Learning and Skills Development Agency reports on effect of 'learning brokers'
Tag: NDPBs Print article: Email article: This was published: 4 Jun 2004 - 06:50 am
Brokers are getting an increasing profile helping to deliver government priorities. But unlike business brokers, the role of learning brokers is not well understood.
Nevertheless, learning brokers are playing a crucial role in the campaign to boost skills and widen participation in education and training by acting as go-betweens that link individuals with learning providers.
Two new reports from the Learning and Skills Development Agency's (LSDA) research centre present the findings of a major piece of research to discover how widespread learning brokerage is and how it operates, what learning brokers do and the barriers that prevent brokerage working effectively.
Learning brokerage: building bridges between learners and providers, prepared for LSDA by the Institute for Access Studies at Staffordshire University, identifies different forms of learning brokerage, how it can stimulate organizational change and the strategies that learning brokers use to engage non-traditional adult learners. Learning brokerage in the workplace, prepared by researchers at Leeds Metropolitan University and the University of Hull, looks specifically at the role of intermediaries, such as union learning representatives, within the workplace.
The terms 'learning broker' and 'brokerage' cover a wide range of roles and activities, including paid professionals involved in advice and guidance (such as Job Centre staff), national organisations such as the University for Industry (learndirect), union learning representatives, librarians, health visitors, learning champions in communities, football coaches and unpaid volunteers.
A learning broker is 'an individual whose role is to provide learners or employers with impartial advice', about both education or training (pedagogy) and practical matters. The essence of brokerage is to mediate between learners and providers. This involves being able to look in two directions - Janus-like - at the same time: to be able to both interpret and the needs of potential learners and understanding and influence the bigger picture in terms of what learning opportunities could and should be available to them.
The main findings are:
> •Learning brokerage is well-established and widespread. Typically, it is a process involving a range of individuals and agencies who all play different roles. These include not only union learning reps in the workplace and learning champions in communities, but also people working in more unusual contexts such as learning advisers in doctors surgeries and hairdressing salons. (See 'Prescriptions for learning' and 'Cut, advice and blow dry' in Notes to Editors). But, although the activity has existed for many years, the terms 'learning broker' and 'brokerage' are not widely recognised.
> •Brokerage is often conducted through networks and organisations, rather than single individuals operating alone. Its value is that it "reaches parts others cannot". Typically, learning brokers operate at three levels: very informally - through suggestion and comment; more formally - providing advice; and strategically - working to change structures. The same person might operate at all three levels of brokerage, in both paid and unpaid roles.
> •The role of learning brokers varies according to context, operating in four key domains: community, work, educational institutions and the voluntary sector. In a community setting, for instance, they are seen as "Pied Pipers who respond to communities at a grass roots level", working "bottom up" through close informal relationships. In the workplace, the process is more "top down" as brokers need to be able to understand the needs of the employer as well as the employee.
> •Workplace brokers can be grouped into four types: learning advisers, management coordinators, independent guidance advisers or training intermediaries. Brokerage in the workplace is most successful where employee relations are good and employees have a sense of ownership over the opportunities offered.
Issues raised:
> •Narrow views about learning make brokerage networks and partnerships difficult and prevent them from working flexibly. Assumptions amongst some policy makers and funders that 'learning' equals 'formal accredited learning' can act as a barrier by labelling people as 'non learners'. Much informal learning carried out within the voluntary and community sector is a by-product of efforts to address particular problems and issues - but this is often not recognised.
> •Lack of resources and reliance on short term funding only create a "parachute in-parachute out" factor which alienates communities. Often inadvertently, people taking on a learning broker role in marginalised communities were overburdened with impossible mental, physical and emotional demands and felt they were expected to work in a vacuum with few resources or support.
> •Many people - potential targets for learning brokers - are actively marginalised by factors such as poverty, unemployment or racism, rather than simply being passively 'hard to reach'. In these contexts, brokerage needs to be culturally sensitive and appropriate to individual life experiences.
> •Where learning brokerage is linked to educational institutions, competition and survival imperatives made brokerage networks and partnerships difficult and hierarchical relationships prevented them from working flexibly. Educational institutions were sometimes perceived as 'operating like factories' with staff viewing non-traditional learners as problems and experiencing difficulties working across boundaries.
Sue Taylor, research manager at LSDA, says:
"Our research has revealed that brokerage is established and widespread - we have only uncovered the tip of the iceberg. But there is no single, universal understanding of the term learning broker - it covers a vast range of different roles, voluntary as well as paid. It is clear that learning brokers play an important role in widening adult participation in learning and this needs better recognition."
Liz Thomas, researcher from the Institute of Access Studies at Staffordshire University, says:
"Learning brokerage is an exciting and innovative concept and practice which challenges the convention of only seeking to change learners to fit into a traditional and un-reformed education system. Instead it emphasises working in both directions, and seeking to bring about institutional understanding and change to meet the needs of marginalised learners".
Key factors, viewed as essential to the development of learning brokerage nationally in all contexts' are: recognising and disseminating good practice; adequate and systematic funding; improved opportunities to work across different sectors; and consultation with potential users.
In addition, factors that are important for the development of brokerage in the workplace are: strengthening the role of union learning representatives; developing the 'learning adviser' type of brokerage in small and medium-sized enterprises; developing training programmes for prospective workplace brokers; and consultation with potential users.
The first report includes a directory of 80 examples of learning brokerage. It also has developed a brokerage process framework to chart he activities of learning brokerage - many of which involve multiple networks. (See Notes to Editors). Following in-depth case studies of nine schemes, the research team is now conducting action research with four organisations to test a model for effective learning brokerage. Further reports will be published in 2005.
