Adult learning strategy: island and communities impact assessment

3. The Adult Learning Strategy

3.1.1 The purpose of creating the Adult Learning Strategy is to remove barriers to learning for the most marginalised people within society. The strategy's vision is that that adult learning in Scotland will develop better skilled, educated, confident and empowered people contributing to connected and inclusive communities. Its aim is to create the conditions for connected adult learning opportunities that link Scotland's communities, local authorities, third sector organisations, colleges and universities around an offer of learning for adults, particularly those furthest from inclusion and experiencing disadvantage.

3.1.2 The strategy aims to bring about systemic change to how learners can access and progress through learning to reach their goals. Intended impacts and outcomes are that the strategy will:

• deliver better outcomes for learners and make a positive impact to adult learners' lives and their life chances.
• remove the barriers that prevent adults participating in learning or that adversely affect their levels of participation.
• aim specifically to support those who are not engaging in learning and create clear accessible first steps that enable the most marginalised and excluded adults to begin their learning journey.
• clarify and simplify how learners who have taken their first steps into or back into learning can progress.
• ensure that all learning is recognised and is given the due credit and recognition that the learners' efforts deserve.
• ensure that those furthest from formal mainstream education have parity of learning opportunities.

3.1.3 There are four outcomes in particular within the National Performance Framework that are fundamental to the strategy's ambition to create new and increased positive pathways in collaboration with adult learners. These focus on education, tackling poverty, health and the importance of inclusive communities.

• We are well educated, skilled and able to contribute to society
• We tackle poverty by sharing opportunities, wealth and power more equally
• We are healthy and active
• We live in communities that are inclusive, empowered, resilient and safe

3.1.4 A strategic action plan will set out important next steps in creating the conditions for connected adult learning opportunities. The plan will be dynamic, actions will be refreshed as we work towards removing barriers to learning. A framework will be developed to monitor performance against each of the actions in the strategic action plan.

3.1.5 Intended impacts and outcomes of the strategy are the same for island and mainland communities. However, interventions needed to achieve these outcomes and impact may vary, particularly in relation to barriers that adult learners in island communities may face in accessing learning and progressing into further learning opportunities. These barriers may include challenges with transport links within islands, between islands or off-island in order to enter into adult learning and/or access further learning opportunities. Digital connectivity may also provide an additional barrier to adult learners in island communities or form part of a blended learning approach requiring a mix or digital and face-to-face engagement.