The Learning Partnership

Latest Funding Update – 17 May 2012

Nick Bray — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:43:21 +0000

This is the latest issue of the Learning Partnership funding update part of the funding eXchange service we will be rolling out to partners.

Below we have listed all of the new funding initiatives connected to learning and skills. If you would like more information about any of these schemes please contact Nick Bray quoting the relevant reference number.

This service is offered to partners who are involved in the design or delivery of learning opportunities within Bedfordshire and Luton.

Grantfinder searches over 4,000 funding sources and is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. We are pleased to work in partnership to bring you access to the very latest funding opportunities that affect the learning and skills sector.

Grantfinder is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. For more information or to arrange a demonstration please call 01909 501200.

Whilst the majority of the funding opportunities are from the Grantfinder database we are now also providing details of other funding opportunities.

1. Film Culture Fund UG6345

Grants of between £2,000 and £40,000 are available to help audiences throughout the English regions (excluding London) access a diverse range of film content, to enrich audiences’ experience through education opportunities, and to integrate regional screen heritage resources into wider film provision.

Funding is available for projects that address one or more of the following:

Programming

Projects should demonstrate:

Extended choice through relevant film programming engaging existing and new audiences.
A broad knowledge of film culture.
A commitment to increasing and diversifying audiences for film.
An awareness of the role of programming within audience development.
Expertise in using film to meet both cultural and financial objectives.
Clear additionality to core work.
Competencies in marketing, technical delivery, event management.
Clear legacy at project close.
The impact and value of Creative England funding interventions.

Reaching under-served audiences

Projects can include rural initiatives, emerging festivals or community-based cinema. Where provision is low, programming need not be specialised but geared to serve the best interests of audiences. Projects should:

Improve access and inclusion by engaging with diverse audiences which are generally under-represented or under-served.
Deliver audience development through targeting specific audience groups or communities with limited access to film.
Offer sustainability and legacy.
Demonstrate knowledge of target communities and specific barriers to be addressed.

Regional Screen Heritage

Projects should be focused on widening and enriching audience access to film/moving image archive in regional collections. Support can also address the acquisition, preservation, conservation and curation where this is required to deliver access. Priority will be given to projects which:

Increase audience reach and engagement.
Improve sustainability of collections and explore new revenue streams.
Demonstrate a clear legacy at project close.
Improve collaboration and partnerships on a local and pan regional basis.
Demonstrate the impact and value of Creative England funding interventions.

The Fund is primarily aimed at cinemas, film archives, film festivals and the non-theatrical exhibition sector. However, other organisations with appropriate projects and experience are also welcome to apply.

The deadline for applications is 1 June 2012.

2. New Call for European Multistakeholder Platforms on Corporate Social Responsibility (EU) ZG4390

The DG Enterprise and Industry has published a Call for Proposals for ‘European Multistakeholder platforms on corporate social responsibility in relevant business sectors’. The aim of the Call is to encourage more European enterprises to take a strategic approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) in cooperation with relevant stakeholders.

Private and public companies, business organisations/networks, trade unions, NGOs, public authorities and academic/training institutions are invited to apply for grants to enable them to build up, support and coordinate a multistakeholder CSR platform in a relevant business sector.

Possible activities and outputs include:

Identify main challenges of the respective business sector
Develop solution strategies
Support and consultation
Publicly available set of commitments by enterprises and stakeholders
Monitoring tools for joint evaluation of progress

All platforms co-financed under this Call should include as broad a range of relevant European stakeholder organisations as possible, with wide European coverage, and should only be created where enterprises and stakeholders can demonstrate a clear added value in a European perspective. At least 15 countries participating in the Enterprise and Innovation Programme should be covered by each individual platform.

A total of €600,000 is available and it is expected that three to four proposals will be supported. The maximum co-financing per project is 75% of eligible costs to a ceiling of €200,000.

The deadline for submissions is 14 September 2012.

3. UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF)

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) have launched the new £100 million UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF).

The new fund will help HEIs (Higher Education Institutes) in the UK to support large-scale projects that can leverage substantial co-investment from private sources building on the research excellence in the higher education sector.

The main aims of the Fund are to:

Enhance the research facilities of HEIs (Higher Education Institutes) undertaking world-leading research.
Encourage strategic partnerships between HEIs and other organisations active in research.
Stimulate additional investment in HE research.
Strengthen the contribution of the research base to economic growth.

The funding will support development of the physical infrastructure and equipment of HEIs undertaking high quality research, either through strategic partnerships with co-investors, or where HEIs are in receipt of donations. The majority of the funding is likely to be allocated for new buildings or major refurbishment of existing facilities, or purchase of relatively high cost equipment.

Capital grants of between £10 million to £35 million are available per project.

Applicants must be able to attract private investment of at least double the project cost amount they have bid for. Meaning for every £1 the HEFCE invests, there should be an additional £2 invested from another source.

The HEFCE is looking to invest in three to ten projects.

The deadline for expressions of interest is Friday, 8 June 2012.

4. INDUSTRIAL CASE STUDENTSHIPS (UK) UGDF45

Industrial CASE (Co-operative Awards in Science and Engineering) Studentships enable companies to take the lead in defining and setting up research projects with a HEI research organisation of their choice.

Applicant companies choose which academic partner will host the studentship, and then select suitable, eligible students in consultation with the partner. Projects must be in engineering or physical sciences and are jointly supervised by the academic and industrial partners.

Up to 40 awards are expected to be made in each academic year.

The company must make a contribution of at least one third of that provided by the EPSRC (at present rates this equates to a minimum of £23,404 for the duration of the project).

Funds are intended to cover the costs of stipends, feeds and the incidental costs of research. The contribution from the applicant company should also cover expenses incurred by the student while carrying out the placement with the company, such as travel and accommodation, or other out of pocket costs.

Support is available for companies to undertake research through part funding a postgraduate studentship which is carried out in collaboration with a Higher Education Institution (HEI) partner. Projects, which are defined by the participating company, must be in the engineering or physical sciences and should lead to recognised qualifications (usually a PhD).

The 2012 deadline is 21 September 2012.

5. DG ENTERPRISE AND INDUSTRY – GRANT PROGRAMME (EU Member State) ZG4390

The DG Enterprise and Industry has published a new Call for Proposals – Pilot project for the development of sector skills alliances.

Sector Skills Alliances (SSAs) are a new category of transnational partnerships foreseen in the new programme for education, training, youth and sport proposed by the European Commission, ‘Erasmus for All’. SSAs will promote cooperation between education and learning providers, sector specific expertise including social partners, sectoral federations, Chambers etc, and public or private bodies involved in education and training systems.

The objective of this Call is to provide direct support for testing Sector Skills Alliances so that lessons can be learnt for future implementation.

This Call is addressed to organisations in the following sectors only:

Automotive industry.

Health and social work.

Tourism and catering.

Energy saving technologies, including sustainable construction.

Aeronautics industry.

The maximum budget available for the co-financing of projects is €2 million, with grants of up to €400,000 available per application. The contribution from the Commission will not exceed 75% of total eligible costs.

Proposed alliances must include a minimum of seven partner organisations, established in at least five countries participating in the Lifelong Learning Programme, including four Member States. They must also include at least one partner from each of the following categories:

VET providers, including higher education institutions, research centres or bodies in education and training.

Sector Specific expertise such as social partners or professional associations.

Bodies involved in education and training systems, ie national, regional and local public or private bodies and authorities.

The deadline for submissions is 16 August 2012

6. NEW CALL FOR PROPOSALS LAUNCHED TO SUPPORT THE NETWORKING OF CINEMAS SCREENING EUROPEAN FILMS (EU Member State) ZG1120

A new Call for Proposals has been launched under the MEDIA 2007 programme. The Call offers support for the networking of cinemas screening European films — ‘Cinema network’ – and has two key objectives:

To improve the circulation of non-national European films in the European and international markets.
To encourage the screening of non-national European films in the European market, in particular by supporting the coordination of a cinema network.

European cinemas, grouped in a network, are eligible to apply if their activities contribute to these objectives. The cinema network must represent at least 100 cinemas in at least 20 countries participating in the MEDIA programme.

The following activities are eligible for support:

Actions aimed at promoting and screening European films.

Educational activities aimed at raising awareness among young cinema-goers.

Activities aimed at encouraging and accompanying the introduction of digital cinema among exhibitors.

Networking activities – information, animation and communication.

The Call offers a two-year partnership agreement. The maximum budget available is €10.8 million for the first year, for up to 40% of total eligible costs. Only one beneficiary will be selected.

The deadline for submissions is 16 July 2012.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

7. LSIS Organisational Effectiveness Fund 2012-2013

LSIS is pleased to invite bids from learning and skills provider organisations to join the LSIS Organisational Effectiveness Fund 2012-2013 (formerly known as the Resource Utilisation Network Fund).The fund is designed to support projects which deliver significant improvements in efficiency, effectiveness or the generation of financial surplus, in sector practice.

Bids, up to a maximum of £20,000, may be submitted by provider organisations working individually or in collaboration with others but must be for activities that will have transferable learning and benefits for the wider sector rather than just an individual organisation.

Projects should demonstrate cost savings or increases in surplus due to changes in organisational practice, new products or processes and transformation of service delivery either front line or back office.

We will also welcome applications for expanding current successful programmes to improve their effectiveness. These changes and benefits should demonstrate that they can deliver outcomes which are sustainable year on year. The projects and programmes must be capable of delivering clearly replicable learning that is transferable across the sector or parts of it.

Applications can be made by completing the application form below and returning to resource.utilisation@lsis.org.uk by 12pm midday on Monday 21 May 2012. Applications must be submitted using Microsoft Word. PDF documents will not be accepted. Late applications cannot be considered.

Supporting documents:

Previous successful case studies can be found on the Excellence Gateway.

8. Regional Sustainability Advisers – promoting sustainable development in your region

LSIS wishes to build on the excellent progress that has been made in embedding sustainability into the business of the learning and skills sector, by continuing to offer support to providers through Regional Sustainability Advisers (RSAs) who can help lead change in their region.

A number of RSAs appointed in 2011-12 have chosen to continue in the role. We are therefore currently seeking three Regional Sustainability Advisers, one for each of the following regions:

London
the South East
Yorkshire and the Humber

The RSAs will be ambassadors for embedding sustainability into organisational strategy, practice and performance, and for developing the capacity and capability of sustainability leaders to drive change.

The closing date for applications is 12:00 midday on Monday 28th May 2012.

For more information and to apply, please see the information below.

Supporting documents:

Regional Sustainability Advisers – Application form

9. LSIS STEM Fund: Raising awareness of STEM opportunities with learners through ‘Big Bang Near Me’ fairs

The aim of The Big Bang programme of events is to engage, inspire and motivate learners to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

LSIS is now offering funding to enable FE and skills providers to plan, deliver and evaluate their own Big Bang fair during 2012-13. The events should offer a valuable CPD opportunity for staff, and inspiration for current and future learners, all centred on STEM subjects. This will involve working in partnership with employers in local STEM-related industries and other organisations.

There is a maximum grant available for Raising awareness of STEM opportunities with learners through ‘Big Bang Near Me’ fairs of up to £10,000 per project. The Big Bang team will provide an online toolkit and telephone support.

Applications can be made by completing the attached form and sending by email to tlpfundingportal@lsis.org.uk by MIDNIGHT on Monday 11th June 2012.

Supporting documents:

Guidance and application form

Latest PCF Bulletin

Nick Bray — Mon, 14 May 2012 07:40:12 +0000

Dear Colleagues,

Please find attached this week’s latest update to the Partnership Community Forum (PCF) which we hope you find of interest.

Adult Learner’s Week is fast approaching and we are looking forward to a full agenda of activities that are planned for next week. The local ceremony will take place on Friday next week at Shuttleworth College, which is the opportunity to celebrate people’s learning through nomination of awards.

The next PCF meeting will be taking place on the 24^th May, 2012, here at the Partnership Offices, we will be circulating the Agenda and associated papers for this meeting next week, so watch out for them. We have some excellent speakers lined up so would encourage you to confirm your attendance as soon as possible.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if there is anything we can support you with or if you have any questions regarding Learning Partnership activities.

Kind regards

Vanda

If you wish to have information included within the bulletin please contact Nick Bray our office administrator email: nbray@learning-partnership.co.uk

Local Adult Learner’s Week Activities planned for Bedford and Luton:

Tuesday 15^th May – Bedford Activity Event, Harpur Street, 10.30 – 3.30

Wednesday 16^th May – Luton Activity Event, Smith’s Square, Luton Arndale, 10.00 – 4.00

Thursday 17^th May - Regional Awards Ceremony, Duxford

Friday 18^th May - Local Awards Ceremony, Shuttleworth College, Old Warden

The local activity events in Bedford and Luton are open to all and welcome you to join us. For further details on the regional and local ceremonies please contact Nick Bray email: nbray@learning-partnership.co.uk

Learning Partnership – Partnership Scheme

Work continues on getting more organisations signed up to our Partnership Scheme and we have now produced a development plan which identifies the areas where organistions have identified a support need.

If you have not been contacted by us already and wish to sign up please visit our website or contact Chris Cooper for more details.

The application is in two parts – Associate membership and Full Partner membership. There is no cost involved just some of your time to complete the process which we are happy to support you with.

For more information contact Chris Cooper ccooper@learning-partnership.co.uk or visit our website for more details…

DWP ESF Families Programme

This is a voluntary programme aimed at moving families closer to and into sustained employment. The programme is designed to complement existing services that take place within a Local Authority, whilst reducing the wider impacts on intergenerational worklessness.

Reed in Partnership is the prime contractor for the DWP ESF Families Programme in the East of England. The Learning Partnership is the approved end to end provider working in conjunction with Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire Councils delivering the Families Programme in Bedford and across Central Bedfordshire. The Families Programme is delivered through a strong partnership of community, voluntary and private sector organisations to engage with individuals and families to support them in getting back to work. Referrals can be made by Teams within Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire Councils, Schools, Colleges, Family Learning Providers, Housing Associations, Voluntary and Community organisations.

If your organisation can identify families with a need or require more information, please contact

Employment Co-ordinator on 01234 857661 or e-mail: families@learning-partnership.co.uk

To view the full promotional leaflet

Project 229 –

Chill in the Park

Project 229 is holding a free family event entitled ‘Chill in the Park’ event in Addison Park on Sunday 17 June 2012 from 1pm to 5pm.

Click here to view the promotional leaflet

For further information please contact Rebecca Solesbury on 01234 840880, or by email on comments@project229.org

Project 229 – Other events being publicised

Project 229 would like to draw your attention to some events and workshops being delivered over the coming weeks.

Green Man Garden

Saturday 12 May 2012 from 10am to 12 noon. This workshop focuses on composting and will be held at the Green Man Community Garden, Addison Howard Park, Kempston. For further enquiries please contact Katherine Miskin on 07740 899634 or by email k.miskin@tcv.org.uk

There are 2 workshops entitled “How to improve your health easily” which are being held at Project 229. The aim of both is:

a) Boost Immune System and fight infections

b) Increase energy and sleep better

c) Balance weight without dieting

d) Improve health on multiple levels

The workshops are:

Wednesday 16 May 2012 1pm-2.30pm – Creamy Desserts without Dairy or Sugar

Wednesday 30 May 2012 1pm-2.30pm – The incredible adaptable Cauliflower and other plants.

Each workshop costs £3.

To view the promotional leaflet please click here.

