FAQs
The FAQs have been updated to reflect queries received regarding the Development Fund.
What are Community Learning Champions
Community Learning Champions - or CLCs - are volunteers who become active in their community promoting the value of learning to others - friends, relatives, neighbours, workmates or pure strangers they buttonhole in the street.
Who they are
Their effectiveness owes a lot to two commonly shared personal qualities
- they speak from person experience about the difference learning can make to quality of life or job prospects
- CLCs are recognisably like the people they try to involve in learning, often living in the same community or working in the same place
This doesn't rule out professionals from playing the CLC role; it's just that, as outsiders, they often lack the credibility and local know-how of most CLCs.
What do they do?
CLCs - who can also be called learning ambassadors, mentors or advocates - play a variety of roles: they can
- signpost people to the learning opportunities that suit their needs
- introduce them to learning providers, sometimes accompanying them to a college
- support and mentor people through a course
- help to set up new learning opportunities, filling gaps in provision
- feedback to learning providers suggestions for improvements made by learners
To do the job well, CLCs need to be well informed about local learning opportunities and clearly impartial. However, being able to recommend what is good for the 'customer' can be difficult if CLCs work with a body that expects them to recruit to their cources exclusively.
How are they organised?
CLCs are usually volunteers, one of a number working in a local project. This might be run by a community organisation, a local authority, a college or another body. In some cases they are paid expenses, in some they are paid a salary, although usually on a part-time basis. Confusingly, some organisations use the term CLC to refer both to learning champions recruited from the locality and the professionals who are paid to manage them.
What happens to them?
The experience of being a CLC is good for personal confidence, building skills and knowledge valued by a range of employers. Many CLCs go on to salaried jobs in education and other sectors, working as learning mentors, classroom assistants and in community engagement, taking degrees and other qualifications.
What about other kinds of learning champions?
Many names are used to describe people who encourage others to get involved in learning. One well-known example is Union Learning Reps who are trained to help their workmates get involved in learning activities. The Learning Revolution is supporting more activities in workplaces. The Community Learning Champions Support Programme is primarily designed for people working in local areas or community where there is a high level of need. If you are not sure if the programme can support you, please email info@communitylearningchampions.org.uk
Is the CLC support programme only available to funded projects?
Some aspects of the support programme, like regional networks, are open to all learning champions. Access to the free training programme is restricted to development funded projects. Other learning champions may be able to access the training under certain circumstances. More details of the programme will be published here in the coming months.
Who is eligible for funding?
The eligibility statement is included in the application for funding document., see Applications and Guidance. Applicants will have to sign up to the Informal Adult Learning pledge.
If we have funding from other public sources, does this mean we are not eligible to apply for this fund?
The Development Fund is aimed at establishing or re-establishing Community Learning Champions schemes where there are no schemes currently active. Organisations in receipt of public funding for their core work are not excluded from applying.
What if I have other funding for learning champions?
The Development Fund cannot be used to directly support a current, active scheme that is already supported by public grant funding. Applications must show that the Development Fund will be used for new activities
What if I have a Transformation Fund project that includes learning champions?
Applications to the Development Fund must show that funds will be used for new activities.
What if I have an existing scheme but funding is running out?
Partnerships that propose to add an additional dimension to an existing scheme, and that meet the eligibility criteria, may apply.
What if we want to revive an old scheme?
Schemes that meet the criteria are welcome to apply to the Development Fund.
What if I am not based in one of the eligible local authority districts?
The fund is available for partnerships who will target the activities of their Community Learning Champions scheme in the eligible districts. Partnerships making an application may include, or be led by, organisations who are not physically located in the area.
What about the funding for regional, cross-regional and national schemes?
In Phase 2 a small proportion of the total Development Fund will be used to support regional, cross-regional and national schemes. These schemes will need to demonstrate how they will work 'on the ground', but not necessariliy in the eligible local authority districts
Applications for regional, cross-regional and national schemes should target their schemes on priority groups as listed in the Guidance notes.
What is the reason for the choice of eligible local authority districts according to the criteria specified?
Eligible local authority districsts are those which meet one or both of the following criteria:
- 10% or more of their Lower level Super Output Areas (LSOAs) are in the most deprived national decile on the Education, Skills and Training domain on the IMD20071
- eligible for Word Neighbourhoods Fund 2
These criteria were devised on the basis of the requirements laid out in the Learning Revolution and a process of research which identified a percentage of areas in high levels of need that could be serviced by limited funds. This process was agreed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
Who will judge the applications for funding?
The applications for funding will be read by an experienced panel established by the consortium. Each application will be scored by two separate readers. A random sample will be checked by a third reader. The project manager will make final decisions on eligibility. Projects that score well will be selected by the project management board who will make recommendations to The Department of Business Innovation and Skills.
Who can access the training programmes?
The free training is for new learning champions supported by the schemes set up by the development fund. Other learning champions may be able to access the training under certain circumstances. Further details of how to apply for the training programme will be published here in the coming months.
When will I receive feedback about my Phase 2 application?
We will send feedback, if it has been requested, in April 2010.
How do I apply for funding in 2010-2011?
Successful applicants to Phase 1 will be offered an opportunity to apply for continuation funding of £10,000 in April 2011, subject to monitoring requirements.
Phase 2 eligibility will be determined through a review of the Phase 1 process and designed to ensure Community Learning Champions Development Fund supports areas in high levels of need, but also tests innovative approaches to embedding the CLC approach. Details will be made available in late January 2010.
Does it matter what age group is targeted?
The target group of adults to be engaged by learning champions must be 19+
What about progression to formal learning or employment?
The Development Fund aims to support schemes where Community Learning Champions encouraged adults to engage in informal learning. Applicants are also asked to demonstrate how their scheme will work with other public services and learning opportunities, but there is no requirement to reach a target number of learners who progress to qualifications or employment. It is anticipated that some adults may well take up formal learning after engaging with learning champions, if that is the most appropriate route for the individual.
Must the Community Learning Champions be volunteers?
Not necessarily. Some Community Learning Champions may be paid workers who take on the role as part of their job.
My organisation is not a Local Education Authority, can I apply?
There are no exclusions to the type of organisation that can apply for funding within the stated eligibility criteria but organisations do need to demonstrate why specific partners are included and their contribution/expertise.
How much can I bid for if I propose regional, cross-regional or national project?
All bids should be up to £30k if they are local, regional, cross-regional or national.
Does this link with other actions from the Learning Revolution?
The Learning Revolution white paper lists a number of actions which will support work of CLCs. The CLC programme will also support other actions from the white paper. For a list of actions and milestones see The Learning Revolution commitments and milestones.
How do I download the application for funding document?
In Internet Explorer, right-click the link and select 'save target as...'. Firefox and other browsers, right click the link and select 'save link as...' Navigate to the desired place on your computer or network where you wish to save the document, and click 'save'. You can now use the document and attach it to your email to clcdevelopmentfund@niace.org.uk
When would I have to spend my Phase 2 fund?
Phase 2 grants of £25,000 must be spent by 31st March 2011
If we are a national, regional or cross-regional project, can we specify more than one target group?
Yes, but you must be able to provide evidence of previous experience and relevant expertise.
Can we make an application to work in more than one of the eligible districts?
Yes, but only £25k is available per application. Also, if the districts identified are not in the same region. the bid should be submitted as cross-regional
