Today (23rd Feb) saw the launch of the NI Community Education Census, supported by AONTAS. Further information can be see at https://www.aontas.com/knowledge/news/first-northern-ireland-community-education-census-aims-to-support-learning-providers This census is endorsed not just by FALNI, but also NICVA and WRDA. If you are a community organisation in NI and deliver any adult learning, whether accredited or non-accredited, even if you...
Ireland’s national learning organisation, AONTAS (https://www.aontas.com/) is working with FALNI’s Colin Neilands to conduct the first ever census of community education/learning for Northern Ireland. The census will collect data, both quantitative and qualitative, on how many community organisations are delivery adult learning, what courses they offer (both accredited and non-accredited), the number and make-up of...
In 2021 our colleagues at the Learning & Work Institute conducted interviews with some learners in Northern Ireland to capture their experiences of learning during the Covid lockdown period. This report can now be downloaded from this website’s Resources page. The report concludes with the following considerations for the future delivery of online learning: Marketing...
Throughout 2021 FALNI members explored the theme of creating a culture of lifelong learning in Northern Ireland. This work was enabled with the support of the UK’s EAAL programme, managed by our colleagues at the Learning & Work Institute (https://learningandwork.org.uk/) and with their assistance we have created a report which captures the thoughts and suggestions...
Following on from the research paper A Higher Skills Ambition for NI, which Open College Network NI (OCN NI) commissioned back in Jan 2021, a further research report, again commissioned by OCN NI in collaboration with the Learning & Work Institute (L&W), was published on Monday 13th December. The new research report entitled: Working Together-How learning and skills support can...
Today the Dept for the Economy held a short consultation webinar on the new Skills Strategy. There were presentations from Graeme Wilkinson (DfE) on the strategy itself and Deirdre Wood (DfC) on Labour Market Partnerships, followed by a short Q&A session. The presentations can be found below, but two short quotes from each presenter are...
The next Impact Forum webinar will continue to stimulate thinking around the Skills Strategy recommendation on building a culture of lifelong learning in NI. We are securing a variety of speakers from different perspectives to help our visioning and exploration of what such a culture could be, how we could work together to achieve and...
The much-awaited Skills Strategy Consultation is now open and will remain open until 19th August. The report can be downloaded from our Reports/Resources page, but you will also want to go to https://consultations.nidirect.gov.uk/dfe-skills-and-business-development-group/skills-strategy-for-northern-ireland/ to access the link for responses. The commitment to building a culture of lifelong learning is still there, and it is one...
Recent blog from our colleagues at L&W highlighting points made in their report A Higher Skills Ambition for Northern Ireland (commissioned by the OCNNI) – which can be downloaded from our Reports/Resources page – https://learningandwork.org.uk/news-and-policy/northern-irelands-forthcoming-skills-strategy-must-be-ambitious-in-its-plans-to-improve-learning-and-skills-outcomes/ To hear more about the Skills Strategy why not book a place at our webinar on 8th June – see...
The Independent Commission on the College of the Future today launched its final report which focuses on Northern Ireland. The report argues that colleges are the vehicles to regionally balance the economy, support businesses to adapt to a green and digital economy and provide better skills opportunities for those out of work. It adds that...
