NIACE

NIACE’s strategic plan commits us to supporting an increase in the numbers of adults engaged in formal and informal learning in England and Wales and at the same time to widening access to learning opportunities to those who do not traditionally take part in education and training. We have a strong track record, therefore, in widening participation, in researching and disseminating good practice with different groups of learners and in promoting the value to our society of increased participation in learning.

Our work crosses the sectoral boundaries of post-16 education and training, including family learning, and works in all fields of UK education and training, including local authority organised provision, the further education college sector, higher education (HE) in universities and colleges of HE, employment-led learning involving both employers and trade unions, learning in the voluntary sector and through the media. We have specialist expertise in work with: adults with basic skills needs, family learning, information and communication technologies and learning, learning and the voluntary sector, unemployed learners, women, black and ethnic minority learners, learners with disabilities or learning difficulties, older learners and young adults.

NIACE has substantial experience in programme and project management. Since 1999, staff have worked on over 800 research, development and consultancy projects, many for government. We undertake large-scale national research, evaluation work, quantitative surveys, and qualitative studies as well as case studies of good practice. We have extensive experience of research, evaluation, consultation, focus groups, networks, publications and qualifications.

NIACE has been central to the national debate and process of policy formation around Informal Adult Learning, literacy and numeracy and delivered eight key outputs from the Learning Revolution white paper during 2009-10, including managing the £20m Transformation Fund which delivered on commitments made in the Labour Government’s Learning Revolution White Paper. More recently, Work, Society and Lifelong Literacy, NIACE’s Inquiry into adult literacy was central to the Government’s Review of Skills for Life. We are also currently managing the Skills Funding Agency’s £2m Adult and Community Learning Fund.

NIACE also manages several national high profile campaigns directly related to adult and lifelong learning. These include Adult Learners’ Week; Sign Up Now; Inspire (Wales); ‘Maths takes you there’; and the Quick Reads campaign. Active liaison takes place with other promotional campaigns, notably Family Learning Week, Older People’s Day, the Skills campaign, Get Online Day, and a number of other initiatives.

For more infos visit http://www.niace.org.uk