Adult learning strategy: island and communities impact assessment

6. Strategy Development and Feedback from Adult Learners

6.1 Consultation on the strategy began in May 2019 at the Adult Learning Conference where adult learning practitioners across Scotland and national organisations were asked for their views on themes established by the Adult Learning Strategic Forum for Scotland and for their ideas on what the strategy could focus on.

6.2 Thematic workshops on how each theme should be presented and progressed within the new strategy took place between October to November 2019. These workshops included feedback from island representatives through local authorities and national third sector organisations who have a reach into island communities.

6.3 Feedback was sought from adult learners across Scotland alongside the delivery of the thematic workshops. Adult learners were asked what they hoped to achieve in their learning, what barriers they faced and what their progression goals were. Questions were translated into Gaelic for adult learners in Gaelic speaking island communities.

6.4 Feedback from the thematic workshops and adult learners were synthesised and presented to the Adult Learning Strategic Forum in December 2019. A series of engagement events were planned for further consultation, however, most of these were cancelled due to the pandemic and work on the strategy was paused throughout most of 2020. Work was resumed in early 2021 and two online consultations were delivered. These events and online consultations included feedback from island representatives through local authorities and national third sector organisations who have a reach into island communities.

6.5 The findings of all consultation exercises were used to develop a consultation draft of the Adult Learning Strategy which was circulated to members of the Adult Learning Strategic Forum for Scotland for feedback in May 2021. The views of island communities were represented via feedback from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig ,CLD Managers Scotland, the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, Adult Literacy and ESOL Networks and national organisations who have a reach into island communities.