Learning, Skills and Worklessness
“Wavehill's professionalism, ability to grasp issues quickly and awareness of the post-16 sector gave the contract manager complete confidence in the consultants representing the Assembly when dealing with senior representatives, e.g. Chief Executives and Principals of the participating organisations”
Wavehill has worked within all levels of the learning sector ranging all the way from pre-school education to adult continuing learning (ACL).
We have established ourselves as a key provider of consultancy services to bodies involved in the policy development, strategic management and delivery of learning and skills.
Our recent work has involved linking community learning with economic inactivity, and wider area regeneration. We are currently evaluating a number of projects designed to reduce disaffection and disengagement amongst key learner groups, most notably NEETs.
Projects
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Ongoing evaluation of the Life Skills project
Life Skills is a £14million European funded (ESF) project that supports the delivery of services throughout Wales that will mainly support targeted groups of economically inactive people to engage or re-engage with education, learning, volunteering and employment. It is a focussed project targeting the following specific participant groups: ‘care leavers’, ‘carers and former carers returning to work’, ‘economically inactive families’ and ‘older people’. The evaluation, being undertaken over a 4 year period, is focused on assessing whether the project is achieving its objectives and how those objectives are being achieved. Identifying and sharing good practice and lessons learnt is an important part of the evaluation.
Research Review of the impact of Welfare to Work Policy in Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Gwent, and Rhondda Cynon Taff
Wavehill were commissioned in January 2011 to conduct a research review of the impact of the new Welfare to Work policy on workless households in Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, and Rhondda Cynon Taff. The work aims to identify existing service provision for workless and vulnerable families in the three areas.
Evaluation of Cer Amdani Project
The project, part funded by the BIG Lottery Stepping Stones Fund, works with Young People (19-25) across Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouth and Newport to improve their communication skills, confidence, employment knowledge and skills, team working skills and to manage their own lives more independently.
Cyrennians
Cyrenians – Supported Employment & Training is a £5.9 million ESF Convergence Programme which initially worked with people in the Swansea Bay area (SA1 postcode) but due to the project’s success has now spread to Llanelli, Port Talbot and Gorseinon. The project builds on the Cyrenians charity and its work with the homeless, alcohol and drug dependent people and those who are disadvantaged by poverty and lack of opportunity.
Evaluation of Dysgu Gyda'n Gilydd Community Learning Programme
A programme which targeted hard-to-reach groups and traditional non-learners in rural communities through the use of community 'animateurs' or community co-ordinators.
Swansea Training Pathways
An evaluation of an ESF-funded project which has been providing specialist training to build capacity and skills amongst people working with young people in the voluntary and non-statutory sectors.
Stakeholder Consultation: Recognising and Rewarding Excellence in Post-16 Learning in Wales
To "explore the views and opinions of providers and representative organisations on recognising and rewarding excellence in further education, community and work based learning, to inform strategy development." Research was undertaken to enable DCELLS to prepare a Programme which would drive up quality and meet the emerging needs of organisations delivering further education and training, in light of emerging policy directives.