REPORT TO COMMUNITY PLANNING PARTNERSHIP – LEARNING PARTNERSHIPS
1.
PURPOSE OF REPORT
The report provides information on the background and current progress in the development of Learning Partnerships.
2.
BACKGROUND
The Scottish Government’s “Strategic Guidance for Community Planning Partnerships: Community Learning and Development”
(June 2012) identified the requirement for Community Planning Partnerships to “review current partnership arrangements for
planning, monitoring and evaluating CLD and ensure that they are fit for the purposes as set out in the Guidance”.
Learning
Partnerships
Torry
Kincorth
Cults
Providers of community learning and development are expected to work together (local authorities, third sector organisations and
others) to identify how they can further develop their contribution to meeting local needs.
The Community Planning Partnership (CPP) has established Learning Partnerships to meet the requirements of the Strategic
Guidance and contribute towards the requirements of The Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland)
Regulations (CLD Regulations).

Structurally, Learning Partnerships report to Community Planning Aberdeen through the Learning and Workforce Thematic
Group.

At a strategic level community planning partner,s through the Learning and Workforce Thematic Group (formerly called
Smarter Forum), have identified Learning Partnerships (LPs) as the means of developing local partnership arrangements
for planning, monitoring and evaluating CLD

The Communities Team within Aberdeen City Council facilitate LPs on behalf of CPP but 'ownership' and responsibility for
making them work is a collective responsibility across the Community Planning Partnership.
The Strategic Guidance is clear that the purpose of CLD is empowering people, individually and collectively, to make positive
changes in their lives and in their communities, through learning. The overarching aims of the Learning Partnerships are
Hazlehead
Grammar
Harlaw
St Machar
Northfield
Bucksburn
Dyce
Oldmachar and
Bridge of Don
1. Improved life chances for people of all ages, through learning, personal development and active citizenship.
2. (Building) stronger, more resilient, supportive, influential and inclusive communities.
1
3.
PURPOSE OF LEARNING PARTNERSHIPS
The core purpose of LPs is to lead on 'community learning and development” across a specified geographical area. Specifically to enable
partners to: JOINTLY know the area, including:

profiling existing provision

identifying and assessing needs

determining gaps in provision

prioritising developments
 JOINTLY ensure the delivery of the local learning offer, including:

ensuring this is influenced by Area Profile

developing new initiatives to meet identified needs and priorities

encouraging partnership working and co-ordination of provision

ensuring progression between organisations and activities
 JOINTLY monitor and evaluate the learning offer

Performance data and measures showing trends over time

Quality of learning/development activities

Performance against aims, objectives and targets

Reports from partners on relevant work in the learning community.

Shared evaluations of initiatives/projects
2
4. DEVELOPING CONSISTENT AND EFFECTIVE LEARNING PARTNERSHIPS
Since November 2013 Learning Partnerships have been working to more focused agendas which are standardised to include the overarching
aims and have three agenda headings based on the core purpose

2 meetings include learning partnership self evaluation and arrangements for future meetings (including rotating chairperson and minute
takers)

4 meetings include themed and facilitated workshops looking at:o
Work with adults
o
Work with young people
o
Health and Wellbeing
o
Community Support and Volunteering
This approach has largely been welcomed by partners and the levels of involvement and effectiveness have increased substantially in most
Learning Partnerships with the exception so far of Hazlehead where it is proving difficult to achieve sustained commitment from partners.
Whilst the Learning Partnerships continue to develop their effectiveness in systematically analysing need and evaluating impact, Learning
Partnerships have been increasingly successful in identifying multi partner responses to identified needs as described below (please note that
the table below is a work in progress):
Themes Work with Adults
Work with Young People
Health and Wellbeing
Community Support
and Volunteering
Promoting Health and Wellbeing
Volunteering and supporting
volunteers
Cults Learning Partnership
 Contributing to Routes to
Wellbeing Project – linking
patients with non medical sources
of help and support within the
Producing a Directory of
Activities in the area
3