For further information please contact the session leader – Ann Peckham on 07972 131666 or by email on purpleann57@yahoo.co.uk

LSIS News

LSIS Priorities for 2012-2013

We will focus our priorities and objectives so that our work falls within fewer priority areas, to enable our programmes to target areas of greatest need. In Refining our Strategy 2012 to 2015, we have set our three priorities for 2012 to 2013. These are:

To drive forward outstanding teaching and learning
To forge excellent leadership and management
To move with powerful intervention both to avoid and resolve cases of failure

The new Strategy “LSIS: our commitment to improvement” will be published in June

The new Excellence Gateway

Have you had a look at the new Excellence Gateway? The new Excellence Gateway – discover what’s in it for you. www.excellencegateway.org.uk

LSIS National Annual Teaching and Learning Fair – Teaching and Learning Excellence

This year’s annual fair will take place on Friday 29^th June at QEII Conference Centre, London, SW1P 3EE.

Learn about learning through sharing effective practice and the latest thinking on the neuroscience of learning.
Speakers include Baroness Susan Greenfield, neuroscientist, writer and broadcaster together with:

Fintan Donohue , Principal and Chief Executive of North Hertfordshire College and founder member of the Gazelle Group;
David Hughes , Chief Executive, NIACE; and
Frank McLoughlin CBE , Principal of City and Islington College and Chair of the independent Commission on Adult Vocational Teaching and Learning.

To get the most from this event senior managers are encouraged to attend with the individual with the lead role for the quality of teaching and learning. The cost is £150 payable and remaining LSIS Account credit can be used. Buy one place and bring your change agent for free.

LSIS Research Conference 2012 – Improving vocational learning through research- based practice

For the third year we are running a dedicated research conference for practitioners in the FE and Skills sector. It is being held on Tuesday 19^th June at the Church House Conference Centre, London
SW1P 3NZ. This year’s keynote speakers are Professor Lorna Unwin, LLAKES Research, Institute of Education and Professor Sandra Nutley, Director of the Research Unit for Research Utilisation, University of St Andrews.

The cost is £150 and remaining LSIS Account credit can be used.

Community Grants – Phase 3 Release

Grants are available for up to £12,000 for projects supporting people from the hardest to reach communities and individuals experiencing disadvantages accessing mainstream European Social Funding, domestic employment and skills provision. This is the third phase of Community Grants, and applications are now open. Click here for full details.

Information, Advice and Guidance Services – FREE for your clients

The Learning Partnership – Bedfordshire and Luton working together with its consortia of partners are able to offer free Information, Advice, and Guidance sessions in Bedfordshire and Luton. This service offers careers and skills advice and can be delivered to fit individual needs. In addition, the service can provide:

CV support
Improving interview skills
Information on the job market
Signposting and referral to other organisations

If you think this service would benefit your client groups please contact us directly to arrange a visit to discuss how we can work together to support your clients. Please contact:

Christopher Cooper -Tel: 07825 686702 or Email: ccooper@learning-partnership.co.uk

Learning Partnership Meeting Room Hire – latest offer

LOOKING FOR A ROOM TO HOLD MEETINGS OR SEMINARS?

WE MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU

We have 2 rooms available for hire at competitive prices at Calibration House, 1 Sunbeam Road, Woburn Road Industrial Estate, Kempston, Beds, MK42 7BZ.

Our larger room, Room 1, will comfortably seat 20 delegates in Boardroom Style, 30 in Theatre Style or 18 in Cabaret Style.

The Room has a laptop (providing Internet Access and Office 2007), projector, SmartBoard and Flip Chart facilities. Refreshments are available.

Our smaller room, Room 2, will comfortably seat up to 12 delegates in Boardroom Style.

For further information and pricing plans, please contact us on 01234 851154 or email nbray@learning-partnership.co.uk or visit our website: http://www.learningincommunities.co.uk/events/training-room-facilities

Latest Funding Update – 10 May 2012

Nick Bray — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:56:42 +0000

Welcome to the Funding eXchange!

This is the latest issue of the Learning Partnership funding update part of the funding eXchange service we will be rolling out to partners.

This service is offered to partners who are involved in the design or delivery of learning opportunities within Bedfordshire and Luton.

Grantfinder is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. For more information or to arrange a demonstration please call 01909 501200.

Whilst the majority of the funding opportunities are from the Grantfinder database we are now also providing details of other funding opportunities.

1. Start-up Loans Pilot Scheme to Launch on 28 May

The Government has outlined more details about its new Start-up Loans Pilot Scheme for young entrepreneurs.

Outline details of the scheme were announced in the 2012 Budget. It has been confirmed that the scheme will be piloted in partnership with the National Youth Enterprise Working Group.

Based on the current student loan system, the initiative will enable young people who choose not to go to university to access low interest loans for starting up a business.

There is an anticipated overall budget of £10 million available. Loans are expected to be worth up to £2,500 per individual. The scheme will also provide access to training and business mentors.

Young entrepreneurs aged 18-24 who are planning to start up a business enterprise in the UK will be eligible to apply for a loan.

The pilot scheme, which will last for one year, is now expected to launch on 28 May 2012. Details and deadline information (if applicable) will be reported when available.

2. DAVID CANTER MEMORIAL FUND (UK) UGW940

The David Canter Memorial Fund offers grants to those working in the crafts for special projects, travel for specific research and for educational work.

Awards are made every other year, each time focusing on a specific craft discipline. In 2012, the focus will be on ceramics.

Applicants should have finished formal training and be working full- or part-time in the UK.

Grants usually range from £500 to £1,000. Examples of what these grants may be used for include project costs, eg setting up a workshop, buying equipment, educational work or for research and travel.

Grants are not available for students, or for those working in the field of fine arts.

The deadline for the receipt of applications is 21 September 2012.

3. ENTERPRISING BRITAIN 2012 AWARDS (UK) UG0250

The Government has launched Enterprising Britain 2012; a nationwide competition to find the most entrepreneurial places in the UK, where enterprise is creating jobs and transforming communities. The initiative encourages innovation, competitiveness, growth and jobs.

Entries are being invited under the following three categories:

The most enterprising place in the UK – to identify the town, city, place or area in the country that is best improving economic prospects and encouraging enterprise.
Promoting Enterprise – to identify the organisation that best promotes enterprise.
Encouraging Exporting – to identify an organisation that best promotes exporting.

The 2012 prize package comprises the following:

Use of the Enterprising Britain logo which can act as a stamp on merchandise and publicity materials.

A trophy, to be presented by the Business and Enterprise Minister.

A flag showing the Enterprising Britain logo as a permanent physical memento of the winner’s success.

Two of the Enterprising Britain 2012 winners will be selected to go on to represent the UK at the European Enterprise Promotion Awards (reported separately under GRANTfinder reference number ZG4470).

In addition to receiving the award itself, the winners will be recognised for their creativity and successfully implementing enterprising policies in their region. They will therefore be in the position to inspire others by acting as role models across the European Union.

The competition is open to UK public authorities and organisations working in partnership with them, eg national organisations, towns, cities, regions and communities as well as public-private partnerships between public authorities and entrepreneurs, educational programmes, and business organisations.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 25 May 2012.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

4. LSIS Organisational Effectiveness Fund 2012-2013

Supporting documents:

Previous successful case studies can be found on the Excellence Gateway.

5. Regional Sustainability Advisers – promoting sustainable development in your region

A number of RSAs appointed in 2011-12 have chosen to continue in the role. We are therefore currently seeking three Regional Sustainability Advisers, one for each of the following regions:

London
the South East
Yorkshire and the Humber

The closing date for applications is 12:00 midday on Monday 28th May 2012.

For more information and to apply, please see the information below.

Supporting documents:

6. LSIS STEM Fund: Raising awareness of STEM opportunities with learners through ‘Big Bang Near Me’ fairs

The aim of The Big Bang programme of events is to engage, inspire and motivate learners to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

Applications can be made by completing the attached form and sending by email to tlpfundingportal@lsis.org.uk by MIDNIGHT on Monday 11th June 2012.

Supporting documents:

Guidance and application form

Latest Funding Update – 2 May 2012

Nick Bray — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:03:43 +0000

This is the latest issue of the Learning Partnership funding update part of the funding eXchange service we will be rolling out to partners.

This service is offered to partners who are involved in the design or delivery of learning opportunities within Bedfordshire and Luton.

Grantfinder is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. For more information or to arrange a demonstration please call 01909 501200.

Whilst the majority of the funding opportunities are from the Grantfinder database we are now also providing details of other funding opportunities.

1. Bedfordshire Small Business Awards – UG1220

The Bedfordshire Small Business Awards are intended to showcase the very best of the small businesses in Bedfordshire.

There is a first prize of £5,000 in advertising provided by Premier Newspapers.

Award Categories are as follows:

Best New Business Award
Employee of the Year
Enterprising Business
Business Person of the Year
Young Business Person of the Year
Real Life Entrepreneur
Training and Development Award
Franchisee of the Year
Networking Group of the Year
Business Innovation Award
Green Business Award
Service Excellence Award
Best E-Business Award
Business Woman of the Year
Retailer of the Year Award

The competition is open to all businesses based in Bedfordshire or companies that can prove the majority of their business is conducted in Bedfordshire.

Entrants must be sole traders or have less than 200 employees at the time of entering.

The 2012 deadline has been extended to 4 May 2012.

The Awards Ceremony will be held at the Mansion House, Shuttleworth Park, Old Warden on 13 June 2012.

2. Research and Knowledge Exchange (RAKE) Fund UG3180

The 2012 Call for Applications for the Research and Knowledge Exchange (RAKE) Fund is now open.

The RAKE Fund is provided by a partnership involving Barclays Bank and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), and is delivered on their behalf by the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE).

The fund aims to encourage new research activities from within the academic community, third sector groups and research consultants or practitioners. At present, the scheme aims to engage with exploring processes and possibilities of SME internationalisation.

Academic researchers, third sector research organisations, research consultants and practitioners are eligible to apply.

ISBE expects to fund number of projects, which will each receive grants ranging between £10,000 and £12,000.

The closing date for applications is Friday 15 June 2012 (5pm).

Successful applicants will be notified by mid-September.

3. QUEEN ELIZABETH SCHOLARSHIP TRUST (UK) UE7330

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) was established in 1990 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Royal Warrant Holders Association and the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.

The objective of the Trust is to support excellence in British crafts.

Each scholarship is worth between £1,000 and £15,000, depending on how much funding is required for a project. Scholarship winners also receive an emblazoned certificate.

Eligible applicants are craftsmen and women of all ages who live and work permanently in the UK. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they already have a high level of skill and are firmly committed to their craft or trade.

The deadline for the summer 2012 Scholarships has been confirmed as 24 May 2012.

4. CCS INNOVATION PROGRAMME (UK) UGM230

The Department of Climate & Energy Change (DECC) has opened a new competition to fund the development of innovations in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies.

The CCS Innovation Programme initially consists of two strands:

Strand one – to fund feasibility studies looking to use the captured CO2 from the Ferrybridge CCPilot100+ and Aberthaw capture pilots.

Strand two – to fund development and demonstration, up to a scale of c10MWe, of CCS components, systems and technologies which could be subsequently incorporated into the supply chain of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and developers of commercial scale CCS projects.

The programme has an overall budget of £20 million available. Strand one will invest up to £500,000 in feasibility studies. Strand two will offer grants of between £500,000 and £5 million, leading to indicative total project sizes of approximately £1 million to £10 million.

For both strands, the competition will support innovative technologies associated with CCS for large single-point emitters of CO2, such as fossil-fuelled power plants, and energy-intensive industries. The challenge is to reduce the cost of CCS by developing more efficient, lower cost technologies, components and systems; and to develop understanding which reduces uncertainty and risk (and therefore leads to cost reduction) for any aspect of the CCS process.

All projects must led by businesses in the UK. Collaborations between organisations are strongly preferred. Collaborations will preferably involve partners from the supply chain and an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or end user. For strand one, universities and research organisations are eligible to apply, but cannot lead a consortium.

The deadline for registrations is 22 June 2012 (noon) and the deadline for full applications is 29 June 2012 (noon).

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

5. LSIS Organisational Effectiveness Fund 2012-2013

Supporting documents:

Previous successful case studies can be found on the Excellence Gateway

6. Regional Sustainability Advisers – promoting sustainable development in your region

A number of RSAs appointed in 2011-12 have chosen to continue in the role. We are therefore currently seeking three Regional Sustainability Advisers, one for each of the following regions:

London
the South East
Yorkshire and the Humber

The closing date for applications is 12:00 midday on Monday 28th May 2012.

For more information and to apply, please see the information below.

Supporting documents:

7. LSIS STEM Fund: Raising awareness of STEM opportunities with learners through ‘Big Bang Near Me’ fairs

The aim of The Big Bang programme of events is to engage, inspire and motivate learners to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

Applications can be made by completing the attached form and sending by email to tlpfundingportal@lsis.org.uk by MIDNIGHT on Monday 11th June 2012.

Supporting documents:

Guidance and application form

PCF Bulletin – 27 April 2012

Nick Bray — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:06:32 +0000

Dear Colleagues,

Please find attached this week’s latest update to the Partnership Community Forum (PCF) which we hope you find of interest.

Looking forward the next PCF meeting is due to take place on 24 May 2012, an agenda and associated papers will be circulated in the coming weeks. We have two key speakers lined up – Joe Richardson, Partnership Manager for Jobcentre Plus in Bedfordshire who will be giving a presentation on the latest developments around DWP funding for both organisations and clients and Debbie Suddards, Head of Contract for Suffolk County Council on National Careers Service talking about the changes to the service and how it can support your clients.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if there is anything we can support you with or if you have any questions regarding Learning Partnership activities.

Kind regards

Vanda

If you wish to have information included within the bulletin please contact Nick Bray our office administrator email: nbray@learning-partnership.co.uk

Learning Partnership – Partnership Scheme

If you have not been contacted by us already and wish to sign up please visit our website or contact Chris Cooper for more details.

The application is in two parts – Associate membership and Full Partner membership. There is no cost involved just some of your time to complete the process which we are happy to support you with.

For more information contact Chris Cooper ccooper@learning-partnership.co.uk or visit our website for more details…

Adult Learners’ Week

Win with Adult Learners’ Week!

If you would like to join in the celebrations for our 15 outstanding Adult Learners’ Week Award winners, at the regional ALW Awards Ceremony at Duxford Imperial War Museum on the morning of Thursday 17th May, with the awards being presented by BBCTV’s Susie Fowler-Watt, then email Sam Jones on alw@cpltrust.net giving your name, organisation and any special requirements – please respond quickly as places are going fast!

Take advantage of the wonderful Adult Learners’ Week resources to both promote and support your events – download or order at www.alw.org.uk – Access Resources. And don’t forget to upload details of your events to the Adult Learners’ Week Events Diary at www.alw.org.uk – potential learners, the ALW Telephone Helpline and the press all use this diary to find out about events in your area.

Please find attached both ‘Event Holder Evaluation Form’ and ‘Event Participant Registration Form’. Help us to monitor and measure the effectiveness of Adult Learners’ Week and stand the chance of winning our prize draw – an Electronic Tablet or £200 event vouchers.

Help make the 21st Adult Learners’ Week one to remember!

Local Adult Learners’ Week

This year’s Local Adult Learners’ Week Awards Ceremony will be held at Shuttleworth College, Old Warden Park, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, SG18 9DX on Friday 18th May 2012. Arrivals will be from 11am with the celebrations beginning at 11.30am until 12.30pm followed by a buffet lunch.

