Case Study Championing numeracy

St Edmundsbury Council has recently joined up with its neighbouring district council, Forest Heath. A team of four ULRs from Unison has recruited a team of 12 Learning Champions from all departments of the council to work alongside them in promoting learning opportunities to the workforce. Craig Young, employed as a gardener, also works as the Unison Learning Co-ordinator. As a gardener, Craig works in isolation, but his role as Learning Co-ordinator has made him much more visible to the workforce through a secondment to HR for two days per week.

The Council is aware of the benefits of a more numerate workforce and has shown its commitment through Sandra Pell, who is Corporate Director of Economy and Environment. Sandra has become a Learning Champion and, as such, is able to support learning both strategically and informally.

Craig has noticed that employees have different attitudes to numeracy, and while many feel they don’t need to do any further learning, through discussion it transpires that there is a lot of fear around numeracy learning. The ULRs themselves have all passed Level 2 numeracy and are able to assure those who might be interested that adult numeracy classes are very different to their previous experiences of learning at school.

Numeracy plays an important part in staff working efficiently. In the Landscaping Department, supervisors have to order the right amount of seed and plants and order chemicals to treat football pitches. They need quantity analysis skills. Some of the supervisors who have struggled with numbers, for example, in ordering materials from suppliers can now work out quantities and volumes accurately. If they order too much there is wastage, and if they don’t order enough the Council will be paying more per unit than they need to, because the supervisor didn’t get it right first time. Once staff start to feel a lot more confident about their numeracy skills, there is a real buzz. They have taken on something that was frightening before; they really feel proud that they have achieved something. Craig feels it is important to let people know the courses are available, they can do it voluntarily, they aren’t being forced to do it and the Council will allow them time to do it. Information about learning is cascaded through management and team meetings.

Both local authorities have signed up to the Skills Pledge and St Edmundsbury Council has picked up the Workforce Development Award 2010 from the East of England Regional Council for Local Government Services. The kudos of winning the award has helped to encourage others into learning and to assure them that they are doing something that has been officially recognised. The Skills Pledge has ensured management commitment to the ULRs and Learning Champions.

The organisation puts a lot of resource into promoting learning for Adult Learners’ Week, and employees get an hour off to do a taster session of any kind of learning. Last year a cash grant from Unionlearn meant that they were able to offer prizes such as a laptop and MP3 player in a draw as an incentive to learn. Nine employees qualified at Level 2 in numeracy. A news sheet was launched this year providing case studies of other employees who have improved their skills, and information about what is available.

Craig is now focused on the future and looking into how to provide Level 3 learning opportunities in the form of Foundation Degrees through the Open University.

15