community including opportunities
for physical activity, learning
about healthy eating, learning new
skills, volunteering and self help
Footprints – intended outcome: 20
older people (55+) in Culter gain
confidence and skills in computer
type technology – steps to
becoming active learners
Healthy cooking – delivery of
learning opportunities
Community identity – Cults
academy Sports
Updating Culter Explorer Leaflet –
to promote interest in and
enthusiasm for the area
particularly to integrate new
residents – includes the promotion
of Healthy walks and buggy paths
and knowing their area
The success of the Learning
Partnership in bringing partners
together to focus on health and
wellbeing has been instrumental in a
successful HIF bid to employ a
community development worker
(12hours per week, employed
through ACVO) to promote Health
and Wellbeing across the area.
Evaluation:
Bridge of Don/Oldmachar Learning Partnership
4
The Learning Partnership are seen
as key partners in the design and
planning process for the Aberdeen
Forum for the Child (AFC)– Bridge
of Don pilot Wellbeing Project
Evaluation:
St Machar Learning Partnership
English as an Additional
Language: The Learning
Partnership identified a lack of
ESOL provision in area. The
NHS identified a very high
percentage of the residents
within the St Machar area were
of an ethnic background. A
number of services felt those
people were not able to make
full use of the services available
to them due to the language
barrier.
ESOL Tutor Training: The
Learning Partnership decided to
provide a tutor training course
as a means of providing up to
12 more English as an
Additional Language volunteer
tutors within the St Machar area
to widen the ESOL service.
They are currently recruiting
volunteers to undertake the
tutor training course.
Oral Health: The St Machar ASG
and the NHS identified a growing
number of pupils with poor dental
hygiene.
Swap Shop: Working in partnership
with the NHS, one of the schools in
the St Machar ASG has developed a
‘Swap Shop’. This allows children to
swap their sugary play time snacks
for healthy alternatives - the learning
partnership put money towards
funding the healthy snacks. As a
result of this success, more schools
within the area have shown an
interest in introducing the Swap Shop
to their schools!
Substance Misuse/Smoking: Late
last year concerns were raised over
a large group of young people
smoking outside St Machar Academy
gates. As well as this, the Youth
development team were notified of
local shops selling ‘legal’ highs to
5
ESOL Open Day ‘Breaking
Barriers’: Saturday 21st of June
2014, 1pm to 4pm.This open
day has a particular focus on
the St Machar area however is
open to anyone. There will be a
vast number of services there to
provide information on the
support they can give to people
from ethnic minority
backgrounds living and working
in the area. GREC are looking
to provide multi-lingual
volunteers so that information
provided can be translated to
those unable to speak English.
There will also be light
refreshments and activities for
children available on the day."
Academy pupils.
Know More: St Machar Academy
held an event, in partnership with the
Communities Team, Police, NHS and
Drugs Action Grade A and the
Alcohol Drugs Partnership based
around substance misuse called
‘Know More’, a project working in
partnership with pupils, parents and
professionals to increase knowledge
and raise awareness about
substance misuse.
A further partnership initiative
working around smoking is planned
before the end of term targeting the
new first years
Evaluation:
Practice Example – ‘Know More’
Late last year concerns were raised over a large group of young people smoking outside St Machar Academy gates. As well as this, the Youth
development team were notified of local shops selling ‘legal’ highs to Academy pupils.
The Learning Partnership was instrumental in achieving a commitment from partners to work together to address these issues.
A number of relevant partners were invited to attend a meeting to establish what everyone could offer and how this would contribute to raising
awareness of Legal Highs.
As a result of this it was agreed that S2 pupils would be targeted along with Teaching and non-teaching staff of St Machar Academy whilst also
offering an opportunity for parents to attend an awareness raising evening. Although the project was targeting the S2 year group there was
opportunity to spread this through other year groups.
6
The partners delivered an initiative based around substance misuse called ‘Know More’, a project working in partnership with pupils, parents and
professionals to increase knowledge and raise awareness about substance misuse.
The school Police Officer delivered 16 classes on legal highs and provided this to every second year and even some 3/4 th years. Pamela Simpson,
also from Police Scotland worked with the group and conducted a staff seminar at lunch time which 2/3rd of staff attended.