The venue for this year’s local event is sponsored by Bedford College, with the winner’s awards vouchers kindly sponsored by the Bedfordshire Federation of Colleges. The winners will be able to redeem their vouchers at Barnfield College, Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College or the University of Bedfordshire.

The individual award categories have been sponsored by Bedfordshire Adult Skills & Community Learning, Bedford College, BPHA, Bright Learning Solutions, Central Bedfordshire College, The Chamber, Luton Adult & Community Learning and Reed in Partnership. It is being actively promoted as part of Adult Learners Week.

The event is about how the power of learning can change people’s lives. At the centre of this of course are the Award Winners themselves.

To reserve your space please complete the attached Response Form

DWP ESF Families Programme

If your organisation can identify families with a need or require more information, please contact

Employment Co-ordinator on 01234 857661 or e-mail: families@learning-partnership.co.uk

To view the full promotional leaflet

Courses being delivered by MIND

Bedfordshire and Luton MIND wish to publicise their ‘How to become your own best therapist’ 5 week courses which are being delivered on the following dates and at the following venues:

Bedford (Queens Park Neighbourhood Centre)

Mondays from 11 June 2012 to 9 July 2012 – 6pm to 8pm

Mondays from 6 August 2012 to 10 September 2012 – 6pm to 8pm

Ampthill Methodist Church

Mondays from 14 May 2012 to 18 June 2012 – 1pm to 3pm

Mondays from 9 July 2012 to 6 August 2012 – 1pm to 3pm

Dunstable (Creasey Park)

Mondays from 30 April 2012 to 4 June 2012 – 6pm to 8pm

In all cases registration is 30 minutes before the start time.

For further course details and contact details

Programmes and events being run at Lewsey Farm Learning Centre

Training Courses:

Employability Skills – from 16 May 2012 to 18 July 2012. The course runs for 10 weeks, one day per week.

Parenting course – 7 weeks’ duration in the near future on a Tuesday evening from 6pm to 9pm. The exact dates are still to be determined, but for a publicity poster please click here

One day training:

CV Writing 2 May 2012

Interview Skills 9 May 2012

Places are free but limited so book early. To register for any of these opportunities contact: admin@lflct.org.uk or telephone 01582 691990.

CIEH Food Hygiene Level 2 Certificate Training

Lewsey Farm Learning Centre is running a Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) Level 2 Food Hygiene course on Friday 13 July 2012 from 9.30am to 4.30pm. The cost is £80 per person.

Click here for the course poster and contact details.

Courses being delivered by Evolve Your Future

Evolve Your Future wish to promote their forthcoming courses.

Community Advocacy

This is a course aimed at people who are considering volunteering. The course will enable potential volunteers to learn about community advocacy, how to get involved in community volunteering and the benefits of getting involved in volunteering.

To view the course leaflet please click here.

Making the Most of your Money

This is a course aimed at people who would like assistance with Money Management. It will enable clients to find ways of saving money, to complete an expenditure sheet and assist with budgeting. The course will run for 5 Wednesday afternoons at Bedford Central Library starting at 1pm. The first session will take place on Wednesday 2 May 2012.

To view the course leaflet please click here.

For further details on both courses, please contact Kay Brockall on 07979 852341 or by email on enquiries@evolveyourfuture.co.uk

Information, Advice and Guidance Services – FREE for your clients

CV support
Improving interview skills
Information on the job market
Signposting and referral to other organisations

If you think this service would benefit your client groups please contact us directly to arrange a visit to discuss how we can work together to support your clients. Please contact:

Christopher Cooper -Tel: 07825 686702 or Email: ccooper@learning-partnership.co.uk

Learning Partnership Meeting Room Hire – latest offer

LOOKING FOR A ROOM TO HOLD MEETINGS OR SEMINARS?

WE MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU

We have 2 rooms available for hire at competitive prices at Calibration House, 1 Sunbeam Road, Woburn Road Industrial Estate, Kempston, Beds, MK42 7BZ.

Our larger room, Room 1, will comfortably seat 20 delegates in Boardroom Style, 30 in Theatre Style or 18 in Cabaret Style.

The Room has a laptop (providing Internet Access and Office 2007), projector, SmartBoard and Flip Chart facilities. Refreshments are available.

Our smaller room, Room 2, will comfortably seat up to 12 delegates in Boardroom Style.

Latest Funding Update – 25 April 2012

Nick Bray — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:47:32 +0000

Welcome to the Funding eXchange!

This is the latest issue of the Learning Partnership funding update part of the funding eXchange service we will be rolling out to partners.

This service is offered to partners who are involved in the design or delivery of learning opportunities within Bedfordshire and Luton.

Grantfinder is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. For more information or to arrange a demonstration please call 01909 501200.

Whilst the majority of the funding opportunities are from the Grantfinder database we are now also providing details of other funding opportunities.

1. Virgin Media Shorts (UK) UGDB20

Virgin Media Shorts is a short film competition that champions undiscovered talent in the UK. The competition gives applicants the chance to show their work in cinemas, on TV, online and on mobiles (via the mobile Internet).

The following is available:

Thirteen film-makers win a chance to show their work on more than 200 cinema screens nationwide.
One winner wins £30,000 to make their next film.
One ‘People’s Choice’ winner will be awarded £5,000 worth of new film kit, along with the college or school with the most entrants.

Applications must be submitted by 12 July 2012.

2. Ideas Fund Innovators (UK) UG2220

A new deadline has been announced for the Ideas Fund Innovators scheme, sponsored by IdeasTap.

Each application round (there are four per year) offers ten awards of £1,000 to young people within the UK between the ages of 16 and 25, who have a creative project in any artistic discipline that they want to get off the ground. In the past, dance and film projects, music videos and photography collectives have been supported.

The Fund will consider applications from groups or individuals within the UK for inspiring, original, realistic and innovative arts and creative projects, providing one person takes the lead and has the main responsibility for managing the application and any money awarded.

Applications must demonstrate that the Fund will enhance the quality and ambition of their ideas and projects in ways that would not be possible without the support of the Fund. Applicants must also be able to show that the project has not been done before. Applicants must be aged between 16 and 25 on 22 June 2012 and be resident in the UK.

The next deadline for applications is 22 June 2012.

3. EAST OF ENGLAND BUSINESS ANGEL CO-INVESTMENT LOAN SCHEME (England – East of England) UG7345

Managed by FSE Group, the Business Angel Co-Investment Loan Scheme provides a debt facility to high-growth companies based in the East of England.

The FSE Group is an independent not-for-profit community interest company whose purpose is to deliver growth funding and support to small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Business Angel Co-Investment Loan Scheme offers loans ranging between £50,000 and £125,000 for new and existing SMEs in the region that demonstrate the potential for long-term growth.

Finance is provided on the basis of a minimum 60% business angel investment to 40% co-investment loan split of the total funding requirement. Loans are typically repayable over 2-7 years, with interest charged on a case-by-case basis, generally ranging between 5-9% above the basic rate.

The scheme is open to businesses with 249 employees or fewer and an annual turnover of less than £500,000.

Applications may be made at any time.

4. CRISIS – CHANGING LIVES PROGRAMME (UK) UGG350

Grants of up to £2,500 are available from the Changing Lives Programme. The objective of the programme is to empower homeless people to change their own lives through providing funding which can help them achieve their vocational and career objectives.

Grants are available to provide funding towards the following:

Accredited courses that are linked directly to the applicant’s vocational/career goal.

Tools and equipment for courses that are linked directly to an applicant’s vocational/career goal.

Tools and equipment to use for a job linked directly to an applicant’s vocational/career goal.

Tools and equipment and practical costs to become self-employed.

Applications are invited from those who fulfil the following criteria:

Over 18.

Have the right to remain and work in the UK indefinitely.

Have been homeless in the last five years.

Are free from substance or alcohol misuse for at least six months.

Are working with a support worker who is willing to support the application.

The deadline for submission of applications is 24 May 2012.

5. HENRIETTA HUTTON RESEARCH GRANTS (UK) UN4670

The Henrietta Hutton Memorial fund offers research grants to students who intend to undertake field research overseas as an individual or as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Two grants of £500 each are awarded annually, and the intention is that one grant should go to an undergraduate and the other to a postgraduate student.

Eligible applicants must:

Be students registered with a UK higher education institution.

Show evidence of strong host country participation in the field research to be undertaken.

Begin their field research the same year the grant is awarded.

The closing date for applications is 18 January 2013.

6. COMMUNITY LEARNING TRUST PILOTS (England) UG3725

The Skills Funding Agency has launched the opportunity for community learning providers to become part of the Community Learning Trust Pilots.

The Pilots aim to put local communities in charge of their own community learning development and to test a variety of models and implementation.

Proposals are welcomed from community learning providers who are directly funded through the Skills Funding Agency’s Community Learning (previously Adult Safeguarded Learning) budget.

Applicants are not bidding for extra financial resources from BIS/Skills Funding Agency and will receive the same funding allocation in 2012/13 as in 2011/12. Providers should assume that there is no additional funding for pilot areas.

It is expected that between 10 and 15 pilots will be selected. The final selection will reflect the need to pilot different delivery models to test the community learning trust vision and implementation options.

The deadline for full applications is 25 May 2012.

7. RSE/STFC ENTERPRISE FELLOWSHIPS (UK) UN3740

Enterprise Fellowships are designed to enable an individual to advance the commercialisation of existing research results or technological developments. In particular, the Fellowships enable the holder to concentrate on developing the commercial potential of Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) funded research (formerly PPARC and CCLRC science or EPSRC nuclear physics), whilst also receiving formal training in relevant business skills.

A total of 40% of the Enterprise Fellowships Programme comprises business learning modules within the participating Business School, which will be directly relevant to the commercialisation process. The remaining 60% of the Enterprise Fellowship will be spent on developing the research from a commercial perspective.

Fellowships may be held on any subject provided that the original research or technological developments have their origin as part of a programme largely funded by STFC or in the area of nuclear physics previously funded by EPSRC. Applicants must explain how the commercialisation proposal is related to STFC funded research.

Fellowships are available to academic and research staff, postgraduates and graduates with relevant experience who may already be working in a UK higher education institute (HEI) or research institute (RI).

The Enterprise Fellowships must be undertaken within a UK HEI, Research Institute or CERN.

The deadline for Fellowships commencing on 1 October 2012 is 11 May 2012.

8. MONICA COLE RESEARCH GRANTS (UK) UN5120

The Monica Cole Research Grant is awarded every year to a physical geographer undertaking original fieldwork overseas. It is given in memory of Professor Monica Cole, who was a leader in the field of geo-botany.

A single grant of £1,000 is available.

Eligible applicants are physical geographers registered at a UK institute of higher education. There is no age qualification and both undergraduates and postgraduates are eligible to apply.

Award winners will be expected to submit a preliminary report to the Society within a month of their return from the field, and a full and final report within one year of return.

The deadline for applications is 18 January 2013

9. SMALL RESEARCH GRANTS (UK) UN4630

The RGS offers a number of wide ranging grants designed to support desk and field-based researchers, expedition teams and school teachers. Grants are for work both in the UK and overseas.

Grants of up to £3,000 are available to individual researchers working in a UK institution at a postdoctoral level. Some preference will be given to grants that are largely pump-priming, preparatory to larger grant applications. Applications are particularly welcomed from those early in their research careers. Preference is given to research projects carried out by individuals, which have clear, independent outcomes.

Applicants must be a Fellow or member of the Royal Geographical Society, be affiliated with a UK Higher Education Institution and are normally expected to hold a PhD. Preference is given to early career researchers (within six years of completing their PhD).

Grants are available to individuals only, and one application is accepted per individual, per annum.

Awards cannot be made retrospectively. Applications must be in time for consideration before the research is due to begin.

The deadline for applications is 18 January 2013.

Latest Funding Opportunities –

Nick Bray — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:24:00 +0000

Welcome to the Funding eXchange!

This is the latest issue of the Learning Partnership funding update part of the funding eXchange service we will be rolling out to partners.

This service is offered to partners who are involved in the design or delivery of learning opportunities within Bedfordshire and Luton.

Grantfinder is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. For more information or to arrange a demonstration please call 01909 501200.

Whilst the majority of the funding opportunities are from the Grantfinder database we are now also providing details of other funding opportunities.

1. Heritage Lottery Fund Launches All Our Stories Grants Scheme UG1695

The Heritage Lottery Fund has launched a new £1 million grants programme called “All Our Stories” to support local projects across the UK that want to explore their local heritage.

A wide range of voluntary and community sector organisations (including charities, community groups, and heritage organisations) throughout the UK can apply for grants of between £3,000 and £10,000.

Funding will support activities which encourage exploring and learning about local heritage. Groups should be willing to share what they have learned with their community by doing things like holding a community event, performance, exhibition or producing a leaflet or designing a smart phone app or website, etc.

Activities that will be supported are:

Visits to places like historic buildings, landscapes, parks, burial grounds, museums, archaeological sites or industrial heritage sites like railways.
Using collections like archives, libraries and museums, including collections held by people in the community.
Talking to people who know about heritage or holding workshops, talks and sessions exploring people’s memories.
Recording things like people’s memories or local wildlife; scanning old photographs and documents; archaeological digs or surveying historic buildings.

Groups will be able to work with researchers from 21 universities and other educational organisations across the UK who will be available to support projects from the beginning of the application process as well as the research itself.

All Our Stories has been developed in support of the BBC’s The Great British Story – A People’s History, which is a new series to be broadcast on BBC Two. All Our Stories will also feature in five BBC Learning events at flagship heritage locations, which will be run in tandem with the TV series, to get people involved with their local heritage.

The deadline for applications is 31 July 2012 with a notification of decisions in October 2012.

2. European Museum of the Year Award and Council of Europe Museum Prize Now Open to Entries for 2013

The European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA) and Council of Europe Museum Prize Scheme are now open to entries for the 2013 Awards.

The Awards aim to recognise excellence in European museums and to encourage innovation and enterprise.

EMYA is the longest running museum award in Europe. It is presented to a museum which contributes to attracting and satisfying visitors with a ‘unique atmosphere, imaginative interpretation and presentation, a creative approach to education and social responsibility’.

The Council of Europe Museum Prize also recognises excellence and aims to highlight the need to promote and preserve European cultural heritage as a link uniting the Council of Europe’s 47 member states. The criteria of the award have been revised to emphasise the Council’s priorities which include human rights, social inclusion, responsible citizenship, cultural democracy and European identity.

Museums of any size can enter the awards, but they must be based in a Council of Europe member country and have either opened to the public in the past two years, or have completed a substantial programme of modernisation, extension, reorganisation or re-interpretation in the past two years.

The deadline for entries is 31 May 2012.

3. Community Learning Trust Pilots Launched

The Skills Funding Agency has launched the opportunity for community learning providers to become part of the Community Learning Trust Pilots.

The Pilots aim to put local communities in charge of their own community learning development and to test a variety of models and implementation options.

Proposals are welcomed from community learning providers who are directly funded through the Skills Funding Agency’s Community Learning (previously Adult Safeguarded Learning) £210 million budget.

Applicants are not bidding for extra financial resources and will receive the same funding allocation in 2012/13 as in 2011/12. Providers should assume that there is no additional funding for pilot areas.

The deadline for full applications is 25 May 2012.

