3A: How to achieve success in meeting the needs and interests of learners

Successful providers:

• understand the particular needs of their learners and the jobs they do, and design their programmes around these needs
• ensure that literacy, numeracy and ESOL provision is designed into programmes at the outset, not left as an afterthought or treated as secondary
• encourage all WBL learners to improve their literacy, numeracy and language (ESOL) skills. This includes learners on NVQ programmes, about a quarter of whom have additional social needs or additional learning needs
• form strong partnerships with employers and other agencies to promote social inclusion and bring benefits to learners
• help reluctant employers to understand the importance of encouraging learners to improve their literacy, numeracy and language skills by demonstrating the benefits to their business
• put a lot of effort into ensuring that literacy, numeracy and ESOL learning is accessible to the learners who need it. They may do this by providing transport, by using community venues or by running classes at the employer’s premises. They are flexible and innovative in finding solutions.