Two members of the Communities Team’s Streetwork team delivered Tuesday lunchtime information sessions for 4 weeks in March as initial
engagement work linked to the awareness raising purpose of the “Know More” project. The team engaged with around 100 pupils during this time.
The sessions were undertaken to see how the land lies for this sort of activity if it were to be become a regular feature next academic year. It also
gave the team the opportunity to have a presence in the school and get their faces known.
The legal high awareness poster competition that was funded by the learning partnership was also a success, with 4 pupils getting prizes of union
square vouchers. As well as this the participating pupils got to go to a legal high event at Transition Extreme on the 27 th of March which was
interactive and had a quiz before they got 45minutes on the bikes and other activities.
Overall the event as a whole had excellent feedback with 75% of children feeling they have a heightened awareness of legal highs. The only
downside of the event was that the parent’s awareness evening was cancelled due to only 6 responses from parents.
Since the event, the Senior Management Team at St Machar Academy have asked that the Streetwork staff remain at the school during lunchtimes
until the end of term due to excellent feedback.
Northfield Learning Partnership
Adult Learning First steps
Attainment and achievement
Health Improvement
Developing ICT learning
opportunities at Cummings Park
flat and for over 50s with Silver
Surfers
Northfield Academy – Communities
Team staff are working with a small
group of young males in Northfield
Academy. All group participants have
conditions and behaviour that make it
difficult to get the most out of school.
The groupwork they are involved in
has a focus on basic social skills
development including taking turns,
sharing, working with others and being
aware of their own behaviour.
Middlefield Project to employ a
Healthy Living Tutor to run a mixed
group in the community room at
Middlefield Community Project on
Wednesday mornings.
Project fit – continuing and
developing partnership
initiative to deliver active
diversionary activities.
Working with Active
Schools Northfield training volunteers to sustain
free activities for young
people and run specialist
activities for P1-P3 pupils in
schools where lack of
facilities and qualified
personnel would normally not
7
make this possible.
Heathryburn Parent Council–
developing opportunities for
extra curricular musical
activities and purchasing
music equipment for the to
use in these sessions
Evaluation:
Harlaw Learning Partnership
Support to parents
Through the Partnership the
following has been delivered
o 2 x “I’m a parent get me out
of here!” courses –
developing parents skills so
they can better deal with
family life
o A financial management
course
o A confidence building course
o A cooking on a budget
course
Injuries due to road traffic incidents
Volunteering issues
 currently being researched to
identify responses
 currently being
researched to agree
responses
Evaluation:
8
Aberdeen Grammar Learning Partnership
Support to parents with English
as a second language
The Partnership is currently
researching the health needs of the
local community
Through the Partnership the
following work has been
delivered:
o 2 English courses
o A library of foreign language
dictionaries available to
schools and community
agencies
o The development of a
welcome pack to give
important local information to
ESOL families new to the
area.
Evaluation:
Dyce Learning Partnership
Children and Youth Participation
S1 –S3 - Dyce Youth Club
Parental involvement –
Under 12’s & Monday club
Volunteers
Media and Promotions
 Production of a directory
of local services and
Dyce ‘What’s On’ Booklet
9
Evaluation:
Practice Example – Cordyce Outdoor Learning and Nurture Space Developments 2014
Through the Dyce Learning Partnership, including Aberdeen University, Lend Lease, The Rowett Institute and Cordyce School, run down educational
areas have been identified for improvement.
Funding and a volunteer task force will take forward significant outdoor refurbishments which will develop additional areas within the school to
facilitate the further development of Outdoor Learning and Nurture Spaces.
Nurture groups are a contemporary approach to inclusive education and are designed to increase the access to learning for children who are often
marginalised. Nurture based approaches help children modify their behaviours, clarify their self-concept and build healthy relationships with staff and
peers, reduce emotional, behavioural and social obstacles to learning, improve adaptation in the classroom, enhance communication skills and
emotional literacy, address the needs of children and support teaching staff at Cordyce.
Opportunities for adults and over50s
Practice Example – Encourage Group/Men’s Shed - The Encourage Group is a volunteer led initiative which delivers on the Older Adults provision
