NEW PRIZE FOR ADULT LEARNERS

A new prize for adult learners has been launched this week by The Library Association and learndirect. The E-learning Community Prize recognises and rewards learners 16+ who have learned computer skills at a library or information centre, and have used them to benefit their community.

Learners have until 29 June 2001 to submit an entry, which could be anything from producing a newsletter for local residents through desktop publishing skills, to creating a Web site for a voluntary community group. The only pre-requisite is that individuals have learned or improved their skills by using the computer facilities at a library or information centre.

Twelve regional winners will be selected to attend a prestigious Award ceremony in London on 7 November 2001. One overall winner will win a personal computer for themselves and one for the library that supported them. Each of the regional winners will receive a set of learning vouchers, which can be used at learndirect learning centres located in libraries across the country.

Louisa Myatt, Acting Marketing Manager at The Library Association said, “ The E-learning Community Prize is a great opportunity for people to gain recognition for their commitment to learning and their work for the local community. It also highlights the important role that libraries play in supporting lifelong learning.”

Entry forms are available from libraries from this week or by phoning 020 7255 0650.

Notes

1. Adult Learners Week runs from the 12-18 May.
2. The Library Association is the Chartered Professional Body that represents more than 25,000 librarians and information workers in the United Kingdom and worldwide. Members of The Library Association work in a range of settings, including: schools, colleges and higher education institutions; public libraries; industry, media, commerce and government; the health, legal and voluntary sectors.
3. learndirect is the network of learning services being developed by Ufi Ltd, the government flagship for lifelong learning. All Ufi learning centres, its free 0800 100 900 learning information helpline, the learndirect website and all Ufi learning materials carry the learndirect brand.
4. learndirect centres
   There are now over 800 learndirect centres across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, providing people with the opportunity to learn in places that offer an alternative to traditional academic settings. learndirect centres can be found in libraries, sports and shopping centres, football and rugby clubs, community centres, churches, railway stations and even pubs and a funfair. By Spring 2001 there will be up to 1,000 learndirect centres nationwide. Details of learndirect centres are at www.learndirect.co.uk. The centres are operated in partnership with Ufi by Ufi learning hubs. The hubs are local partnerships made up of local learning providers, employers, community, trade union, local authority and community organisations.
5. learndirect website – www.learndirect.co.uk
   The learndirect website supports learndirect’s on-line courses, learning services and administration systems. It also gives on-line access to a searchable database of over half a million courses available from providers nation-wide and delivers the new web-based multi-media careers package, learndirect futures. This package provides information and advice on over 700 different jobs and uses interactive diagnostic questionnaires to help users to establish what career would suit them best. It also gives help in writing CVs.
6. learndirect courses
   Ufi plans to release a steady stream of new courses over the coming months working up to around 800 titles by April 2001. Of the 400 plus courses on offer from learndirect, 87 per cent are on line. Some are as short as 20 minutes. Courses currently include information and communication technology courses at a range of levels and nearly 300 business and management programmes suitable for small businesses.
7. Basic skills
   It is estimated that one in five adults in the UK needs help with reading and writing. (A fresh start – Improving literacy and Numeracy, The report of the working group chaired by Sir Claus Moser, DfEE publications, 1999) Also on offer through learndirect are courses giving help in reading, writing and the basics of number. These basic skills courses are and will continue to be available in CD-ROM, print and video as well as on-line so that these learners have a wide choice of formats to work in. All basic skills courses are free to learners.
8. learndirect Helpline – 0800 100 900
   learndirect operates the UK’s largest free learning information helpline. Giving advice and information on over half a million learning opportunities from providers nation-wide, staff at the helpline are qualified learning and information advisers who provide useful and confidential advice to people who are not sure what they want to do next. The helpline is open 9.00am – 9.00pm Monday-Friday, or Saturday, 9.00am – midday. The helpline was launched on 25 February 1998 under its previous name (Learning Direct) and has been a resounding success. It has taken over two million calls from people wanting to know what they can learn and where. The freephone number is 0800 100 900. The helpline is supplemented by the learndirect website, which allows users to search for themselves the learndirect database of half a million courses from providers nation-wide.
9. The first learndirect on-line learning centres were opened in England in November 1999 as part of Ufi’s development phase. The first centres in Northern Ireland and Wales opened early in 2000.