There are examples of learning brokerage covering most areas in the UK. A selection is included in Notes to Editors and in the appendix of Learning brokerage: building bridges between learners and providers. Contact Anne Nicholls for more information.
Research methods. For the report Learning brokerage: building bridges between learners and providers a questionnaire was distributed across the UK through key contacts in over 40 public, private and voluntary sectors and also mailed directly to organisations and institutions. (Examples: Trades Union Congress, National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service, Workers Educational Association, Business Links Networks, LEAs, Small Business Service, YMCA/YWCA, Learning and Skills Councils.) Over 90 questionnaires were returned and 86 examples of learning brokerage submitted - included in a directory (an appendix to the report). The research also involved a literature review, a practitioner panel and a participative conference. For the research Learning brokers in the workplace 21 firms were sampled.
The brokerage process framework has six stages. These are:
1)understanding the current situation - identifying who is currently learning and what, who is providing the learning opportunities and what are the gaps
2)gaining entry and building trust - consultations and negotiation with gatekeepers and formal brokers
3)making learning meaningful - working at a deep identity level with potential learners, developing informed understanding, etc.
4)identifying he right learning opportunity - raising potential learners awareness of meaningful and appropriate learning opportunities and also helping providers to develop appropriate provision
5)promoting learning success - goes beyond just entry into a learning situation
6)addressing organisational issues - organisational development and change, capacity building, using IT effectively in brokerage, etc.
Selected case studies identified include (the Learning brokerage report contains more):
> •Prescriptions for learning (Nottingham) places learning advisers in doctors' surgeries.
> •Cut, advice and blow dry (Ryecotewood College) is a scheme that involves local hairdressers to encourage women to return to learning.
> •Community learning champions (Stoke-on-Trent, Greenwich, Bedfordshire and elsewhere) develops learning champions as ambassadors for learning in their communities.
> •Union learning reps. A good example is one run by the Ceramic and Allied Trades Union project (Stoke on Trent). Another is one from the 'first group' (Essex) which encourages bus drivers and depot staff to access learning opportunities in a learning centre located in the bus depot.
> •Big Futures (North of England) is a compulsory two-year programme for homeless people who well the Big Issue magazine. It helps them identify and tackle personal problems and move into a job or education/training course of their choice. The scheme includes a monthly supervision meeting with a support worker.
> •Museum fever (Salford, Lancs) is a project to get young people actively involved with the local museums - Salford Museum and Art Gallery.
> •Oxfordshire strategic partnership (Oxfordshire) works with managers of care homes to reach low qualified care workers.
> •Peer partners prison project is a project by the Basic Skills Agency in collaboration with the prison education service to recruit and train inmates as volunteer tutors.
> •Coalfields Regeneration Trust (Merthyr Tydfill) runs a project with the WEA to train lifelong learning advisers as mentors and information providers.
> •Get on board and the Learning bus (Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire) are literacy initiatives in Derbyshire and north Nottinghamshire.
> •Communities in crisis (Manchester) is a project providing adults who are active in their communities with training, support and resources to help them resolve local problems.
> •Inn tuition (Leeds) is a scheme running courses in Leeds pubs called 'A pint and a prospectus please'
> •Fairbridge (Birmingham, Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool, Middlesborough) is a project that encourages young, disaffected young people (aged 14-25) to improve their basic skills as part of a package focused on football coaching.
> •Community empowerment and development (Sandwell) is a project aimed at the Sikh/Punjabi community to increase participation in learning and access to information, advice and guidance.
> •Your experience counts (Staffordshire) is a 10-week course at Staffordshire University for people who would normally be excluded from university.
> •The gypsy and traveller participation group (North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire) runs informal taster sessions in communication and negotiation skills.
> •Bridge-over Mardyke (Rainham, Essex) is an ambassador programme on a housing estate where learners go out into the community. Two shops on the Mardyke estate are being converted into a learning shop.
> •Music production (London) is a scheme for young people from the Community Music's crime prevention programme 'Break Beat'.
> •Churchyard community studies (Chichester) uses diocese learning brokers to encourage clerical and lay persons to enrol for courses at Portsmouth University.
> •Women's Institute (UK wide) has 35 volunteers working with WI members, mainly in rural communities, setting up learning opportunities on demand.
Background information to this article:
Learning brokerage: building bridges between learners and providers by Liz Thomas et al from the Institute for Access Studies at Staffordshire University and Learning brokerage in the workplace: some preliminary reflections by Denise Thursfield, John Hamblett and Rick Holden, from the Human Resource Development Unit, Leeds Metropolitan University and the Business School, University of Hull, was published on 20 May.
The Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA) is a strategic national resource for the development of policy and practice in post-16 education and training. It was previously known as the Further Education Development Agency. The work of the LSDA covers research, policy advice, professional and organisational development, and curriculum support for all learning providers involved in post-16 education and training. These include those working in further education and sixth form colleges, school sixth forms, adult and community education, and work-based education and training. The work of LSDA is supported by a grant from the Learning and Skills Council.
The Learning and Skills Research Centre (LSRC) is based at the Learning and Skills Development Agency who acts as project manager. The work of the Centre is guided by an Advisory Forum whose members include experienced researchers and university leaders, research users involved in policy and practice, and members with business, community and learner perspectives. The Centre commissions research from external partners and suppliers, working with key stakeholders such as the Department for Education and Skills, the Learning and Skills Council, the inspectorates, other government departments, and organisations with an employment, skills and community perspective. The LSRC is supported by the Learning and Skills Council.
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