both within and outwith the Dyce Learning Centre. There is a high percentage of Older Adults in Dyce. The Men’s Shed is part of the identified need
of the ‘Have a Go ‘week initiative which provides taster sessions for Older Adults as a way of identifying what their Learning needs/interests are. The
Encourage Group is a sub group of the Dyce Learning partnership and comes under the Adult Classes and groups theme.
Bucksburn Learning Partnership
Developing work with travellers
at Clinterty led by the
Communities Team’s adult
learning staff.
Develop a youth work programme in
the area
Encouraging reluctant readers with a
focus on literacy and numeracy
 Encouraging reluctant readers
project, involving the Library,
School, youth work team. Using
the budget to buy tablets with an
aim to using with all groups to
encourage them reading by using
Promote positive choices within the
community with particular regard to
smoking, mental health, and
underage pregnancy.
 Smoking cessation project,
involving NHS, Bucksburn
Academy, Youth work team and
local Pharmacies. Creating a
seamless, supportive way for local
young people to access cessation
Support the New Primary
School during planning, build
and transition.
Bucksburn Gala, involving a
huge range of local partners
who want to work together to
create an event to bring the
community together.
10
apps, magazines and age
appropriate websites
aids i.e. nicotine patches. School
staff and youth work staff will be
able to act as the first stop for
young people who want to stop
smoking an they will issue a ‘pass’
which means the pharmacists will
immediately dispense these aids
without going through the
registration process again.
 Bucksburn Academy school
counsellor - involving the NHS
community team, school nurse,
school staff and youth work team funding has secured a part time
counsellor at the academy for the
next 3 years. This is a direct
response to the huge increase of
self harm and mental health
issues identified locally with young
people.
Promotion of safer routes for walkers
with a focus on consultation and
promotion of safer choices i.e. health
walks.
Evaluation:
Torry Learning Partnership
Integrate varied cultural
communities
Improve learning outcomes for
underachievers
Improve health and tackle
inequalities
Young people
Torry and Kincorth Learning
Partnerships are supporting a
 Area analysis of young people’s
Improve community
communication and capacity
building
11
needs/promotion of what is
currently available.
 Early intervention drugs initiative –
ADP/Drugs action.
number of separate initiatives to
promote health and wellbeing
through increased opportunities for
physical activity
These include:
Basketball Club Start-Up at Altens
Community Centre - to run a 12
week trial to ascertain the viability of
a long term club that provides
sessions in basketball training and
non-competitive games. Initially to
primary and secondary school age
children. If this is seen to be viable
near the end of the 12 week trial,
further funding will be sought to
continue these sessions but also to
add sessions for wheelchair users
Torry Youth Activities Group (which
includes Scottish Fire and Rescue
Service, Police Scotland, Street
Work Team, Scottish Sports Futures,
RGU STREET Sport, Sport
Aberdeen (including Active Schools)
and Old Torry Community Centre) to
deliver a programme of sports
activities for young people in the
Torry area through activities at Torry
Outdoor Sports Centre, twice a
week, for 23 weeks over the spring
and summer period.
Old Torry Community Centre a
community sports program A
12
comprehensive sporting activity
program for all ages with a specific
focus young people with popular
sports to include tennis, football,
lawn bowls, netball, basket ball, table
tennis
Active Schools Leadership
Development - to allow student,
teacher and senior pupil volunteers
and volunteers from the local area to
attend sport-specific training courses
in order to build up the skills and
experience needed to run sports
clubs free of charge, charge in local
schools, sports centres and
community centres thus ensuring
long-term sustainability.
Active Schools in Torry & Kincorth to run specialist activities for P1-3
pupils in schools where lack of
facilities and qualified personnel
would normally make this impossible.
Evaluation:
Kincorth Learning Partnership
Employability/Youth unemployment in
the area – lack of placements for
those in the 16 – 18years age range
Area analysis of young people’s
needs/promotion of what is currently
available.
Support and promotion of
local volunteering.
Local area survey to identify
learning needs of the
community
13
Promotion and development of youth
work opportunities in the area.
Evaluation:
Report author: Colin Wright, Development Manager Neighbourhood Planning, Sport and Communities Team, Aberdeen City Council.
CoWright@aberdeencity.gov.uk 01224 522781
Date: 20 May 2014
14