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VTOS – 20 Years On . . .

Helen KeoghNational Co-ordinator VTOS

Thursday 5th February 2009

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Happy Anniversary China . . . Platinum . . .

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Congratulations! Durability Service Learner-centred Staffing Flexibility Expertise Impact

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Growth of VTOS in the 33 VECs (formerly 38 VECs) 1989 247 1990 613 1991 872 1992 1649 1993 2893 1994 4604 1995 5000 2009 5000 (5400)

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Service 106 Centres Levels 3 – Levels 5/6 A few at lower levels

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Learner-centred A micro-environment of learning,

care, support, guidance A personal service – relatively small

numbers Personalised education and training Tutor-student support Student-student support

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Keeping the adult at the centre of VTOS provision

ADULT LEARNER

1. Information & guidance

3. Access, transfer & progression opportunities

4. Incomemaintenance + additional supports

6.Flexible teaching & learning methodologies

7. Learning Supports – guidance; literacy; individual learning plans; assistive technology; transport; childcare;

8. Assessment within NQF & progression opportunities

9. Opportunities for feedback & internal evaluation

10. Staffing – CPD

11. External monitoring & evaluation

2. Needs analysis

5. Relevant/useful learning content

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Staffing September 2008 – 738 staff in core

centres 128 PWT 221 CID 122 PRPT 163 Part-time 90 Co-ordinators (excluding 4 VECs with

dispersed mode) 14 Assistant Co-ordinators

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Flexibility Course(s) and level(s) at which you

will succeed Learning supports Guidance support Other supports – childcare;

transport; library; mentoring

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Expertise Has moved from the heroic phase to a

more professional service – staffing; management

Experience Longevity Responsiveness Action Research -> generation of

‘theories-in-use’ (Brookfield) and shared meanings

CPD – in-service; diplomas; Master’s courses Publications

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ImpactVTOS has been and is . . . An education and training opportunity to

enable eligible individuals to gain qualifications at lower, upper and post-secondary levels - ABC

An income maintenance scheme to enable individuals in receipt of qualifying social welfare payment to continue their learning on a full-time basis

A funding framework to provide VECs with resources to respond to the learning needs of unemployed adults so as to facilitate their return to employment

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Impact . .

Up-skilling 5000+ members of the labour force not in employment - since 1995

Addressing low educational levels of 5000+ of the 1 million adults aged 16-64 with less than upper secondary education

Social inclusion for 5000+ and their families

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VTOS Impact Qualifications – c. 50,000 Progression – c. 35,000

directly Professional Expertise –

body of knowledge Guidance service –

professional staff

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VTOS Impact Intergenerational effect . . . Community effect . . . Local, national and

international contribution

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Towards 2019 . . . Maintain specific distinguishing

characteristics eligibility criteria – age; social welfare

status full-time provision needs-based provision ‘learner-centred service’ learning supports - guidance etc focus on certification focus on progression

Firmly locating the programme in local adult learning service and relationship to other programmes in VEC and elsewhere

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Towards 2019 . . . Locating VTOS within emerging

landscapes Responding to economic downturn Contributing to upskilling labour

force Contributing to social inclusion

Focusing on your USP – unique selling point – locally and nationally – within the context of AE and FE programmes

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Towards 2019 . . . Maintain clear vision and mission to steer

by in choppy waters of change, debate, uncertainty

Imagineer – imagine, engineer . . . Use your experience, track record, longevity,

strengths, successes, skills to Shape the development of adult learning in

your VEC Make alliances with other colleagues Continue to keep the adult learner at

the centre of all you do . . . .