NIACE will be holding two roadshows for prospective trusts that have started to develop their proposals, ie forming partnerships and engaging at a local level to develop their model. The roadshows will take place in Birmingham (8 May) and London (9 May). Further details are available on the NIACE website.

4. Preparatory Actions in the Field of Sport – 2012 Open Call Launched (EU)

The 2012 open Call for Proposals for the Preparatory Action European Partnership on Sports has now been launched.

The main objective of the Call is to prepare future EU actions in the field of sport, on the basis of the Sport Chapter of the proposed Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport – Erasmus for All (2014-2020).

Support is available for transnational projects put forward by public bodies and not-for-profit organisations which will identify and test suitable networks and good practices in the field of sport in the following areas:

The fight against match-fixing.
The promotion of physical activity supporting active ageing.
Awareness-raising about effective ways of promoting sport at municipal level.
Trans-frontier joint grassroots sport competitions in neighbouring regions and Member States.

A total of €3.5 million is available. Proposals must include a transnational network with partners from a minimum of five EU Member States. Projects must start between 1 January 2013 and 31 March 2013 and end no later than 30 June 2014.

The deadline for submission of proposals is 31 July 2012.

5. Ideas Fund Innovators – New Round Open to Applications

A new deadline has been announced for the Ideas Fund Innovators scheme, sponsored by IdeasTap.

The next deadline for applications is 22 June 2012.

6. EMI – INSTRUMENT AND EQUIPMENT AWARDS (UK) UG3440

The EMI Music Sound Foundation provides grants to help towards the purchase of musical instruments and/or equipment for individuals who are in full time education and Schools who require the equipment to fund music education. The Foundation also funds courses and training opportunities for music teachers who work within schools.

Eligible applicants include:

Schools to fund music education (with the exception of statutory national curriculum music teaching).

Individuals in full time education to fund musical instrument/equipment purchase (preference is given to under 25s).

Music teachers working within schools to fund courses and training.

Grants of no more than £2,000 are available.

The closing day for applications is Wednesday 12 September 2012.

Any applications received after this date will be passed onto the next Trustees’ meeting.

7. ACP-EU COOPERATION PROGRAMME IN HIGHER EDUCATION (EDULINK) (EU Member State) ZE1340

The Call for Proposals for EDULINK II, ACP-EU Co-operation Programme in Higher Education has now been launched.

A total of €23.3 million is available for this Call which is open to public or private Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), networks of HEIs and Regional Institutions of Higher Education. The aim of the Call is to continue fostering co-operation in the field of Higher Education between the countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP States) and the European Union.

Proposals will have to address one of the following two priority areas:

Energy access and efficiency

Agriculture and food security

The specific objectives are to increase the capacity of ACP HEIs at two levels:

Management /Administration

Academic

Proposals will aim at supporting HEIs in ACP States to create new and upgrade existing curricula and teaching methods, reinforce links between teaching, modern technologies, lifelong learning and research, as well as strengthening their management and administration capacity.

The deadline for applications is 30 July 2012.

Latest PCF Bulletin – 13 April 2012

Nick Bray — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:10:03 +0000

Dear Colleagues,

Please find attached this week’s latest update to the Partnership Community Forum (PCF) which we hope you find of interest.

We are pleased to announce that we have again been successful in attracting Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities funding which has now been renamed under the banner of Community Learning. This is our ninth year of delivering this programme of activity and a new prospectus will be launched in July. We will keep you updated with the new developments around the Community Learning fund over the coming weeks.

The next PCF meeting is due to take place on 24 May 2012, so please put the date in your diaries. We are pleased to inform you that we have two key speakers lined up – Jo Richardson, Partnership Manager for Jobcentre Plus in Bedfordshire who will be giving a presentation on the latest developments around DWP funding for both organisations and clients and Debbie Suddards, Head of Contract for Suffolk County Council on National Careers Service talking about the changes to the service and how it can support your clients.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if there is anything we can support you with or if you have any questions regarding Learning Partnership activities.

Kind regards

Vanda

If you wish to have information included within the bulletin please contact Nick Bray our office administrator email: nbray@learning-partnership.co.uk

Learning Partnership – Partnership Scheme

If you have not been contacted by us already and wish to sign up please visit our website or contact Chris Cooper for more details.

The application is in two parts – Associate membership and Full Partner membership. There is no cost involved just some of your time to complete the process which we are happy to support you with.

For more information contact Chris Cooper ccooper@learning-partnership.co.uk or visit our website for more details…

Adult Learners’ Week

Events

There has never been a more important time to celebrate and promote the benefits of learning and holding an Adult Learners’ Week (England) event is a great way to do this.

If you would like to highlight your organisation’s commitment to learning and inspire adults to discover the fun and diverse ways that they can learn then why not hold an event, open day or taster session for Adult Learners’ Week?

Why run an event?

There are many benefits of holding an event during Adult Learners’ Week; it’s a great way to:

demonstrate the learning opportunities that you provide
reach out to adults who wouldn’t normally hear about your organisation’s activities
inspire adults in your area to discover how learning can change their lives
publicise your organisation and attract media attention
share your passion and interest in learning with others
celebrate the benefits of all kinds of learning.

How we can help you…

It’s never too early to start planning your event and we’ve put together information and resources that will help you. These include Adult Learners’ Week branding, to support your events and to increase engagement, as well as FREE:

hints and tips on how to organise a successful event
customisable posters to advertise your activities locally
support to attract media attention with our press release template
publicity for your events with our Online Events Diary.

Why use the Online Events Diary? This is an excellent resource to help you attract new audiences and increase enrolment and footfall to your events…

your events will be searchable on the Adult Learners’ Week website
callers to 0800 100 900 will be able to find out about your events
you can upload as many events as you wish, and it’s completely free.

With multiple uploads it has never been easier to list all of your events in one place and in one go – increasing your publicity to a national level.

If you are struggling for event ideas, you could use one or more of the seven Adult Learners’ Week themes – or none at all if there is something that will work better for you.

Additional Resources are also available to purchase, and are a great way to attract people to your event.

To find out more…

Visit our website www.alw.org.uk
Email alw@niace.org.uk
Telephone 0116 204 4200
Follow NIACE on Twitter and use #ALW12

Local Adult Learners’ Week

Please note that the closing date for receipt of Nomination Forms for the Local Adult Learners’ Week Awards is Wednesday 18 April 2012.

The forms can be downloaded from the following link http://www.adultlearnersweek.co.uk/nominations.html

Or on here

DWP ESF Families Programme

If your organisation can identify families with a need or require more information, please contact

Employment Co-ordinator on 01234 857661 or e-mail: families@learning-partnership.co.uk

To view the full promotional leaflet

Challenge Network

The Challenge Network is a youth and community charity who are looking to get young people more involved in their communities. This summer they will be delivering free activity afternoons in both Bedford and Luton. They already work with a number of care homes, local community groups and outreach organisations in the local area to deliver sessions.

The aim of the sessions are to provide a platform in which young people are able to interact with a social grouping that they may not normally have the opportunity to do so. They are looking to deliver the sessions to any community groups that would be willing to host a group of 12 young people. What’s more, the sessions are completely free!

Sessions will take place over two consecutive afternoons and will last roughly an hour and a half each day. They will be based on either sport, drama, media, photography or enterprise. The young people will be in groups of 12 and will have three members of staff who will all be CRB checked with them at all times.

For further details please contact the Assistant Programme Manager, Andrew Luton. He can be contacted as follows:

Email: andrew.luton@the-challenge.org

Tel: 0207 921 4592
Mob: 07785623417

For information about the whole project click here

For information about the curriculum click here

Apprenticeship Service

Please see attached the latest newsletter from the National Apprenticeship Service.

Click here to view newsletter

Courses being delivered by MIND

Bedfordshire and Luton MIND wish to publicise the following courses:

Youth Mental Health First Aid – on 24 and 25 April 2012. There are still places available for this course which takes place at Bedford Wellbeing Centre, 3 Woburn Road Bedford, MK40 1EG

Click here to view course leaflet

Mental Health First Aid – on April 17th and 18th. There are still places available for this course which takes place at Bedford Wellbeing Centre, 3 Woburn Road Bedford, MK40 1EG

Click here to view course leaflet

Information from Train 2 B

Train 2 B have advised that they are now offering first aid training, food hygiene and leaderships and management training. This training can be delivered either at organisations’ premises or at their training rooms in Peterborough.

For further information please contact Tracie Daniels by telephone on 01733 459605 or by email tracie@train2b.net

FREE Training for Small Charities

The FSI Team is running a programme of FREE workshops on Wednesday 16 May 2012 and Thursday 17 May 2012 in Fitzwilliam College, Storey’s Way, Cambridge, CB3 0DG.

Sessions will cover the following areas:

Wednesday 16 May 2012 – ALL DAY SESSIONS

Building your Core Case for Support
Developing Relationships with Companies
Developing your Fundraising Strategy
Getting Started with Major Donors

Thursday 17 May 2012 – ALL DAY SESSIONS

Demonstrating Your Impact
Legacy Fundraising
Marketing & Communications
Funding from Trusts and Foundations

Click here for further details and how to book

Music Box Lace

After the collecting and recording the sounds of Bedford with the Echo Location project (www.echo-location.org), Bedford Creative Arts now invite you to come along and join Kathy Hinde once more as part of their Lace in Place commission. Bedford Creative Arts are welcoming Kathy back to Bedford for some Music Box workshops where they will respond to the lace heritage of Bedford through music. As with Echo-Location, this will be a hands on workshop in which you will punch patterns into images of lace to create musical scores for music boxes. Sounds will emerge as the pattern you create triggers notes when wound through the music box. You do not need any special skill or ability to attend and this workshop is open to all.

Venue: 123 Midland Road, Bedford, MK40 1DE

Date: Saturday 14th April

Time: 1.00pm – 4.00pm

For: Open to all (most suitable for ages 8+)

Cost: £3 per person

To book this event please email jennies@bedfordcreativearts.org.uk, book through the website event page http://tinyurl.com/88ky7uo or phone them on 01234 818670

Information, Advice and Guidance Services – FREE for your clients

CV support
Improving interview skills
Information on the job market
Signposting and referral to other organisations

If you think this service would benefit your client groups please contact us directly to arrange a visit to discuss how we can work together to support your clients. Please contact:

Christopher Cooper -Tel: 07825 686702 or Email: ccooper@learning-partnership.co.uk

Learning Partnership Meeting Room Hire – latest offer

LOOKING FOR A ROOM TO HOLD MEETINGS OR SEMINARS?

WE MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU

We have 2 rooms available for hire at competitive prices at Calibration House, 1 Sunbeam Road, Woburn Road Industrial Estate, Kempston, Beds, MK42 7BZ.

Our larger room, Room 1, will comfortably seat 20 delegates in Boardroom Style, 30 in Theatre Style or 18 in Cabaret Style.

The Room has a laptop (providing Internet Access and Office 2007), projector, SmartBoard and Flip Chart facilities. Refreshments are available.

Our smaller room, Room 2, will comfortably seat up to 12 delegates in Boardroom Style.

Latest Funding Update – 12 April 2012

Nick Bray — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:47:20 +0000

Welcome to the Funding eXchange!

This is the latest issue of the Learning Partnership funding update part of the funding eXchange service we will be rolling out to partners.

This service is offered to partners who are involved in the design or delivery of learning opportunities within Bedfordshire and Luton.

Grantfinder is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. For more information or to arrange a demonstration please call 01909 501200.

Whilst the majority of the funding opportunities are from the Grantfinder database we are now also providing details of other funding opportunities.

1. £600 Million Big Society Capital Launched UG3925

The Government has created a new independently run financial institution to finance charities and community groups within the UK in the expectation of building a bigger, stronger society and growing the economy.

The Big Society Capital, which has been characterised as “the world’s first social investment bank” will invest in charitable and social causes that can repay an investment through the income they generate.

The initial funding of £600 million comes from dormant bank accounts which will provide £400 million and the UK’s four largest high-street banks (Barclays, Lloyds, HSBC and RBS) which will provide the remaining £200 million.

Social Investment Finance Intermediaries (SIFIs) based and working within the UK may apply for loans of between £500,000 and £15 million.

To be eligible, applicants must:

Be a Social Investment Finance Intermediaries (SIFIs) providing investment and other support to social sector organisations that primarily benefit people and communities in the UK.
Be registered and working within the UK.
Have a strong management team and good corporate governance systems.
Have a robust business plan and financial model with realistic underlying assumptions.
Have a clear social mission with well-developed systems for delivering it and monitoring social impact.

SIFIs should be providing investment and support to social sector organisations in the following broad areas:

Ageing.
Children and families.
Community development.
Criminal justice.
Disability.
Education.
Employment.
Financial inclusion.
Healthy living.
Housing and shelter.
Market infrastructure.
Mental health.

Further information as well as a set of application guidance notes can be found on the Big Society Capital website (opens new window).

Expressions of Interest can be made at any time.

2. Comic Relief – UK Grant Programme – Open to Applications

Comic Relief can give grants for running costs and capital costs under the following programmes.

Mental health – to promote the rights and support the recovery of people who have mental health problems, to help them feel more included in society, and to reduce the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health problems.
Sport for change - to understand more about how sport can play a part in delivering positive change within the lives of individuals and communities and how it can be used to tackle identified social issues as part of a broader programme to achieve a measurable social change.
Older People’s Programme ‘Managing Money Better’ - to help older people (65+) to build their knowledge and skills to manage their money more effectively, ensure access to good, independent financial advice, guard against financial scams and abuse and cope better with cold homes.
Refugee and asylum seeking women – to provide support for refugee and asylum seeking women who have experienced rape, torture and other forms of violence in their home countries. Comic Relief are especially keen to make sure that women get the help they need in making their claims for asylum, and also get access to emotional and practical services they need to help rebuild their lives.
Young People aged 11-25 years:
- Young people and mental health – to support services and approaches that help young people experiencing mental health problems make positive changes in their lives.
- Sexually exploited and trafficked young people – to reduce harm to young people who have been sexually exploited or trafficked.
- Domestic and sexual abuse: young people – to support young survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, including young people who have grown up in homes where they have witnessed violence and harm, and young people directly affected by abuse caused by a family member, by an outsider such as a stranger or family friend, or as a result of their own dating experiences.
- Young people and alcohol – to fund work for young people who are misusing alcohol or drinking excessively, including services that aim to reduce the levels of young people’s drinking, create greater awareness of the dangers of harmful drinking and provide direct support to them

Grants of between £25,000 and £40,000 are available for between one and three years. Under the Sport for Change Programme, grants of between £10,000 and £100,000 are available. Under the Older People’s Programme ‘Managing Money Better’ grants of over £10,000 are available.

Applications are accepted from the voluntary and community sector throughout the UK including, constituted voluntary and community groups, charities, social enterprises, co-operatives, faith organisations and Community interest companies.

The 2012 deadline for Sport for Change and Older People’s Programme ‘Managing Money Better’ is 8 June 2012 (12pm).

The 2012 deadline for the other UK Programmes (Young people and mental health, Sexually exploited and trafficked young people, Domestic and sexual abuse, Young people and alcohol, Mental health, Refugee and asylum-seeking women) is 29 June 2012 (12pm).

3. APPRENTICESHIP GRANT FOR EMPLOYERS (AGE 16 TO 24) (England) UG3465

The newly-launched ‘AGE 16 to 24′ programme is aimed at helping eligible employers to offer young people employment through the Apprenticeship programme, by providing wage grants to assist them in recruiting their first apprentice.

The National Apprenticeship Service will provide up to 40,000 apprenticeship grants with a value of £1,500. The £1,500 is in addition to the training costs of the Apprenticeship Framework which are met in full for young people aged 16 to 18 and 50% for those aged 19 to 24.

Priority will be given to small and medium-sized employers with less than 50 employees in England and the funding provider expects to support at least 20,000 of these to recruit an apprentice for the first time.

Applications for assistance can be made at any time.

4. YOUTH CONTRACT (Great Britain) UG9850

Responding to the challenge surrounding youth unemployment, the Government has announced the £1 billion Youth Contract, designed to help young unemployed people into work. The Youth Contract will provide nearly half-a-million new opportunities for 18-24 years-olds, including apprenticeships and voluntary work experience placements.

The programme will provide support to private and public sector employers towards creating new, sustainable jobs for young people, enabling these organisations to benefit from the talents young people can bring to the workplace. Between 2012 and 2015 the initiative is expected to provide nearly half a million new opportunities for young people.

A wage incentive is available to those employing an 18 to 24 year-old from the Government’s Work Programme for 16 hours or more each week. There is a part-time rate of £1,137.50 for work between 16 and 29 hours and a full time rate of £2,275 for 30 hours or more. Small businesses (less than 50 employees) can also claim a part payment eight weeks after the employee starts work. The job must last for at least 26 weeks.

The Youth Contract is open to employers throughout Great Britain; including those that already employ large numbers of young people such as retail and construction and emerging sectors like the green economy, creative industries and ICT. The wage incentives will be primarily available to private, voluntary and community sectors and social enterprise employers. Central government departments are excluded; however, the wider public sector is eligible.

Applications for support may be submitted at any time.

Latest Funding Update – 29 March 2012

Nick Bray — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:12:29 +0000

Welcome to the Funding eXchange!

This is the latest issue of the Learning Partnership funding update part of the funding eXchange service we will be rolling out to partners.

This service is offered to partners who are involved in the design or delivery of learning opportunities within Bedfordshire and Luton.

Grantfinder is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. For more information or to arrange a demonstration please call 01909 501200.

Whilst the majority of the funding opportunities are from the Grantfinder database we are now also providing details of other funding opportunities.

1. Industrial Secondment Scheme UE2530

The Royal Academy of Engineering’s Industrial Secondment Scheme is now open to applications. The scheme provides financial support to enable university lecturers in engineering to work and gain experience in an industrial organisation.

Funding is provided for the university to employ a temporary replacement for the secondee. In this way it minimises the effects on the normal flow of teaching, and makes it easier for the universities to release members of staff for secondment.

Engineers in all disciplines are eligible to apply. There are no age restrictions but applicants will have to convince the Academy that the secondment will have a significant impact on their teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Secondments may be for periods of between three to six months on a full time basis, and part-time secondments may be considered if a convincing case for support can be made.

The deadline for applications is 31 May 2012 (5pm).

2. APPRENTICESHIP AWARDS (England) UGK030

The Apprenticeship Awards are held annually and hosted by the National Apprenticeship Service, which manages and funds Apprenticeships in England from within the Skills Funding Agency.

The Awards recognise the achievements of employers in England that use Apprenticeships to improve business performance, as well as the hard work and commitment of young people currently on, or who have completed, an Apprenticeship.

For 2012, the award categories are as follows:

Apprentice of the Year

Employer of the Year

Apprenticeship Champion of the Year

The Awards include prizes, accolades and attendance at a celebratory awards ceremony in London.

Eligible entrants are apprentices and employers throughout England.

The deadline for entries is 25 May 2012.

Latest Funding Update – 21 March 2012

Nick Bray — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:04:39 +0000

Welcome to the Funding eXchange!

This is the latest issue of the Learning Partnership funding update part of the funding eXchange service we will be rolling out to partners.

This service is offered to partners who are involved in the design or delivery of learning opportunities within Bedfordshire and Luton.

Grantfinder is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. For more information or to arrange a demonstration please call 01909 501200.

Whilst the majority of the funding opportunities are from the Grantfinder database we are now also providing details of other funding opportunities.

1. European Integration Fund – UK Actions ZG5060

The 2011/12 Call for Proposals for the European Integration Fund – UK Actions is now open.

Applications are welcomed from public, private and third sector organisations wishing to help newly settled foreign nationals acquire the basic fundamental knowledge required to reside in the UK.

Approximately £22 million is available for new projects in the following areas:

Priority 1a – £3.2 million for projects which:

Prepare third-country nationals for their integration into host society in a better way by supporting pre-travel measures which enable them to acquire basic knowledge about the host society’s language, history, institutions, socio economic features, cultural life and the fundamental norms and values, as well as complement such existing programmes and activities

Priority 1b – £17.4 million for projects which:

Address capacity issues in respect of language learning.
Develop process and programmes that help new migrants and specific targeted groups of disadvantaged migrants to become full and active members of UK society.
Enable newly arrived third-country nationals to fulfil the criteria for citizenship.
Develop programmes that provide opportunities for third-country nationals and members of the receiving community to interact with each other.

Priority 3 – £1.4 million for projects which:

Develop actions which enhance the knowledge and skills of national and local government officials in developing policy concerned with integration and building intercultural competence, eg written guidance and training programmes.

The minimum amount that can be applied for is £200,000 per project; there is no maximum amount.

The deadline for applications is 16 May 2012.

One-day application workshops will be held on Monday 2 April 2012 in Manchester and Wednesday 4 April 2012 in London. Limited spaces are available and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

The application pack and workshop registration form are available via the Home Office Emptoris e-procurement site. To access the site, interested parties must first register by contacting Emptoris.

2. 2012 Apprenticeship Awards Open to Entries (England)

The Apprenticeship Awards are held annually and hosted by the National Apprenticeship Service, which manages and funds Apprenticeships in England from within the Skills Funding Agency.

For 2012, the award categories are as follows:

Apprentice of the Year
Employer of the Year
Apprenticeship Champion of the Year

The Awards include prizes, accolades and attendance at a celebratory awards ceremony in London.

Eligible entrants are apprentices and employers throughout England.

The deadline for entries is 25 May 2012.

3. STARTER GRANTS FOR CLINICAL LECTURERS (UK) UN8820

The aim of this scheme is to provide modest ‘start up’ funds to enable clinical lecturers in the UK to pursue their research work, gather preliminary data and further strengthen their applications for longer-term fellowships and funding.

A maximum grant of £30,000 is available, spanning a period of one or two years. The grant can support new and directly incurred research costs such as consumables and equipment. It can also be used to contribute towards necessary technical support that is available within an applicant’s institution.

The scheme will fund research work of only the very highest quality and where it is clearly demonstrated that the findings will inform the applicant’s future career aspirations and bids for larger-scale fellowships.

Clinicians in the UK who have obtained an MD or PhD, and who currently hold a ‘research active’ clinical lectureship post, are eligible to apply.

There are two application rounds per year. The second 2012 deadline has been confirmed as 3 September 2012.

4. BRITISH SCIENCE ASSOCIATION MEDIA FELLOWSHIPS (UK) UE2630

The Science and Technology Media Fellowships are sponsored by the British Science Association (BSA). The Fellowships are intended to create greater awareness and understanding of the workings of the media among practising scientists, social scientists, clinicians and engineers resident in the UK. Applicants must have a minimum of two years’ postgraduate experience working in an academic or research institution, industry, the Civil Service, or other similar organisation.

The Fellowships provide opportunities for those from all areas of science to experience first hand how the media works under the supervision of a leading science journalist. Applicants may be in part- or full-time employment. However, successful placements are offered on a full-time basis only. Fellowships are held between July and October.

The Fellowships provide funding for accommodation, travel and other expenses, whilst the wages must be paid by the permanent employer during the fellowship.

The extended deadline for applications is 23 March 2012.

5. CHESSHIRE LEHMANN FUND (England) UG1545

The Chesshire Lehman Fund grants are available to academic researchers/institutions and community groups/non-profit organisations wishing to actively research or investigate the relationship between fuel poverty and energy efficiency.

There are two separate funding streams:

Research Grants: Open to academic researchers or academic institutions for grants of up to £5,000.

Community Action Grants: Open to community groups and non-profit organisations to employ a researcher or academic institution to conduct research. Grants of up to £2,000 are available.

The funding priorities for 2012 are:

The evaluation of the effectiveness of past and present policies.

Evidence to help frame future policies.

Interviews with and evidence from those experiencing aspects of fuel poverty.

The deadline for applications is 9 May 2012 (noon).

PCF Bulletin – 19th March 2012

Nick Bray — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:35:35 +0000

Partnership Community Forum

19 March 2012 Bulletin

Dear Colleagues,

Please find attached this week’s latest update to the Partnership Community Forum (PCF) which we hope you find of interest.

Next PCF meeting is due to take place on 24 May 2012 so please put the date in your diaries.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if there is anything we can support you with or if you have any questions regarding Learning Partnership activities.

Kind regards

Vanda

If you wish to have information included within the bulletin please contact Nick Bray our office administrator email: nbray@learning-partnership.co.uk

MATRIX

Hot on the heels of the Ofsted inspector came the Matrix assessor!

We are very pleased to inform you that we successfully gained our Matrix re-accreditation against the new standard.

These are two very important quality assurance standards that are vital to the business of the Learning Partnership in serving the partner organisations within our network.

Learning Partnership – Partnership Scheme

If you have not been contacted by us already and wish to sign up please visit our website or contact Chris Cooper for more details.

The application is in two parts – Associate membership and Full Partner membership. There is no cost involved just some of your time to complete the process which we are happy to support you with.

For more information contact Chris Cooper ccooper@learning-partnership.co.uk or visit our website for more details…

Adult Learners’ Week

NIACE has released its publicity and promotion newsletter for this year. To view the newsletter

NIACE has also released a publicity poster to advertise the possibility of running events during Adult Learners’ Week to promote adult learning. Click here to view the poster…

Local Adult Learners’ Week

Just to remind you that the Nomination Forms for the Local Adult Learners’ Week Awards have now been launched. The forms can be downloaded by clicking on http://www.adultlearnersweek.co.uk/nominations.html

The deadline for the return of Nomination Forms is Wednesday 18 April 2012.

Good Luck!

Community Grants

Next round of applications will be released in April 2012 with project deadline for submission in June 2012. for more details

DWP ESF Families Programme

If your organisation can identify families with a need or require more information, please contact

Employment Co-ordinator on 01234 857661 or e-mail: families@learning-partnership.co.uk

To view the full promotional leaflet

FREE Autism Awareness Training

Autism Bedfordshire is providing a FREE Level 1 Autism Awareness training course. This training is open to all public sector workers and private and voluntary providers in health and social care.

Autism Bedfordshire is also commissioning some Level 2 training and further details will be released when available.

For further details please contact the Commissioning Manager, Bridget Moffat, her telephone number is 01582 547778.

To view the promotional material click here

To view the Application Form click here

To view details of training dates and venues click here

Literacy Learners Needed –

NIACE is looking for literacy learners at entry level who are prepared to talk on the telephone or be interviewed face-to-face or talk about their experiences on radio and/or TV. This could involve talking to Jessica Shepherd a Guardian journalist, or a member of NIACE staff about their experiences of engaging with adult literacy learning and the impact it has had on their lives. This is to support BBC Learning to publicise its series of literacy dramas to be launched in late March – there will be 5 dramas shown on BBC1 (one each afternoon from 26th March) each featuring a main character who has hidden a literacy issue for many years and, following the twists and turns of the plot, face up to it and take some action. This will be followed by some learning resources to support the dramas on BBC Skillswise. It is hoped that this set of programmes will inspire more adults to improve their literacy. You may have seen the first such interview in the Guardian last weekend with Sue Chapman who was a previous Adult Learners’ Week award winner.

This is a fantastic opportunity to help promote the cause of literacy. It is hoped that some of our partner organisations we work with might be able to identify one or more of their learners who might be suitable to help. If you think you can please contact Sue Southwood directly on sue.southwood@niace.org.uk

Information, Advice and Guidance Services – FREE for your clients

CV support
Improving interview skills
Information on the job market
Signposting and referral to other organisations

If you think this service would benefit your client groups please contact us directly to arrange a visit to discuss how we can work together to support your clients. Please contact:

Christopher Cooper -Tel: 07825 686702 or Email: ccooper@learning-partnership.co.uk

Learning Partnership Meeting Room Hire – latest offer

LOOKING FOR A ROOM TO HOLD MEETINGS OR SEMINARS?

WE MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU

We have 2 rooms available for hire at competitive prices at Calibration House, 1 Sunbeam Road, Woburn Road Industrial Estate, Kempston, Beds, MK42 7BZ.

Our larger room, Room 1, will comfortably seat 20 delegates in Boardroom Style, 30 in Theatre Style or 18 in Cabaret Style.

The Room has a laptop (providing Internet Access and Office 2007), projector, SmartBoard and Flip Chart facilities. Refreshments are available.

Our smaller room, Room 2, will comfortably seat up to 12 delegates in Boardroom Style.

Latest Funding Update – 14 March 2012

Nick Bray — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:19:33 +0000

Welcome to the Funding eXchange!

This is the latest issue of the Learning Partnership funding update part of the funding eXchange service we will be rolling out to partners.

This service is offered to partners who are involved in the design or delivery of learning opportunities within Bedfordshire and Luton.

Grantfinder is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. For more information or to arrange a demonstration please call 01909 501200.

Whilst the majority of the funding opportunities are from the Grantfinder database we are now also providing details of other funding opportunities.

1. Feasibility Studies for Technology-Inspired Innovation 2 – UN5280

Feasibility Studies for Technology-Inspired Innovation is a Technology Strategy Board (TSB) funding competition designed to stimulate innovation across six core technology areas with the objective of ensuring that small and micro-sized businesses are suitably equipped to respond to current and future challenges posed by society.

Funding is available to small- and micro-sized enterprises in the UK for short term (up to three months) feasibility studies that look at technological innovation across four identified key technology areas:

Advanced Materials
Biosciences
Electronics, Photonics and Electrical Systems
Information and Communications Technology

There is a total fund of £2 million for the current round of the competition. Studies should last up to three months and have a maximum total cost of no more than £33,000. Grants can cover up to 75% of the total eligible costs, to a maximum value of £25,000.

Applications are accepted from small or micro-enterprises (companies with 50 or fewer employees) in the UK. Collaborative bids are welcome.

The competition is now open with a registration deadline of 4 April 2012 and a competition deadline of 11 April 2012.

2. Abertay Digital Prototype Grant Funding UK – UN5840

Abertay University’s business support office has launched a new round of the Abertay Digital Prototype Grant Funding programme. The aim of the programme is to foster economic growth, facilitate job creation, and improve skills development in the sector.

Grants of up to £25,000 are available for small companies (based anywhere in the UK) that are developing their own games or other forms of interactive digital content.

The grants can be used to develop prototypes of original intellectual property (IP), allowing companies to go on to seek further funding or investment to launch their product. As part of the programme’s offering, studio space, equipment, and software will be available for companies to use while prototypes are being developed at Abertay University.

Games projects and other forms of interactive digital content, such as e-learning, visualisation, interactive exhibits, online film/broadcast media, or middleware can be supported.

Grants can be used for a range of expenditure identified within the project budget, primarily:

costs for a selected number of the applicant’s development team;
part-time employment costs of a proportion of students or graduates selected as part of the student placement element; and
additional costs, such as a contractor to fill a gap in the team.

