AWARDS RECOGNISE QUALITY OF
BASIC SKILLS LEARNING IN POWYS

The quality of a partnership approach to improving literacy and numeracy skills in Powys has been recognised with presentations of awards by the Basic Skills Agency Wales.

Fourteen Powys-based organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors have joined forces under the banner of Powys Community Consortium for Education and Training (CCET) to deliver an ELWa-funded Basic Skills Learning project.

The project aims to set up an network of people within the county who are qualified to deliver and support those who would like to brush up on their reading, writing and numeracy skills.

This infrastructure, backed by learning programmes, ensures quality provision and provides an opportunity for people to access support from various organisations.

Basic Skills Agency Wales executive director Rhiannedd Pratley praised the quality of basic skills learning programmes in Powys when she visited the county to present awards.

Coleg Powys received renewed awards for Primary Basic Skills and Basic Skills and Learning Support, training provider Powys Training celebrated the achievement of the Post 16 Basic Skills Quality Mark and seven trainers received City and Guilds Level 2 certificates for Adult Learning Support.

The seven recipients - Angela Kermore, Sally Olds and Bridgitte Eyeington of Coleg Powys, Lesley Keates of Llanwrtyd Telecentre, Jacquie Brown of Powys County Council, Diane Scott Wilson of Powys Challenge and Susanna Best of Shakespeare Link – attended courses offered free of charge by Powys CCET project and they can now progress to Level 3 qualification in delivering basic skills.

The Post-16 Quality Mark in Wales is an important and integral part of the National Basic Skills Strategy, which is funded by the Wales Assembly Government. Only 62 training providers, including schools and colleges, in Wales have achieved the standard.

“Working in partnership with other organisations is a major aim of the project and these awards from the Basic Skills Agency Wales underline the quality of provision in Powys,” said Hazel Wilson, Powys CCET project manager.

“All partner organisations, from a range of disciplines, come together for monthly meetings to receive a project update and to share good practice and expertise in teaching and supporting basic skills.

“We are not only offering training opportunities to learners but also to those wishing to become a basic skills trainer.”