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CERADUS
Higher Education Learning Project (HELP)
SEQUAL
Progression Pathways Foundation Degree
Refugee Employment and Progression Project (REPP)
Career Action for Women (CAW)
Women at Work Progression Through Learning
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CERADUS

• Hastings Horizons Community Learning Project
• Disability Employment Initiative
• SEQUAL (Equal 1)
• Women Work Progression Through Learning
• Progression Pathways to a Foundation Degree in
  Community Development
• HE Learning Project for Refugees in Susses
• Refugee Employment Progression Project
• Career Action for Women
• Quality Through Observation (Adult Community
  Learning)
• Skills for Life Accreditation Pathways
• A Repertoire for All (music students using
  notation software)
• Web-based Resources for Teaching Learning in HE
• Knowledge Exchange (Refugees)
• Refugee Education Mentoring Support into HE
  (REMAS HE) - In partnership with University of
  Brighton
• Systematic Review Adult Learning and Employment
• Adult Learners - Longitudinal Research (NIACE)
• SPARC (NIACE)
• Many ESF Objective 3 programmes

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SEQUAL
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY European Social Fund
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What is SEQUAL?

• Major European project under EQUAL funding strand
  (2002 - 2005)
• Research into issues of employability and
  discrimination
• Aims stimulate and contribute to debates about
  good practice re equality in the workplace
  inform policy at local and national level

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The SEQUAL Partnership

• Partnership of seven UK universities - Surrey,
  Sussex, Warwick, Bristol, Glasgow, London
  Metropolitan, Edge Hill College of HE, University
  of Wales, Bangor
• Research themes gender, class race and
  ethnicity, political and religious belief,
  disability, sexual orientation, age
• Cross cutting themes geographical and social
  isolation language and culture health issues
  identity and citizenship
• Transnational partners Germany, Denmark,
  Austria, Italy Portugal

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University of Sussex Research Theme

• Employability and discrimination linked to sexual
  orientation
• CCE history of working in partnership with local
  communities
• Comparative case study of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay,
  Bisexual and Transgender) communities in Brighton
  and Hastings.
• Economic and social context Hastings most
  deprived borough in SE Brighton and Hove - some
  areas among top 10 deprived wards in UK

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Research Methods

• Small scale qualitative study
• Literature review and document searches
• Mapping exercise to identify key organisations
• Semi structured interviews (55 in total)
• Case studies of discrimination in the workplace
  and of good practice in equalities work
• Collaborative action research e.g. consultation
  and dissemination events Hastings equalities
  strategy equalities toolkit LGBT Jobfair
• Conference papers and workshops

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Research issues

• Lack of EU-funded interventions linked to sexual
  orientation
• Outsider status of researchers
• Access to hard to reach members of LGBT
  community (e.g. homeless, drug and alcohol
  dependent, BME lesbian group
• confidentiality issues

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Sexual Orientation and Discrimination - Previous
Research

• Stonewall (Less Equal than Others, 1993) -
  discrimination at work (16) harassment linked
  to sexuality (48) two-thirds concealed
  sexuality in the workplace
• Social and Community Planning Research SCPR
  (1995) supported these findings
• Work of Lager - discrimination can take diverse
  forms e.g. personal prejudice, stereotyping,
  malicious outing , lack of recognition of same
  sex partnerships etc.

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The Legal Framework

• UK Legislation Employment Equality (Sexual
  Orientation) Regulations introduced December
  2003 - outlaws direct and indirect
  discrimination, harassment or victimisation in
  employment and training
• Key issues to be addressed (LAGER/Stonewall)
• Need for code of practice
• Training for employers, employees, employment
  tribunals etc.
• Workplace benefits (e.g.. pensions for partners)
• Concerns about exemptions - i.e.. marriage
  exemption and religious exemption
• New unitary Equalities Commission - mixed response