Round Four of the programme is now open with a deadline for the receipt of applications of 12pm on Friday 13 April 2012.

3. Starter Grants for Clinical Lecturers – Second 2012 Deadline Announced

Clinicians in the UK who have obtained an MD or PhD, and who currently hold a ‘research active’ clinical lectureship post, are eligible to apply.

There are two application rounds per year. The second 2012 deadline has been confirmed as 3 September 2012.

4. British Science Association Media Fellowships – Deadline Extended

The Fellowships provide funding for accommodation, travel and other expenses, whilst the wages must be paid by the permanent employer during the fellowship.

The extended deadline for applications is 23 March 2012.

5. BBSRC LONGER LARGER GRANT (UK) UG7385

Grants are available for large-scale projects over £2 million related to multidisciplinary scientific research of relevance to the BBSRC.

Applications are invited from scientists working in UK Universities and BBSRC-sponsored research institutes.

Eligible projects must:

Be scientifically excellent.

Demonstrate exceptional relevance to one or more of the BBSRC strategic priorities.

Demonstrate an understanding of the potential for impact.

Be conducted by an internationally leading research team.

For 2012, the BBSRC particularly encourage applications in the following specific areas within the overall Knowledge Based Bio-economy (KBBE) strategic theme:

Industrial biotechnology.

Bioenergy.

Synthetic biology for white biotechnology

The deadline for outline proposals is 15 March 2012.

6. ESRC RESEARCH GRANTS SCHEME (UK) UG5345

The ESRC provides the Research Grants Scheme to support large-scale social science research, for up to five years duration.

Funding is allocated through an open competition and there is no restriction on what research or research facility may be applied for, as long the project will make a major contribution to the UK social science research base.

Awards of between £200,000 and £2 million (at 100% full economic costs) are available.

Universities, Colleges of higher education, and Independent research institutes approved by the ESRC are eligible to apply. Applicants must be based in the UK.

Funding decisions for research proposals will be based on four key assessment criteria:

Originality, potential contribution to knowledge.

Research design and methods.

Value for money.

Outputs, dissemination and impact.

Applications may be submitted at any time.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

7. Collaboration for Improvement – PRD for Self Assessment

Self Assessment has developed considerably over the past few years, with providers at different stages of maturity and ability to undertake this key quality improvement process.
LSIS would like to work with active and eligible PRD groups, from the FE and Skills sector, to gather intelligence regarding self assessment.

Deadline for Applications is midnight 15 March 2012. Successful Groups will be informed by 21 March 2012.

Adult Learners Week 12th-18th May 2012

cwilkins@learning-partnership.co.uk — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:28:48 +0000

Adult Learners’ Week is the UK’s largest annual festival of learning; inspiring thousands of people each year to discover how learning can change their lives.

There are a number of events happening locally to celebrate Adult Learners Week:

Tuesday 15th May 2012
Bedford Town Centre Event

Wednesday 16th May 2012
Luton Mall Event

Thursday 17th May 2012
Regional Awards Ceremony

Friday 18th May 2012
Local Awards Ceremony

For more information about any of the events, or Adult Learners Week in general, please visit The Learning Partnership’s Adult Learners’ Week website.

Latest Funding Update – 8 March 2012

Nick Bray — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 09:18:42 +0000

Welcome to the Funding eXchange!

This is the latest issue of the Learning Partnership funding update part of the funding eXchange service we will be rolling out to partners.Below we have listed all of the new funding initiatives connected to learning and skills. If you would like more information about any of these schemes please contact Nick Bray quoting the relevant reference number.

This service is offered to partners who are involved in the design or delivery of learning opportunities within Bedfordshire and Luton.

Grantfinder is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. For more information or to arrange a demonstration please call 01909 501200.

Whilst the majority of the funding opportunities are from the Grantfinder database we are now also providing details of other funding opportunities.

1. Academies Capital Maintenance Fund (ACMF)The DfE provides the ACMF to support Academies in England with significant and urgent building condition and/or health and safety needs.

There are two main priorities for the fund:

Priority One – Supporting Academies with significant building condition needs including Health and Safety issues that cannot be met from routine maintenance or Devolved Formula Capital funding.
Priority Two – Supporting successful, popular Academies that are currently overcrowded and/or wish to expand their existing facilities and floor space to accommodate more pupils within their existing age range (excluding where this is required because of a Basic Need that their local authority is responsible for).

A total £276 million is available for the 2012-13 financial year.

It is estimated that the minimum project size will be:

£10,000 for Primary Academies.
£25,000 for Secondary, Middle and All Through Academies.

There is no maximum project size set but it is thought that projects over £1 million may not be deliverable by 31 March 2013.

The application deadline is 28 March 2012 at 6pm.

An additional one or two rounds are expected to be announced later in 2012.

2. ENTERPRISING U (UK) UGAD80Enterprising U is the world’s largest business plan competition, taking place in universities across the UK. The competition will involve more than 200 investors looking to invest in student start-up companies and ideas. In excess of 100 business investments are expected to be made by the end of 2012.

The best business ideas will be identified and their creators will be invited to workshops in the spring term to help explore their ideas and business plans. Ten finalists will be invited to pitch to a room of investors at the Enterprising U final at the end of the summer term.

Prizes up to the value of £40,000 are available. The overall winner will receive £25,000 in addition to any investment they secure to help launch their business.

The competition is open to any student from any discipline in the UK who has an idea and needs investment to help start-up in business.

Submissions will be accepted from 1 March 2012. The deadline for submission of business plans is 1 June 2012.

3. MARIE CURIE CANCER CARE RESEARCH PROGRAMME (UK) UGX030

The Marie Curie Cancer Care Research Programme aims to provide evidence to inform better quality of care for those with advanced and progressive illnesses which are likely to shorten their lives within the foreseeable future.The charity has pledged to spend up to £1 million per year for three years to fund high quality research that has the potential to improve end-of-life care for those with cancer and other advanced progressive life threatening conditions.

There is an overall budget of £3 million available for distribution. Funding allocations for individual research initiatives will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

The charity will be considering applications under the following research themes:

Interfaces between specialist palliative care and other forms of care at the end-of-life.

Prognostication.

End-of-life care and younger adults.

Applications will be accepted from scientists, clinicians or healthcare workers in UK universities, medical schools, hospitals and some research institutions.

The deadline for submission of applications is 30 March 2012.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

4. Collaboration for Improvement – PRD for Self Assessment

PCF Bulletin – 2 March 2012

Nick Bray — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 13:31:48 +0000

Dear Colleagues, Please find attached our latest fortnightly update to the Partnership Community Forum (PCF) which we hope you find of interest.

Our next PCF meeting is due to take place on 24 May 2012 so please put the date in your diaries. You will be pleased to note that the Partnership will shortly be issuing a programme of partnership activities that aim to build the network and support you to develop your capacity in this difficult climate – more news on this shortly.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if there is anything we can support you with or if you have any questions regarding Learning Partnership activities.

Kind regards

Vanda

If you wish to have information included within the bulletin please contact Nick Bray our office administrator email: nbray@learning-partnership.co.uk

Learning Partnership – Partnership Scheme

If you have not been contacted by us already and wish to sign up please visit our website or contact Chris Cooper for more details.

The application is in two parts – Associate membership and Full Partner membership. There is no cost involved just some of your time to complete the process which we are happy to support you with.

For more information contact Chris Cooper ccooper@learning-partnership.co.uk or visit our website for more details…

An Inspector Calls! OFSTED & the Learning Partnership In January OFSTED conducted a full inspection of SFA funded community learning provision for Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities managed by the Learning Partnership. This is the first time OFSTED has inspected the Partnership and so we were a bit nervous, but very pleased that overall they graded us as a good provider. Even better the final report says that in many areas OFSTED considers that the work of the Partnership is outstanding, including:

How well do learners make a positive contribution to the community?
How well does the provision meet the needs and interests of users?
How well do partnerships with schools, employers, community groups and others lead to benefits for learners?
How effectively do leaders and managers raise expectations and promote ambition throughout the organisation?
How effectively do governors and supervisory bodies provide leadership, direction and challenge?
How effectively does the provider actively promote equality and diversity, tackle discrimination and narrow the achievement gap?
How effectively does the provider engage with users to support and promote improvement?
How efficiently and effectively does the provider use its available resources to secure value for money?

The OFSTED report confirms that the Learning Partnership – a voluntary sector, community facing organisation – is one of the best providers of adult learning in the area. We also believe that the inspection has vindicated the model of inclusive, partnership working that is the hallmark of everything we do. In the next few months we want to capitalise on this approach to extend this way of working whenever the opportunity arises. If you would like a copy of the full OFSTED report with all of the comments and grades, you can download a copy from; www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report Or, please let us know and we will provide one.

Adult Learners’ Week NIACE has released its publicity and promotion newsletter for this year. To view the newsletter

NIACE has also released a publicity poster to advertise the possibility of running events during Adult Learners’ Week to promote adult learning. Click here to view the poster…

EECETT Events

EECETT has secured funding for one network and two CPD events in the Eastern region. There will be more details to follow but you are warmly invited to attend any or all of the following events:

Network meeting for specialist LLN teacher educators and generic teacher educators responsible for the minimum core
This network will enable teacher educators delivering specialist qualifications or the minimum core to come together for an update on provision and the sharing of good practice across the region. The session will focus on the impact of the updated specialist and generic teaching qualifications introduced for delivery in September 2012.

Date: Wednesday 14 March 2012 10am -12.30pm followed by lunch
Venue: The British Racing School, Newmarket

Measuring and evidencing achievement and progression of trainee teachers
This session will look at ways in which teacher educators evidence how fast and how well teachers progress in their teaching and the effectiveness of new teachers on student progress. One college in the region has developed tools for measuring this and will be sharing them at this event.

Date: Wednesday 14 March 2012 – lunch at 12.30pm. Session from 01.15 to 15.15 (This session follows the ITE LLN network meeting)
Venue: British Racing School, Newmarket

Mentoring in teacher education
The purpose of this session is to identify and share good practice of mentoring new teachers in the lifelong learning sector. The session will focus on ways in which teacher education providers can ensure that all trainee teachers have the support of a subject specialist mentor during their training. The impetus for this event comes from recent Ofsted inspections of teacher education in the eastern region where equality of opportunity for trainee teachers in terms of access to mentors was identified as a concern by inspectors.

Date: 20 March 2012 10.00am to 12.30pm followed by lunch
Venue: The British Racing School, Newmarket

If you wish to book any of the above please email christine.stewart@acer.ac.uk stating which event/s you wish to attend.

Literacy Learners Needed – NIACE is looking for literacy learners at entry level who are prepared to talk on the telephone or be interviewed face-to-face or talk about their experiences on radio and/or TV. This could involve talking to Jessica Shepherd a Guardian journalist, or a member of NIACE staff about their experiences of engaging with adult literacy learning and the impact it has had on their lives. This is to support BBC Learning to publicise its series of literacy dramas to be launched in late March – there will be 5 dramas shown on BBC1 (one each afternoon from 26th March) each featuring a main character who has hidden a literacy issue for many years and, following the twists and turns of the plot, face up to it and take some action. This will be followed by some learning resources to support the dramas on BBC Skillswise. It is hoped that this set of programmes will inspire more adults to improve their literacy. You may have seen the first such interview in the Guardian last weekend with Sue Chapman who was a previous Adult Learners’ Week award winner.

Information, Advice and Guidance Services – FREE for your clients The Learning Partnership – Bedfordshire and Luton working together with its consortia of partners are able to offer free Information, Advice, and Guidance sessions in Bedfordshire and Luton. This service offers careers and skills advice and can be delivered to fit individual needs. In addition, the service can provide:

CV support
Improving interview skills
Information on the job market
Signposting and referral to other organisations

If you think this service would benefit your client groups please contact us directly to arrange a visit to discuss how we can work together to support your clients. Please contact:

Christopher Cooper -Tel: 07825 686702 or Email: ccooper@learning-partnership.co.uk

Learning Partnership Meeting Room Hire – latest offer LOOKING FOR A ROOM TO HOLD MEETINGS OR SEMINARS?

WE MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU

We have 2 rooms available for hire at competitive prices at Calibration House, 1 Sunbeam Road, Woburn Road Industrial Estate, Kempston, Beds, MK42 7BZ.

Our larger room, Room 1, will comfortably seat 20 delegates in Boardroom Style, 30 in Theatre Style or 18 in Cabaret Style.

The Room has a laptop (providing Internet Access and Office 2007), projector, SmartBoard and Flip Chart facilities. Refreshments are available.

Our smaller room, Room 2, will comfortably seat up to 12 delegates in Boardroom Style.

Latest Funding Update – 23 February 2012

Nick Bray — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:16:03 +0000

This is the latest issue of the Learning Partnership funding update part of the funding eXchange service we will be rolling out to partners.

This service is offered to partners who are involved in the design or delivery of learning opportunities within Bedfordshire and Luton.

Grantfinder is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. For more information or to arrange a demonstration please call 01909 501200.

Whilst the majority of the funding opportunities are from the Grantfinder database we are now also providing details of other funding opportunities.

1. Project Research and Development (PRD) Scheme UN5540

Proposals are invited for novel research projects that will enable the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) to deliver the science programme objectives.

The Project Research and Development (PRD) scheme aims to develop the capabilities needed to underpin UK science and technology leadership in future STFC projects and includes an opportunity for industry to apply directly to the Research Council for funding for research and development. It aims to pave the way for more:

UK intellectual leadership in key work packages in international projects.
UK industrial return on construction phase contracts.
Knowledge transfer through collaborative developments, spin-out formation, skills transfer and intellectual property licensing.

Eligible applicants include:

Commercial organisations.
Higher education institutions.
Academic analogues.
Other research institutions.

STFC intends to allocate a total of around £1.5 million.

Applications should be submitted by the deadline of 5 April 2012.

2. The Pitch 2012 – Now Open to Applications UGAH10

The Pitch is an annual competition which aims to find the UK’s most exciting and innovative small companies and entrepreneurial talent. Entrants must pitch their business idea to a panel of industry experts who will scrutinise business concepts and presentation skills, searching for the best of the best.

Successful entrepreneurs will be chosen from five regions to present their product or service, with five winners plus a wildcard entry selected to go through to a live grand final in London. Business ideas may be in any field; however, the judges will assess all pitches by looking for innovation, engagement with customers, sound financial and business planning, and an understanding of where the opportunities exist in the market for the product or service.

The winning entrepreneur will receive a package of business support prizes worth £50,000. Every entrant who takes part in The Pitch will receive expert advice on their business idea, guidance on their business plan and access to a range of business resources. Each finalist will also receive extensive media coverage.

To enter, businesses must be based in the UK, established for less than three years at the time of entry and employ no more than 20 members of staff.

The contest comprises regional heats taking place in the summer, followed by a grand final later in the year.

Entries are now being accepted at the applicants’ earliest convenience.

3. Bedfordshire Small Business Awards – Notice of Upcoming Deadline UG1220

The 2012 Bedfordshire Small Business Awards are intended to showcase the very best of the small businesses in Bedfordshire.There is a first prize of £5,000 in advertising provided by Premier Newspapers.The competition is open to all businesses based in Bedfordshire or companies that can prove the majority of their business is conducted in Bedfordshire.Entrants must be sole traders or have less than 200 employees at the time of entering.

