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Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
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Government launches learning revolution
* White Paper launched to inspire and increase opportunities for learning for pleasure
People who want to organise their own groups and classes will be supported by a new national campaign for learning, Government announced today. Public and private buildings all over the country will throw open their doors to learners in the evening and weekends, from pubs, shops, cafes and churches to workplaces, libraries and galleries. The buildings will be identified by the new "Learning Revolution" logo and at least 7,000 rooms will be available, with the number expected to grow.
The campaign is backed by organisations ranging from the Women's Institute, the Church of England and the National Trust to Microsoft and BUPA. They have all pledged to support this movement and where possible, to open their doors so that groups of adults engage in learning to expand their horizons.
The Government today publishes its White Paper, The Learning Revolution, which aims to bring to life a new 21st century vision to help adults learn for pleasure and personal and community development. The White Paper outlines what the whole of Government can do to support learning for pleasure, including funding innovative new ideas and projects, helping to broker access to learning, especially for disadvantaged groups and older people, and building a culture of learning across society.
Key elements include:
* A £20m transformation fund which will support the development of new adult learning partnerships and innovative ideas. This could mean helping local people breathe new life into empty shop premises by setting up artists' studios or theatre workshop spaces, or issuing learning vouchers to people who are unemployed;
* Working across Government departments and local authorities to get all kinds of new spaces opened up for self-organised learning activities. These shared spaces will include libraries, museums, arts galleries, faith spaces and local UK Online centres, as well as schools and colleges. Learners say not finding a low-cost, accessible place to learn can be a significant barrier to learning;
* Making it easier to find a space by setting up a competition to design a new web directory of learning spaces and places that are available at free or low cost, working with umbrella organisations like NAVCA (National Association of Voluntary and Community Action).
Skills Secretary John Denham said:
"Learning in all its many forms improves our quality of life, happiness and personal wellbeing. While improving people's skills is one of the most powerful things they can do to realise their career aspirations, we recognise the importance of learning for pleasure and the enormous contribution it makes to the well-being of individuals, neighbourhoods and wider society.
"Over the past few years, there has been a quiet learning revolution, but the Government wants to ignite this, raising the profile and take-up of learning wherever it happens, so that all adults and communities can benefit from high-quality, innovative learning that is accessible to all. This is ever more important during a downturn.
"The informal learning picture has always been bigger than just publicly funded learning delivered through traditional adult education classes in colleges. This form of learning will continue and does suit some people. But the world has changed considerably. We need to go beyond this narrow vision and make sure such learning is not left behind in the technology stakes. And we need better links between different kinds of learning - public, private, voluntary and self-organised - to create a rich mix of opportunities for people at local level."
The last few years have seen an explosion of online access to education resources, the establishment of book groups, huge growth in the University of the Third Age and the introduction of free access to museums. Many of these developments are supported in one way or another by Government. Free access to museums costs £28m a year, while Government funding for UK online centres in libraries and children's centres stands at £10m a year, as well as £21.5 million a year to fund union learning reps.
On top of this, DIUS has ring-fenced £210m to support adult learning and will continue to protect funding for specialist adult education colleges and institutions, such as City Lit.
And to support the growing importance of digital skills at home and in work, we have asked Baroness Estelle Morris to chair an independent review of ICT Skills for Adults.
A host of organisations, including five Government departments and several local authorities, will today show support for the campaign by signing the learning revolution pledge. By signing the pledge, these organisations will:
* Support the core principles of the learning revolution and encourage others to sign up;
* Advocate wider participation, especially by those who have benefited least from learning;
* Find flexible ways of using our existing spaces, or opening up new spaces, for learning;
* Encourage and support learning activities organised by people for themselves;
* Embrace new ways of learning, including the use of information technology and broadcasting;
* Find and work with new partners to increase adult learning
opportunities; and
* Celebrate successes.
The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, who signed the Learning Revolution pledge today, aim to help open up 3,000 spaces and will set up a new £100k challenge fund offering small grants to enable museums, libraries and archives to develop capacity and encourage innovation in supporting self-organised learning.
Culture Secretary Andy Burnham said:
"Learning shouldn't stop when you leave school or college. It should be a natural part of everyone's life, throughout their whole life. Public libraries are ideally placed to play a big part in promoting it and I challenge the 149 services across England to get behind the campaign, and display their 'Learning Revolution' logo with pride."
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said:
"Informal learning often goes unnoticed and unrecognised when it deserves to be acknowledged, celebrated and supported.
"Whether through book groups in the local library, cookery lessons in the village hall, or language clubs in the cafe, informal learning creates a sense of community. It brings people together from different backgrounds. It lets them learn new skills and build social networks, both of which are doubly important in these difficult times. Above all, of course, it's fun!
"The White Paper includes a new challenge to, and new support for, local authorities to play their part. Together we can help make sure that informal learning isn't a privilege reserved for the few, but an opportunity enjoyed by many."
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The Learning Revolution was published today as a command paper. Please see http://www.dius.gov.uk to read the full document.
2. For a full list of organisations make the Learning Revolution pledge today, see below: BECTA, British Library, BT, BUPA, Business in the Community, Campaign for Learning, Channel 4, Church of England, Citizens Advice Bureau, City Lit, Civil Service Pensioners Association, Communities and Local Government , Community Media Association, Department for Children Schools and Families, Department for Culture Media and Sport, Sport England, English Heritage, Museums Libraries and Archives Council, Voluntary Arts Network, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, Department for Work and Pensions, Digital Unite, Engage, First Bus, First Taste, Ginsters, Global Digital Broadcast, HOLEX, Homeless Link, Kew Gardens, Local Government Association, LEAFEA, Croydon Council, Westminster City Council, Dudley Metropolitan Council, Gloucester County Council, Kent County Council, Derbyshire County Council, Cheshire County Council, Stockton Borough Council, Norfolk County Council, Life Academy, Mars, Merseytravel, Microsoft, Museums Association, National Association of Voluntary & Community Action, National Federation of Women's Institutes, National Literacy Trust, National Trust, NIACE, Open University, Royal Horticultural Society, RSPB, RWE nPower, Scottish & Southern Energy, Southern Railway, SS Great Britain, The Age and Employment Network, The Association of Science and Discovery Centres, U3A, UK online, Unionlearn, UNISON, UNITE, Workers Educational Association.
3. A full public consultation was held from January to May 2008, as well as a six month deliberative consultation featuring roundtables and events with stakeholders. DIUS received 5, 500 responses to the consultation from individual learners and from a wide variety of different organisations. For further details see http://www.dius.gov.uk/consultations/~/media/publications/Response_to_IALC
4. The Foresight Report into Mental Capital and Wellbeing, published in October 2008, was sponsored by DIUS. The two-year study concluded that there is a clear case for action across society to boost both mental capital and wellbeing to reap very high economic and social benefits for the future. For further information, see: http://www.foresight.gov.uk/OurWork/ActiveProjects/Mental%20Capital/Welcome.asp.
5. For further information and pictures, please contact the DIUS press office on 020 3300 8928 or 020 3300 8927.
