European Social Fund in England

Skills for all LSC measure 3.1

• The aim of the project was to improve access to community learning and, crucially, to improve levels of progression to accredited and mainstream basic skills provision.
• It provided personal and learning support alongside community delivered, non-qualification based tasters and introductory courses in literacy, numeracy, ICT and ESOL. All provision was delivered in community venues within geographical pockets of deprivation. Some was offered in partnership with community organisations working with specific disadvantaged. It also offered a natural progression route.
• KAFEC is a consortium of the Principals of seven general FE Colleges. Kent Guidance Consortium was also involved in the project.
• The project was initially awarded £174,620 of ESF between January and December 2003; however, its high achievement against targets led to a contract variation increasing the funding to £248,820 (and increasing the outputs accordingly).
• The project achieved more than its planned 725 beneficiaries but the profile of their achievements and progression did not match the targets. 74% of beneficiaries achieved a full part qualification and 37% progressed to further learning or employment, compared with targets of 87% and 71% respectively.
• The project specifically targeted hard to reach individuals and was delivered in areas of deprivation. In specific geographical areas, the project targeted ethnic minorities and disabled people respectively. Thus the project over achieved against its equal opportunities targets.
• The impact of the project was as intended in that it encouraged providers to be more aware of the progression routes leading from taster provision and to stress this in their interactions with learners. Learners' Individual Learning Plans demonstrate that beneficiaries' confidence increased during their participation.
• ESF funding enabled KAFEC to pilot the provision of additional learning and personal support and demonstrate its effectiveness in encouraging members of hard to reach communities to take up learning opportunities and remain on programmes to the end.