13 October 2010

Overview: For a three year period the Economic Development Department at Wrexham County Borough Council plans to enhance the provision of Adult Community Learning (ACL) opportunities in areas targeted by the Council’s Community Regeneration Strategy.

It is the Council’s intention to compile a list of approved providers that are able to deliver a range of courses that benefit the residents of these particular areas. Providers can be self-employed tutors, commercial companies, social enterprises, or formal education institutions.

Once approved to be a provider courses may be commissioned in specific areas based on the Council’s assessment of demand, course viability and value for money. Inclusion on the approved list does not constitute any guarantee of work or of the volume of such work.

Commitment: In order to ‘enhance’ ACL opportunities in the targeted areas the Council is committed to:

• Making more opportunities available locally than the mainstream ACL providers can currently support
• Increasing participation by promoting opportunities appropriately
• Encouraging and monitoring progression after learning experiences
• Increasing the extent to which ACL is demand-led
• Increasing the demand for mainstream ACL, meaning that more learning is provided within DCELLS resources

Aims: The overall aims for the Community Regeneration focussed ACL are to use locally accessed adult community learning as ways of:

• Reducing levels of multiple deprivation in these areas, particularly by improving levels of employability, adult qualification, basic skills levels and confidence
• Increasing levels of participation in local civic society
• Increasing the capacity of community groups to achieve their aims

Demonstrate: Consequently, the supported programmes of learning should be able to demonstrate how they:

• Lead to further learning
• Lead to economic activity
• Lead to community participation
• Lead to the strengthening of a community group

Indicators: Broader indicators of success over the three year period will include:

• Reduced levels of economic inactivity - measured by changes in Job Seekers Allowance and Incapacity Benefit counts over time
• Increased take up of adult guidance interviews - measured by change from Careers Wales’ baseline position 2010
• Increased number of mainstream ACL courses running without subsidy - measured from Life Long Learning Sub Group audit work
• Increased level of progression following ACL participation
• Increased range and number of local ACL opportunities

Interested applicants should use the contact details below to receive the forms they will need to complete by the closing date of 19th November 2010.

The forms will allow the Council to capture information about your organisation and about the range and nature of courses you are able to provide in the targeted communities.

The call for providers will be repeated periodically during the period to 31st March 2012 allowing additional companies / individuals to apply to be placed on the list.

Closing date for quotes to be returned: 19.11.2010

Start date of contract: 01.01.2011

Contact details

Key contact: Jon Sankey – Community Regeneration Manager

Address: Wrexham County Borough Council, Economic Development, Lambpit Street, Wrexham, LL11 1AR

Phone: 01978 292497

Email: jon.sankey@wrexham.gov.uk