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Success for learning grant's anniversary

Recent figures show that more than 1,500 adult learners in the North East have received financial support from the Adult Learning Grant (ALG) since it was rolled out nationally last year.

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) grant offers adults up to £30 a week to go back to learning and has been hugely successful thus far with the take-up in the first year exceeding expectations.

Further research by the LSC has also revealed that adults make fantastic learners, with 77.9% of adults in the LSC North East funded further education provisions being successful in their courses in 2006/07.

The ALG was piloted in areas including the North East from 2003 and became available nationally from June 2007. Since the North East pilot in 2003, a total of 4,736 grants have been awarded in the region. The ALG was so successful when it was piloted that the national rollout was brought forward a year.

Chris Roberts, Regional Director, LSC North East, said: “It’s fantastic to see what an impact the ALG is having on the lives of adults in the North East. It has offered so many learners a helping hand in education. The grant can be used to help with anything from the cost of books and materials, through to childcare costs and really does give critical support to adults who might not otherwise have the opportunity to go back into learning.”

For more information on the ALG visit www.direct.gov.uk/alg.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .