Develop a community of practice for community-based adult learning volunteers

Outcome

• Adult learners across Scotland have learning opportunities that are supported by skilled and confident volunteers.

22. Explore and support training for practitioners to ensure adequate digital skills as technology advances, resulting in a digitally agile workforce.

Detailed Actions for the CLD Standards Council to lead on

• Embed newly developed digital competences for CLD within community-based adult learning
• Develop a coordinated and sustainable programme of digital professional learning to support community-based adult learning practitioners
• Share and promote digital learning opportunities

Outcome

• More adult learners are digitally confident and skilled, supported by a digitally agile, competent workforce.

23. Collaborate to improve diversity and remove barriers in the workforce.

Detailed Actions for the CLD Standards Council to lead on

• Conduct a workforce survey and analyse data
• Develop a diversity action plan in collaboration with the CLD Standard's Council's Equalities Group, learners, practitioners and providers
• Incorporate actions from the diversity action plan as this strategic action plan develops

Outcome

• Adult learners across Scotland will have access to and will be supported by a diverse workforce who reflect their life experiences.