Businesses can enter a maximum of three of the following categories:

Best New Business Award.
Employee of the Year.
Enterprising Business.
Business Person of the Year.
Young Business Person of the Year.
Real Life Entrepreneur.
Training and Development Award.
Franchisee of the Year.
Networking Group of the Year.
Business Innovation Award.
Green Business Award.
Service Excellence Award.
Best E-Business Award.
Business Woman of the Year.
Retailer of the Year Award.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 27 April 2012.

4. Effective Research Proposals – New Training Course

Idox’s Effective Research Proposal training course is designed to give early and mid-career academic staff advice on how to write a high-quality effective grant proposal, highlighting the Impact and Knowledge Exchange elements to meet the RCUK’s Pathway’s To Impact guidance, creating the potential to write high scoring applications. The course can be tailored to an institution or department’s Research Council interest.Who should attend?The course is ideal for academic staff who are expected to write funding applications for Research Councils and the Technology Strategy Board. Delegates are encouraged to bring along funding applications they are working on, or bids that have previously been submitted by their organisation, for use in the practical elements of the day.The course will be held on Thursday, 22 March 2012 at the Idox offices at Chancery Lane, London.

Training investment:

An introductory rate of £195 plus VAT per person, which includes lunch and light refreshments during the day and covers the costs of course material.

Learning outcomes:

Understanding how to communicate effectively with peer reviewers and RCUK commissioners
Understanding what is expected from partners and stakeholders
Ability to write effective Impact and Knowledge Exchange Statements
Ability to ‘sell’ your research proposal to funders
Knowledge of where to identify policy drivers
Understanding of how to construct an effective proposal structure

Course outline

10.30 Outline content of the workshop
10.35 Participants’ introductions and expectations
10.45 RCUK & TSB – What’s hot; what’s not?
10.55 Defining Impact & Knowledge Exchange
11.10 Effective proposals – what needs to be included? Practical exercise
11.40 Coffee break
12.00 Understanding partner needs and requirements
12.15 Pathways to Impact – how does this affect you? Case study: practical exercise
12.45 Lunch
13.30 Presenting your case – effective proposal structure
13.50 Create an outline proposal with impact and KE statement – Group exercise
14.50 Tea break
15.00 Dragon’s Den – Present your proposal to a panel of experts
15.20 Feedback from Dragons – did you spark their interest and receive a bag of gold?
15.40 Reviewing the outcome – improving performance
15.50 Workshop expectations review & evaluation
16.00 Finish

About the trainer:

This course will be led by Sheila Deighton, who brings a depth of knowledge from her work over the past 17 years in both the voluntary and public sectors. From her former role as Knowledge Transfer Manager at the NWDA she brings a sound understanding of Government policy within innovation, enterprise and knowledge exchange. Her current work on the commissioning panel of a leading Research Council also means she has an in-depth understanding of what makes research proposals attractive.

For an informal chat or for further information, please contact Rebecca Erskine, Head of Training or any other member of our training team on 0844 874 0739, training@idoxgroup.com

Please click here to download a booking form.

5. Sportsmatch Open to Applications

Sportsmatch is a programme delivered by Sport England that was set up to encourage the business sector to invest money in sport at the grass roots level. Sportsmatch acts as a match funding incentive by offering to double the pot of money available on a pound for pound basis.

Priority areas for Sportsmatch are:

Women and girls.
Black and minority ethnic groups.
Disability groups.

Properly constituted organising bodies involved in sport are eligible to apply, such as:

Local authorities.
Governing bodies.
Sports clubs.
Charities.
Voluntary youth associations.
Schools/colleges.

Grants of between £1,000 and £100,000 are available.

All funding is expected to be allocated by the end of Autumn 2012 so it is advised for organisations to submit their applications as soon as possible.

6. Tap Water Awards

Tapwater.org is offering grants, through its Tap Water Awards programme, to help support educational establishments in the UK to reduce their dependency on bottled waters by installing mains fed water machines and providing reusable stainless steel bottles.

Grants of between £300 and £5,000 are available to fund all or part of project costs.

Educational establishments registered in the UK are eligible to apply, including:

Schools.
Colleges.
Universities.

Examples of eligible project costs include:

Mains fed water machines.
Plumbing work to install machines.
Electrical work to install machines.
Buying of other items associated with mains fed machines.
Any other items associated with mains drinking water in schools.

Applicants should complete the application form and submit, either by email or post, at least three months before the project is due to commence.

Applications for grants will be assessed on a rolling basis and are subject to availability.

7. Espon 2013 – Pre-announcement of Upcoming Calls

The ESPON 2013 Programme has issued a pre-announcement for the upcoming Calls for Proposals on Targeted Analysis, Scientific Platform/Tools projects and Transnational Networking Activities. The Calls will open on 18 April 2012.

Scientists and experts representing universities, research institutes, public bodies and private companies are invited to apply. The total available budget for this Call amounts to €1.148 million, which will be distributed as follows:

Call on Priority 2 – Targeted Analysis – the theme is “North Sea – Spreading Transnational Results” (budget €340,000).
Call on Priority 3 – Scientific Platform/Tools includes the following themes:
- European Territorial Monitoring System (budget €598,000)
- Detecting Territorial Potential and Challenges (budget €350,000)
- European Urban Benchmarking Web Tool (budget €200,000)

One single proposal will be selected for each of the themes indicated.

The Call on Priority 4 – Transnational Networking Activities is dedicated exclusively to the institutions confirmed as national ESPON Contact Points. The total available budget will be announced at the opening of the Call.

The deadline for submitting proposals is 13 June 2012.

An Info Day and Partner Café for potential beneficiaries will take place on 10 May 2012 in Brussels.

8. Creative People and Places Fund UG5875

Arts Council England is offering funding to local consortiums to help get local people involved in the arts across parts of England where arts involvement is considerably below the national average.

Funding will be given to these areas to establish long-term partnerships between local communities and arts organisations, museums, libraries and local authorities. Called Creative People and Places, the programme aims to empower partnerships to experiment with new and innovative approaches to develop inspiring, sustainable arts programmes that will engage audiences in those communities.

A total of £37 million will be available to establish around 15 projects between autumn 2012 and autumn 2015. It is anticipated that the majority of proposals will be for between £500,000 and £3 million over three years.

It is expected that at least 10% of total project costs should come from other sources. This can also be in kind.

Consortiums of local communities, arts organisations, museums, libraries and local authorities are eligible to apply.

Intentions to apply should be registered by 23 March 2012. The deadline for first round applications is 13 April 2012.

A second round of applications will take place in autumn 2012.

9. Regional Growth Fund – Third Round Open to Applications

Applications for the third round of the Regional Growth Fund, which supports the growth of the private sector in areas that have previously depended on public spending, are being accepted from today. £1 billion is available for allocation in this round.

The Regional Growth Fund (RGF) is a discretionary £2.4 billion Fund that will operate for four years between 2011 and 2015 to achieve its two main objectives of:

stimulating enterprise by providing support for projects and programmes with significant potential for creating long-term private sector-led economic growth and employment; and
helping those areas and communities that are currently dependent on the public sector make the transition to sustainable private sector-led growth and prosperity.

The Fund encourages private sector enterprise, including social enterprise, to create opportunities for people and places to adjust to reductions in public spending, and enable private sector investors, business, the public sector and communities to come together with an overall strategy for their area.

Bids for funding from private bodies and public-private partnerships across England on a challenge basis are welcomed; however, the minimum amount of grant that can be applied for is £1 million. Programme bids that demonstrate a clear over-arching investment strategy for a specific geographical area are accepted, in addition to Projects and Project Packages.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 13 June 2012.

10. ERASMUS UNIVERSITY CHARTER 2013 (EU Member State) ZE1610

The 2013 Call for Proposals for the Erasmus University Charter is now open to applications.

Any higher education institution (HEI) wishing to participate in Erasmus Mobility of Individuals and/or acting as applicant/coordinating institutions in Erasmus Multilateral Projects and Networks or Accompanying Measures must apply for the Erasmus University Charter (EUC) in order to gain access to the Lifelong Learning Programme (2007-2013).

HEI based in EU Member States, EEA/EFTA countries, the candidate countries and Switzerland are eligible to apply.

The application deadline is 29 March 2013.

11. EUROPEAN SOLAR PRIZES (EU Member State) ZG1005

The European Solar Prizes 2012 are now open to applications. Prizes are awarded for outstanding projects and individual achievements which make a contribution to the use of renewable energy.

Prizes are presented in the following categories:

Towns/municipalities, council districts, municipal utilities.
Industrial and commercial companies or farmers.
Owners or users of installations utilising renewable energy.
Local or regional associations promoting renewable energy projects.
Solar architecture and urban planning.
Media.
Transport systems with renewable energy.
Education and vocational training.
One-world cooperation.
Special achievement prize for outstanding individual commitment.

The closing date for entries is 30 June 2012.

PCF Bulletin – 21 February 2012

Nick Bray — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:49:30 +0000

Dear Colleagues,Please find below the latest monthly update to the Partnership Community Forum (PCF) which we hope you will find of interest.We had our meeting on the 26^th January which was very well attended with two key speakers providing valuable insights into the work they are doing and how partners can benefit from their services. Please click on the links below for the minutes and associated documents and presentations from the meeting.

Due to the demands for information sharing we have taken the decision to send out our bulletin on a fortnightly basis. If you wish to have information included within the bulletin please contact Nick Bray our office administrator email: nbray@learning-partnership.co.uk

Minutes of the PCF Meeting on 26 January 2012

For Employer Factsheet regarding the DWP Flexible Support Fund

Information on work clubs

For information regarding Work Experience

For information on working with partners on the Flexible Support Fund

For the presentation delivered by Skills for Care

For the Presentation by TCHC on Community Grants

For details of the current Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire Council ESF Projects

For details of the Acorn programme

Learning Partnership – Partnership Scheme

If you have not been contacted by us already and wish to sign up please visit our website or contact Chris Cooper for more details.

The application is in two parts – Associate membership and Full Partner membership. There is no cost involved just some of your time to complete the process which we are happy to support you with.

For more information contact Chris Cooper ccooper@learning-partnership.co.uk or visit our website for more details…

Community Grants Next round of applications will be released in April 2012 with project deadline for submission in June 2012. for more details

DWP ESF Families Programme This is a voluntary programme aimed at moving families closer to and into sustained employment. The programme is designed to complement existing services that take place within a Local Authority, whilst reducing the wider impacts on intergenerational worklessness.Reed in Partnership is the prime contractor for the DWP ESF Families Programme in the East of England. The Learning Partnership is the approved end to end provider working in conjunction with Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire Councils delivering the Families Programme in Bedford and across Central Bedfordshire. The Families Programme is delivered through a strong partnership of community, voluntary and private sector organisations to engage with individuals and families to support them in getting back to work. Referrals can be made by Teams within Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire Councils, Schools, Colleges, Family Learning Providers, Housing Associations, Voluntary and Community organisations.

If your organisation can identify families with a need or require more information, please contact

Employment Co-ordinator on 01234 857661 or e-mail: families@learning-partnership.co.uk

To view the full promotional leaflet

Transforming Local Infrastructure (TLI) A partnership of twelve local organisations working across Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton has been awarded a Transforming Local Infrastructure (TLI) award of £799,798. This is the third largest award to a partnership in England.The Government has awarded this grant through Transforming Local Infrastructure, which is being delivered by Big Fund, the non-Lottery funding arm of the Big Lottery Fund. Transforming Local Infrastructure is providing better support for frontline civil society organisations by transforming local infrastructure services.

Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd said:

“This fund is not designed to support ‘business as usual’ – it’s about making things better for the frontline. It’s about supporting organisations with innovative business plans who want to play their part in modernising the landscape of local infrastructure.

“One of our main priorities is making it easier to run a charity. We will ensure that we back the highest quality infrastructure support so that charities get guidance which is local, relevant and enables them to improve their service delivery.”

For further information, please contact: Martin Trinder, Community and Voluntary Service, Tel: 01234 354366 or Email: martin@yourcvs.org

Adult Learners’ Week We will be launching the Adult Learners Week 2012 Local Award nominations next week so keep an eye on your inbox for details of the nomination process.

Dates for your diary:

Thursday 10^th May 2012 – Newspaper supplement published

Tuesday 15^th May 2012 – Bedford Event, Harpur Street

Wednesday 16^th May 2012 – Luton Event, Smith Square, Arndale Centre

Thursday 17^th May 2012 – Regional Awards Ceremony

Friday 18^th May 2012 – Local Awards Ceremony

If you would like more details about any of the ALW activities please contact Carole Pullinger, cpullinger@learning-partnership.co.uk or 01234 857637

YMCA Bedfordshire SleepEasy March 2012 – Can your organisation make a difference? We would like to invite a member of staff (or two!) to get together with a group of up to 5 students (aged 16+) to form a ‘SleepEasy Group’ to come and join us on March 3rd from 7pm until 7am Sunday 4th March for our 12 hour sleep out challenge. Will you sleep rough for a night so others don’t have to?For more details

Relate – 1st Impressions Workshop Relate Bedfordshire and Luton have pleasure in forwarding to you information regarding our next 1^st Impressions workshop, which may be of interest to you.The course is a one day workshop, to be held on 14^th March in Bedford town centre. The course is designed for ‘front of house’ or appointment staff who greet your clients. The course covers Professional Conduct, Confidentiality, Communication Skills and managing difficult clients along with many other useful skills.

To view the poster

Federation of Holistic Therapists – Calendar of Events 2012 The Federation of Holistic Therapists has released its calendar of events for 2012.To view the calendar

Bedfordshire and Luton Mind – How to become your own best therapist Bedfordshire and Luton Mind is running a series of 5 week workshops designed to improve peoples’ way of life and to help control feelings of anxiety.For course details

Develop EBP – Job Vacancy Develop EBP are looking to recruit an Assessor/Internal Verifier for the Children and Young People Workforce.To view the advertisement and for contact details

CV support
Improving interview skills
Information on the job market
Signposting and referral to other organisations

If you think this service would benefit your client groups please contact us directly to arrange a visit to discuss how we can work together to support your clients. Please contact:

Christopher Cooper -Tel: 07825 686702 or Email: ccooper@learning-partnership.co.uk

Learning Partnership Meeting Room Hire – latest offer LOOKING FOR A ROOM TO HOLD MEETINGS OR SEMINARS?WE MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU

We have 2 rooms available for hire at competitive prices at Calibration House, 1 Sunbeam Road, Woburn Road Industrial Estate, Kempston, Beds, MK42 7BZ.

Our larger room, Room 1, will comfortably seat 20 delegates in Boardroom Style, 30 in Theatre Style or 18 in Cabaret Style.

The Room has a laptop (providing Internet Access and Office 2007), projector, SmartBoard and Flip Chart facilities. Refreshments are available.

Our smaller room, Room 2, will comfortably seat up to 12 delegates in Boardroom Style.

Latest Funding Update – 15 February 2012

Nick Bray — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:20:17 +0000

This is the latest issue of the Learning Partnership funding update part of the funding eXchange service we will be rolling out to partners.

This service is offered to partners who are involved in the design or delivery of learning opportunities within Bedfordshire and Luton.

Grantfinder is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. For more information or to arrange a demonstration please call 01909 501200.

Whilst the majority of the funding opportunities are from the Grantfinder database we are now also providing details of other funding opportunities.

1. CREATIVE PEOPLE AND PLACES FUND

Arts Council England is offering funding to local consortiums to help get local people involved in the arts across parts of England where arts involvement is considerably below the national average.

It is expected that at least 10% of total project costs should come from other sources. This can also be in kind.

