About Us

Welcome to the Learning Partnership - Bedfordshire and Luton.

We are a voluntary association of local providers who provide learning opportunities in the broadest sense, the membership being drawn from the education, business, voluntary and community sectors.

We all share a commitment to and interest in promoting a culture of lifelong learning and maximizing on the potential of working in collaboration.

Remember: Together we can make a difference.

 

Who we are

The Learning Partnership was established by central government in 1999. The remit was to bring together the main providers of education to work collaboratively to bring coherence and connectivity to learning provision, and encourage lifelong learning.

Whilst today, the purpose remains more or less the same, the remit has expanded to encompass learning and neighbourhood renewal, and the Partnership has evolved into a dynamic network of members all of who share the common goal to promote lifelong learning.

The Partnership tries to be inclusive in its membership and through collaborative working adds value to mainstream provision. Working in partnership with local voluntary and community groups it is able to maximise the impact of learning on local regeneration.

The broad nature of the membership enables the Partnership to provide an authoritative voice, and influence, inform and sometimes challenge the planning and funding decisions that can impact on local provision.

 

The Local context

Bedfordshire and Luton is an area that is extremely fortunate to have very close co-operation and collaboration between its learning agencies and providers. It is seen as important, by all concerned, that there is a sense of cohesion to the local learning initiative that is able to address the stimulating challenges of rich, multicultural diversity, generally low unemployment rates, pockets of high social deprivation and low participation in learning schemes.

Whilst its small geographic area can be an advantage, the county is largely rural in nature, with difficulties over transport links being one factor affecting the take up of learning opportunities.

The population of the county has risen by over 8.0% between 1991 and 2001, twice the national average and is predicted to increase further over the next decade. A well-educated and skilled workforce is essential to meet the needs of new industries and technologies that are coming into the county.

The role of the Learning Partnership, in collaboration with the Local Learning and Skills Council, is to promote access to information about opportunities for lifeling learning and to ensure that partners are delivering the types of provision that individuals and communities require.

The Learning Partnership is also eager to ensure that providers and learners have access to the relevant support information that will make delivery and access far easier. This web page therefore provides useful links to a number of agencies who provide that support, and access to information that can inform bidding proposals for additional funding.