The Big Lottery has invited the NFLN to apply for new funding to provide an England-wide family learning support service for family learning organisations to complement existing services.  The England Committe approved a solicited tender process in April, which has the potential to transform the services currently offered through the Network and would include a web-based one-stop shop for information, resources and links.

 

The work will be expected to:

 

1) improve the quality of family learning services throughout England by:

 

* developing new or promoting existing materials about providing high quality family learning activities, that meet identified gaps in knowledge about good practice.

 

* promoting and sharing best practice, including through free-to-access web services, and

 

* providing a peer mentoring scheme and one-to-one support

 

2) promote the wider use of tools to evaluate the change in a family learning service user's 'soft skills'.  (By 'soft skills' we mean: gains in confidence and understanding; improved communication; and changed relationships with family and community)

 

3) improve knowledge among family learning organisations about sustainable funding, including contracting and procurement, so that they make their services more sustainable

 

4) increase support for family learning from policy makers and statutory bodies, by promoting the evidence from family learning organisations about their contribution to wider social policy and government agendas.

 

We are all very excited about this new opportunity and will be consulting with existing and potential NFLN members to ensure that all new development work responds directly to the needs of family learning practitioners and increases the profile of family learning as a holistic approach that engages children, young people and adults in learning, builds confidence and rasies achievement.