Adult Learning Action Plan
Community Learning and Development carried out an Integrated Impact Assessment on its Adult Learning Action Plan, which proved to be very useful and informative.
A wide range of impacts and actions were identified across equality issues.
Main Impacts and Actions
Health Impacts
- Learning can have a number of benefits including better access to employment, capacity building and improving people's confidence/self esteem;
- Taking part in learning can be a diversion from 'unhealthy' behaviour/lifestyles;
- It can give participants better levels of confidence to access services; and
- Getting out to classes/courses and meeting other people can be really helpful in building a positive social environment
Health Actions
- There is perhaps scope to have more information about the health benefits associated with learning especially the mental health of people taking up learning opportunities;
- The service will undertake to promote the health benefits of learning;
- Work will take place to assess the possibility of incorporating questions more focussed on health within the individual work plans which learners complete;
- The development of a database to record learning outcomes etc, will consider health aspects. It could be possible to access additional funding if this information is available;
- Using a health professional's input it may be possible to include health questions with learning questions when completing work plans etc.
Disability Impacts
- Access is being addressed through the access audit. Libraries and other partner agencies are very much part of this process;
- The Council currently offers large print documents and libraries can provide audio. Clydebank college has a Braille facility as part of the BRITE set up, as well as a text reader. Text enlargement software is available in libraries;
- Permanent and most sessional staff have had training on disability issues. This was carried out in a joint approach with Anniesland College, Clydebank College and WEA. Looked particularly at discrimination and law to reassure employees that compliance wouldn't be difficult. Joint dyslexia training has also been carried out for tutors;
- Equality of access is a high priority. Ability Net remote access support is available in 3 libraries. People with disabilities can be assessed in 3 main libraries to identify equipment/software support requirements
- Links have been established with 'Inspire' who provide community training programmes re active citizenship, community capacity building and develop individuals/community groups confidence, skills and knowledge
- All Community Workers support people to be all they want to be, to enable them to make choices and take advantage of opportunities
Disability Actions
- Work will take place to map what is available and to develop a handout for service users re availability of support equipment/ software etc;
- The service is reviewing the processes for use of rooms in inaccessible buildings and will capture this in policy;
- Some work is ongoing to look at where and how disabled people who have no personal carers/helpers can be supported and helped to access provision ie "Buddies Scheme". Development of home learning opportunities will also assist here;
- Software is being commissioned for building a database for recording and extracting information. Equal opportunities monitoring will be built into this database.
Corporate Action: Developing procedures for employees regarding accessing interpretation, Braille etc. 'Communicating Effectively' goes some way towards this at present.
Race Impacts
- BME people in West Dunbartonshire are able to access literacies learning programmes;
- Capacity building and confidence building through learning increases ability to access services;
- There is a link to English as a Second or Other Language (ESOL) provision, with a referral system to literacies;
- The service already considers religious festivals when planning courses etc, as well as cultural/religious issues. Links have been established with Asian Women's Group etc. Further links have been made with other professionals in field, ie with Housing and Social Work colleagues
- ESOL groups promote good relations between different racial groups encouraging communication across different nationalities. Active Citizenship work promotes positive relations. Involvement in International Women's Day also promotes good race relations;
- Accessing learning opportunities promotes inclusion through confidence building, widening social aspects, links to learning opportunities, jobs and learning about services. Literacies learners are involved in presentation evenings and learners forums also promote greater social contact;
- Learning assists with entering employment or developing skills whilst in employment to adapt to changing working environments. Community based capacity building, developing people's confidence, being able to gain a recognised qualification etc along with supports like childcare help people to access learning opportunities and progress on to employment.
Race Actions
- In policies etc reference will be made to Communicating Effectively for staff, and will offer information in different languages. There is a corporate role for better publicity for Communicating Effectively.
Gender Impacts
- Men are difficult to reach as target audience, women are more likely to come forward. Access to Further Education (FE) is approximately 60/40 in favour of women;
- CL&D provide crèche support, provision for the whole family so primary care givers (the majority of whom are women) can access opportunities;
- Clydebank College have a system where students can apply for childcare support with different percentages of costs being covered (not College rules, but Scottish Funding Council);
- Improved literacy levels and resultant capacity building have a positive impact on employment. Access to FE, recognised qualifications are a bonus. Into work assist with CV's etc. Clydebank College has a Careers and Employment centre and operates a partnership agreement with Careers Scotland;
- CL&D have provided classes for Asian women as single sex provision is important for them. The service could provide men only classes too if required;
- Some classes have developed out of International women's day, and courses have been run for women only through Women's Aid
- Mostly women are accessing learning opportunities therefore increasing access to resources for the disadvantaged sex. It used to be men who accessed courses all the time. This is a very positive outcome for women;
- CL&D have carried out sexual orientation training to address possible negative impacts, which will go some way to preventing discrimination of transgender people. These courses have been held for the whole team and sessional youth staff. WDC is one of the few authorities doing this;
- Awareness raising is the first step e.g. not treating everyone the same. Clydebank College has carried out training programmes in hairdressing and beauty therapy for transgendered people including personal care and grooming.
Gender Actions
- To boost numbers of men accessing learning the service is going to target men through job clubs, job centre plus etc;
- Work will take place to assess if there are possible partnership arrangements for groups like Minority Ethnic Association (Male members) to access IT courses at weekends. At present it is difficult to provide courses on Sundays, Saturdays are more flexible, or night provision;
- Some work is to be done regarding gender stereotyping in employment e.g. CITB project to get women into construction. CL&D are trying to encourage different points of view;
- The service is setting up a referral system to meet needs and will be looking at different ways of marketing to access more men as women are more likely to take up courses already.
