Skills Ladder In Heywood

New Heart for Heywood

New Heart for Heywood in partnership with Bury College has created a Skills Ladder project. The project is aimed at helping people gain qualifications or attend a learning programme in subjects that interest them.

New Heart for Heywood in partnership with Bury College has created a Skills Ladder project. The project is aimed at helping people gain qualifications or attend a learning programme in subjects that interest them. Advice and guidance will be provided to support people, including those who wish to progress on to Level 4, or choose from a wider range of learning programmes at other venues within the area.

The project will be delivered by Bury College in partnership with Groundwork and Rochdale Council Family Learning Team and New Heart for Heywood community employment project ’At Work’. The project will also be supported by Heywood Community Champions who will support and mentor people attending courses, encouraging them with their studies.

Carol McKenzie, Director of Development at Bury College said: “We are delighted to be working more closely with the Heywood Community, and sharing good practice with New Heart for Heywood. The Skills Ladder project will significantly reduce the skills gap”.
 
Residents and partner organisation will be given the opportunity to discuss the range of courses and the skills required to develop their potential at future consultations.
 
Although Skills Ladder is in its infancy it is hoped that by summer courses will be up and running and community champions appointed.
 
Glynis Woodall, Resident Director of New Heart for Heywood said: “This project has been developed out of a need to increase the skills of people living in the NDC area. As it is a community project it is important that people have the opportunity to learn locally, it is about taking learning to the community.”
 
The project costs are £1.7million with the Learning Skills Council investing £1/2million into the project and New Heart for Heywood funding the remaining costs of £1.2million.
 
Suzanne Ogden, Partnership Manager, with the Learning Skills Council said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to engage in or get back to learning, at whatever level and whatever pace suits them best.  No one is too old or too young to learn, whether it is to acquire new skills to improve access to the jobs market or simply to learn for one’s own pleasure.”