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Key Research Findings

• Sexual orientation issues overlooked within
  regeneration strategies
• Hierarchies of disadvantage
• Key role of voluntary and community sector in
  supporting LGBT community and promoting
  employability
• Issues of homophobia and safety in the
  workplace
• Employment and training needs of people with HIV
  status
• Monitoring of sexual orientation - contentious
  issues
• Equalities training for employers and staff

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Higher Education Learning Project for Refugees in
Sussex(HELP)
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY European Social Fund
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• 15 month project October 2003 December 2004
• Funded by Higher Education European Social Fund

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Refugee Qualifications

• 22 had university level education
• 85 had education or training qualifications
• (Aldridge and Waddington 2001)

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Aims of the Project

• Work with local refugees to identify the most
  appropriate forms of education and training
• Design and deliver a pilot programme of
  accredited learning
• Improve the employment prospects

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Country of Origin and Gender of Refugees
Interviewed
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Main Barriers

• Lack of understanding and information about
  education and systems in the UK
• Poor English language skills
• Financial barriers - linked to status
• Difficulty getting overseas qualifications
  recognised in the UK
• Lack of confidence

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4 Components

• Core, accredited activities. Included CV
  writing, applications, interview skills, career
  research, UK systems and culture of education and
  work
• Individual support and guidance
• Language support - bought in Language Institute
  at the university
• Networking opportunities - mentoring and visiting
  speakers

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Women and WorkPROGRESSION THROUGH LEARNING
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Project Structure UNISON CCE (HE) ESF(steering
group) Timeframe Jan 04 - August 06 - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4
Educational Providers National Extension
College Open University
Careconnect WEA
Women and WorkPROGRESSION THROUGH LEARNING
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ProjectAimsThe LearnerExperience UNISON
brokered coursesSelf esteemEmploymentMore
courses?
Project Structure UNISON CCE (HE) ESF(steering
group) Timeframe Jan 04 - August 06 - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4
Educational Providers National Extension
College Open University
Careconnect WEA
Women and WorkPROGRESSION THROUGH LEARNING
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The Learners7,000 England80
womenAverage age 40Low paidFew formal
qualificationsLiteracy/ESOLDyslexia
spectrumForm Phobia
Project Structure UNISON CCE (HE) ESF(steering
group) Timeframe Jan 04 - August 06 - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - 4 Educational
Providers National Extension College
Open University Careconnect WEA
ProjectAimsThe LearnerExperience UNISON
brokered coursesSelf esteemEmploymentMore
courses?
Women and WorkPROGRESSION THROUGH LEARNING
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The CoursesLiberal Education
modelCommunicationsITBasic
SkillsReturn to LearnWomen and WorkWomen
and HealthSocial WorkNursingAnd nowNVQs
(!)
ProjectAimsThe LearnerExperience UNISON
brokered coursesSelf esteemEmploymentMore
courses?
The Learners7,000 England80
womenAverage age 40Low paidFew formal
qualificationsLiteracy/ESOLDyslexia
spectrumForm Phobia
Project Structure UNISON CCE (HE) ESF(steering
group) Timeframe Jan 04 - August 06 - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - 4 Educational
Providers National Extension College
Open University Careconnect WEA
Women and WorkPROGRESSION THROUGH LEARNING
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Previous Research External Evaluations of
specific provision Partnerships
employer/union/educational providers/employees
Questionnaires and mostly quantitative
ProjectAimsThe LearnerExperience UNISON
brokered coursesSelf esteemEmploymentMore
courses?
The Learners7,000 England80
womenAverage age 40Low paidFew formal
qualificationsLiteracy/ESOLDyslexia
spectrumForm Phobia
Project Structure UNISON CCE (HE) ESF(steering
group) Timeframe Jan 04 - August 06 - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - 4 Educational
Providers National Extension College
Open University Careconnect WEA
Women and WorkPROGRESSION THROUGH LEARNING
The CoursesLiberal Education
modelCommunicationsITBasic
SkillsReturn to LearnWomen and WorkWomen
and HealthSocial WorkNursingAnd nowNVQs
(!)
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Our ResearchLife History Methodology
National Writing Project In-depthInterviewi
ngMostly qualitative
ProjectAimsThe LearnerExperience UNISON
brokered coursesSelf esteemEmploymentMore
courses?
The Learners7,000 England80
womenAverage age 40Low paidFew formal
qualificationsLiteracy/ESOLDyslexia
spectrumForm Phobia
Project Structure UNISON CCE (HE) ESF(steering
group) Timeframe Jan 04 - August 06 - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - 4 Educational
Providers National Extension College
Open University Careconnect WEA
Women and WorkPROGRESSION THROUGH LEARNING
The CoursesLiberal Education
modelCommunicationsITBasic
SkillsReturn to LearnWomen and WorkWomen
and HealthSocial WorkNursingAnd nowNVQs
(!)
Previous Research External Evaluations of
specific provision Partnerships
employer/union/educational providers/employees
Questionnaires andmostly quantitative
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Our ResearchLife History Methodology
National Writing Project In-depthInterviewin
gMostly qualitative
ProjectAimsThe LearnerExperience UNISON
brokered coursesSelf esteemEmploymentMore
courses?
The Learners7,000 England80
womenAverage age 40Low paidFew formal
qualificationsLiteracy/ESOLDyslexia
spectrumForm Phobia
Project Structure UNISON CCE (HE) ESF(steering
group) Timeframe Jan 04 - August 06 - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - 4 Educational
Providers National Extension College
Open University Careconnect WEA
The CoursesLiberal Education
modelCommunicationsITBasic
SkillsReturn to LearnWomen and WorkWomen
and HealthSocial WorkNursingAnd nowNVQs
(!)
Women and WorkPROGRESSION THROUGH LEARNING
Previous Research External Evaluations of
specific provision Partnerships
employer/union/educational providers/employees
Questionnaires andmostly quantitative
Project Outputs Report for UNISONLearner
ExperiencePolicy/Practice Book Proposal
Interactive Project Mass ObservationArchive
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• Project Policy in Context
• Political
• Educational
• Union

