Who are New Futures?

New Futures is a consortium of the SE professional development centres. The Skills for Life Development Centre (CfBT Education Trust), working with the Essential Skills Support Unit and Thames Valley Professional Development Network will lead this project throughout the South East region.

The consortium works in partnership with organisations, training providers and employers involved in Skills for Life, the national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy skills.

What’s the project about?

Skills for Life at Work is an innovative new ESF project focusing on Skills for Life in the Workplace.

The project aims to support nearly 5000 employees in private, public and voluntary sectors across the southeast, to improve their English or language skills and maths at work.

In addition the project provides further support by offering continuing professional development courses to over 1500 professionals who work with or support Skills for Life learners in the workplace.

What does the project offer?

The project, which will run until December 2010, will offer:

Professional Development Training

• Flexible learning programmes
• Professional qualifications to staff who support Skills for Life in the workplace.

Skills for Life Learners

• Maths, English and/or language courses contextualised for the employers sector
• Learning based on personal and employment needs
• Non-qualification outcomes for Skills for Life learners
• Progression routes to national qualifications, including Train to Gain
  
  

How is the project funded?

The Learning and Skills Council and the European Social Fund fund this programme.

Who benefits?

This project provides excellent opportunities for:

Professional Development training

• People who support employed learners with English and Maths
• Providers who deliver SfL in the workplace

Employers

• Free training for Employers to up skill their staff
• Delivery of training in the workplace
• Training developed with the employer to meet the needs of their staff

Skills for Life Learners

• Employed people who need help with English and Maths
• Employed people for whom English isn’t a first language.