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• ....Charles Clarke and I will make a reality of
  a second chance in education for all, for the
  first time guaranteeing to every single member of
  the workforce...who is without basic skills, the
  resources and the learning facilities to acquire
  the skills they need, giving them the choices
  they need to make the most of their talents.
• (Gordon Brown, Labour Party Conference, September
  2004)
• Union education has shifted away from being
  solely focussed on trade union training for trade
  union representatives, to a new percentage of
  workers who get opportunities. It is very
  exciting to see people previously denied
  opportunities changing. But the nature of the
  curriculum is a very important issue. The WEA
  are nervous of the move by employers and trade
  unions to a skills based NVQ curriculum - this is
  a qualitative shift in the wrong direction. We
  must avoid such a strong emphasis on skills
  otherwise the old liberal education agenda of
  learning for learnings sake will start to seem
  like a radical agenda. We must continue to ask
  ourselves, is workplace education, workers
  education?
• (Joel Miskin, WEA, Yorkshire and Humberside,
  November 2004)

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• Its about transforming our own culture too.
  Education has been seen as namby pamby - real
  unions thump the table - but today its central
  to our own whole organising agenda. Its not a
  bolt-on, but a holistic approach.
• (Paul Donnaghy, UNISON Regional Educational
  Officer, N. Ireland)
• ...we also need an approach to lifelong
  learning that recognises the importance of
  individual self-advancement through learning
  outside the immediate economic sphere. Lifelong
  learning is crucial to the development of
  self-esteem, the encouragement of motivated and
  employable citizens and the building of civil
  society more broadly...the whole union will gain
  major benefits in terms of recruiting members,
  recruiting activists and building branches.
• (Dave Prentis, General Secretary, UNISON, May
  2003)

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