Consortiums of local communities, arts organisations, museums, libraries and local authorities are eligible to apply.

Intentions to apply should be registered by 23 March 2012. The deadline for first round applications is 13 April 2012.

A second round of applications will take place in autumn 2012.

2. PUMA.CREATIVE CATALYST AWARD (UK) UGR465The PUMA.Creative Catalyst Award is an international documentary film development fund offering up to €5,000 (approx. £4,190) per project.

Awards are intended to support the development of early-stage documentary projects and the edit of a trailer. Applications may be made by documentary filmmakers working anywhere in the world for the development of creative films of any length and on any subject, in any style or form.

Extra consideration will be given for films that meet PUMA.Vision’s core values of Safe, Peace and Creative.

Any member of a project’s production team may submit the application.

The deadline for applications for the spring 2012 Call is 27 February 2012 (6pm, UK time).

3. BFI SHORTS 2012 (UK) UG5750

BFI Shorts 2012 is a new short film production scheme that forms part of the British Film Institute’s commitment to supporting emerging filmmaking talent and providing opportunities for filmmakers to demonstrate their potential to create feature films.The scheme will support live-action fiction projects and encourages a diverse range of films that tell compelling stories and have the ability to engage, inspire and entertain audiences.

Funding is available to support up to 20 live-action narrative fiction shorts which:

- have a duration of 10-30 minutes;

- are able to engage, inspire and entertain audiences;

- demonstrate that the filmmakers have the ability to dramatise stories that require a bigger canvas;

- are achievable within the allocated time-frame and budget range specified; and

- have no development or production finance already in place.

The budget for each film will be between £25,000 and £50,000 and will be fully funded through the BFI award.

Applications are accepted from directors, writers and producers in the UK.

The deadline for applications is 5pm, Friday 23 March 2012.

4. MEDIA 2007 – TRAINING (EU Member State) ZG1100The final Call for Proposals for ‘continuous training’ under the MEDIA 2007 programme has now been launched.

This strand of MEDIA 2007 involves improving the continuous vocational training of professionals in the audiovisual sector in order to give them the skills needed to create competitive products for the European – and other – markets.

The Call offers a two-year framework partnership agreement, and has an indicative budget of €7 million.

The deadline for submissions is 16 April 2012.

5. BUSINESS CHARITY AWARDS (UK) UGCA80

Organised by Third Sector Magazine, the Business Charity Awards recognise the outstanding contribution made to good causes by businesses in the UK.

Entries are accepted from any corporate company based in the UK working in partnership with registered charities, not-for-profit organisations, social enterprises and campaigning groups.

Awards will be made in the following categories:

- Affinity Marketing.

- Business Charity Champion.

- Business of the Year.

- Cause-Related Marketing.

- Challenge Team.

- Charity Partnership (Short Term).

- Charity Partnership (Small Businesses) (new for 2012).

- Charity Partnership (Financial and Professional).

- Charity Partnership (Retail and Leisure) (new for 2012).

- Charity Partnership.

- Community Impact (new for 2012).

- Corporate Foundation.

- CSR Team (new for 2012).

- Employee Engagement.

- Employment Scheme.

- Overseas Project.

- Outstanding Employee (new for 2012).

Single Project (new for 2012).

Award winners in each category will receive a trophy, presented at an award ceremony in central London on 15 May 2012.

The deadline for receipt of entries to the 2012 awards has been extended by one week to 16 February 2012.

6. NATIONAL LOTTERY AWARDS (UK) UGK650

The Awards are open to authorised representatives of projects that have received Lottery funding at any time since 1994. The main beneficiaries of the project must be based in the UK.

Entries can be made in the following Award categories:

Best Arts Project.

Best Education Project.

Best Environment Project.

Best Health Project.

Best Heritage Project.

Best Sport Project.

Best Voluntary/Charity Project.

The winner in each category will receive a cash prize of £2,000, which can be put towards their project.

Winners will be determined by a public vote featuring on a special BBC1 television show in the autumn.

The deadline for entries is 12 March 2012 (noon).

7. CEDEFOP (EU Member State) ZE0350The first application round for study visits 2012/2013 for educational and vocational training specialists and decision-makers is now open.

Eligible specialists can apply for the study visits that will take place between September 2012 and February 2013.

The visits will explore themes such as:

The transition from education and training to the world of work.

Cooperation of educational and training institutions with their communities and the labour market.

Ensuring equal opportunities for disadvantaged groups.

Quality assurance mechanisms in schools and training institutions.

The continuing professional development of teachers’ and trainers’.

The deadline for applications is 30 March 2012.

The second round of applications, for study visits between March and June 2013 will open on 23 July 2012 with a deadline of 12 October 2012.

8. EMPLOYER OWNERSHIP OF SKILLS – PILOT (England) UE7830 The Employer Ownership of Skills Pilot aims to find more effective ways to improve skills in the workforce and to use these improved skills to drive up productivity and growth. The competitive fund will route public investment directly to employers and will be backed by significant resources from existing skills budgets.

Up to £50 million is available for the 2012/13 academic year, starting in August 2012. Subject to success of the first round of the pilot, up to £200 million will be available for the second round in 2013/14.

BIS wants to see significant and scalable proposals for skills investment and therefore the minimum cash investment from Government will be £250,000 for collaborative proposals involving SMEs, and £1 million for individual or consortia bids involving large employers.

The pilot is open to employers of all sizes and sectors in England. Bids are encouraged from groups of employers working together in their sector, supply chain or local area, but single employers can also apply, provided bids are above the bid threshold levels. BIS is particularly keen that SMEs participate, either as part of a supply chain proposal, or in a collective bid developed in conjunction with other partners, for example a National Skills Academy, a Sector Skills Council or through a Group Training Association.

Whilst the organisation can be based anywhere, the benefits of the proposal must focus solely on England. All bids must be led by a named employer(s).

The deadline to register an intention to bid is 13 April 2012. The final deadline for bid submissions is 26 April 2012.

9. HIGHER APPRENTICESHIPS FUND (England) UE7140Businesses and training providers in England are being invited to bid for a share of £6 million through a new round of the Higher Apprenticeship Fund, which will support the development of thousands of new Higher Apprenticeships.

In Round Two BIS is seeking applications to develop activity in any of the following specific sector / sub-sector areas and approaches:

Accounting.

Aerospace / Aviation.

Early Years Professional.

Health.

Land based engineering.

Law (Paralegal).

Renewable technologies / micro-generation.

Retail and hospitality.

Space Industries.

Utilities and energy.

Education (online/e-learning).

Through this second round of funding BIS wants to ensure clear and achievable ladders of progression for apprentices to pursue their aspirations for higher level skills achievements including post-graduate study and the attainment of professional qualifications to more sectors of the economy.

The scheme is available for existing and new staff aged 16 and over. Collaborative partnership bids are invited. The following organisations, with preference given to consortia, are eligible to apply:

Employers.

Sector Skills Councils.

Professional Bodies.

National Skills Academies.

Employer groups.

Learning Providers, including independents.

FE colleges and HE institutions.

There is currently no deadline for set for the receipt of applications under Round Two, therefore applications may be submitted at any time.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

10. New initial teacher education projects – bidding guidance

LSIS has produced guidance documentation for initial teacher education (ITE) providers to apply to the first phase of a development fund for the sector to explore new models of delivering initial teacher education, working with Skills Funding Agency funded providers. Priority areas include English and Mathematics and STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). This first phase of funding is available to support HEFCE funded ITE provision.

‘New Challenges, New Chances – Further Education and Skills System Reform Plan: Building a World Class Skills System‘ (published 1 December 2011) announced a number of actions to develop and promote excellent teaching. The paper highlights the need for a professional workforce, and emphasises that outstanding teaching and learning depends on the quality of teachers and trainers, their specialist skills and how they are supported.

BIS has announced a number of key actions aimed at ensuring excellence in teaching and learning in the further education and skills system, and ensuring that we have world-class teachers and trainers. LSIS has been commissioned to work with the sector on this, providing development funding for new models of delivery of initial teacher education.

The main purpose of these projects is to set up new, sustainable models of delivery of ITE which will:

support providers to develop new models for ITE to the highest quality standards;
create efficient models for ITE, while maintaining fitness for purpose, with a focus on creating excellence in teaching and learning;
develop ITE provision which is attractive and affordable to new trainees and employers.

Applications which create new partnerships would be particularly welcome (for example, between industry, FE and skills providers, HE Institutions and professional and learned bodies), as would projects which address equality and diversity issues across the FE and skills sector.

Phase One projects will support HEFCE funded provision and be expected to demonstrate that they will be working within the new arrangements for funding of provision, and the new arrangements for student loans for trainees (where applicable), proposed for 2012/13.

In addition to the above, LSIS will be looking for:

a spread of projects across different regions in England;
projects that address the distinct needs of different parts of the FE and skills landscape*;
projects which address subject priorities: Mathematics, English and the range of STEM subjects.

The aim of these projects is to develop effective and efficient methods of delivery of ITE for the future. Projects which use funds principally as subsidies for trainees will not be considered.

Full bidding guidance for the Phase One project opportunities is now available for download. Applications must be submitted by midnight on Wednesday 22 February 2012:

New Initial Teacher Education projects Guidance and Application form (.doc, 108KB)

Support for potential bidders is available from the Centres for Excellence in Teacher Training (CETTs) (contact details available in the bidding documentation). Enquiries should be directed to the CETTS in the first instance, but you can contact LSIS via ITE@LSIS.org.uk.

Funding for Phase Two will be announced after April 2012. This will also support ITE provision accredited by awarding organisations (AOs).

*This does not include training programmes for staff in sixth form colleges who are trained through DfE/TDA routes..

Latest Funding Update – 8 February 2012

Nick Bray — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:21:38 +0000

Welcome to the Funding eXchange!

This is the latest issue of the Learning Partnership funding update part of the funding eXchange service we will be rolling out to partners.

This service is offered to partners who are involved in the design or delivery of learning opportunities within Bedfordshire and Luton.

Grantfinder is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. For more information or to arrange a demonstration please call 01909 501200.

Whilst the majority of the funding opportunities are from the Grantfinder database we are now also providing details of other funding opportunities.

1. Fund101 Reopens Offering New Small Business Grants (UK)

Fund101 targets UK-based entrepreneurs looking to turn an idea into a new business and existing small companies wishing to purchase equipment to help take their enterprise to the next level.

Administered by Enterprise Nation, the programme is designed to assist those who are looking for relatively small amounts of capital support. The initial funding pool is £50,000 and this will be topped up each month with an additional £5,000. Individual grants ranging from £50 to £500 can be requested.

The grants can be used to fund miscellaneous capital costs associated with starting up a new venture and for existing small businesses to purchase equipment, promotional flyers, hardware etc, in order to boost their operations.

UK-based start-ups looking to commence trading and those who are already in business and need funding to further their enterprise may be eligible for assistance through Fund101.

To apply, entrants must complete an online application, explaining how much money they require and for what purpose. They must then raise an equivalent number of votes to the grant they are seeking – if they need £100, they must engage 100 people to vote for them online.

When the target is met, the funds will be deposited into the successful candidates’ PayPal accounts. Grant recipients must agree to be profiled on the Fund101 webpage to explain how the grant has benefited their business.

The application process has re-opened for 2012 and bids may be submitted at any time.

2. New Funding Announced for Businesses to Boost Employee Skills

The Prime Minister has announced details of new government funding sources that are now available to support businesses taking on apprentices. The new funds have been put in place from today, enabling businesses to support apprenticeships up to degree equivalent, thereby helping to cultivate the skills needed to boost economic growth.

Businesses and training providers are being invited to bid for a share of £6 million through a new round of the Higher Apprenticeship Fund, which will support the development of thousands of new Higher Apprenticeships in sectors including aerospace, energy and renewable technologies.

The Prime Minister has also opened the bidding for the new Employer Ownership of Skills Pilot, inviting employers in England to apply for funding to support vocational training. The pilot will help businesses to secure more control over how skills training is designed and delivered. It will make up to £250 million of public investment available for successful bids over two years from August 2012. Up to £50 million in 2012/13 and up to £200 million in 2013/14 will be available.

Additionally, coinciding with this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, the Prime Minister has announced that small firms can now access a £1,500 incentive towards hiring their first young apprentices. The move is expected to support up to 40,000 new apprenticeships over the coming year.

3. YOUTUBE DIGITAL INNOVATION AWARD (UK) UG8130

The YouTube Digital Innovation Award aims to celebrate the creative talents of young filmmakers, rewarding those who submit a short film that is less three minutes in duration. First Light is asking for submissions of short films that could be described as ‘digitally innovative’.The three best entries will be invited to the First Light Awards at the BFI Southbank. The winning entry will receive £1,000 in cash. The money can be used towards future filmmaking projects.

Young filmmakers in the UK who are between the ages of 18 and 25 years on the closing date may apply.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 24 February 2012.

4. DEPICT! (UK) UGD420

DepicT! is an international short film competition provided by Watershed Media Centre which seeks to uncover up and coming film-making talent in the UK.

The contest is open to applications from film-makers with productions that last no longer than 90 seconds but still manage to show originality, imagination and the ability to engage audiences. Films can focus on a wide range of genres, including:

Animation.

Documentary.

Drama.

Experimental or artist film.

Hybrid work.

All shortlisted film-makers will be invited to attend the Encounters Short Film Festival in Bristol.

The winning entry will receive a £1,500 cash prize plus UK distribution through the Digital Screen Network.

Film-makers in the UK may apply.

The deadline for entries to the 2012 competition is 9 July 2012.

5. YOUNG WOMAN ENGINEER OF THE YEAR AWARD (UK) UN5830

The 2012 round of the Institution of Engineering and Technology Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award has opened to applications.

The Award highlights the achievements of women in engineering and encourages others to enter the profession. The Award is open to entries from women under the age of 30 holding a responsible position as a leading professional engineer in the UK.

The 2012 award categories comprise the following:

The Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award – this category recognises a young woman who has firmly established herself as a dynamic and technically excellent professional. The prize is £1,000.

The Mary George Memorial Prize – this category awards an outstanding female engineering apprentice who has made a contribution within the workplace beyond the realms of her normal duties and demonstrated dynamism in her approach to the solution of engineering problems. The prize is £750.

The Women’s Engineering Society (WES) Prize – this prize is awarded to the graduate engineer who is the runner-up in the Young Woman of the Year contest. The prize is £500.

Applicants all three awards will be females under the age of 30 who are currently employed in UK Apprenticeships, Young Apprenticeships or Advanced Apprenticeships within the UK.

The prizes will be presented at an awards ceremony to be held in London in late 2012.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 30 July 2012.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

6. New initial teacher education projects – bidding guidance

The main purpose of these projects is to set up new, sustainable models of delivery of ITE which will:

support providers to develop new models for ITE to the highest quality standards;
create efficient models for ITE, while maintaining fitness for purpose, with a focus on creating excellence in teaching and learning;
develop ITE provision which is attractive and affordable to new trainees and employers.

In addition to the above, LSIS will be looking for:

a spread of projects across different regions in England;
projects that address the distinct needs of different parts of the FE and skills landscape*;
projects which address subject priorities: Mathematics, English and the range of STEM subjects.

The aim of these projects is to develop effective and efficient methods of delivery of ITE for the future. Projects which use funds principally as subsidies for trainees will not be considered.

Full bidding guidance for the Phase One project opportunities is now available for download. Applications must be submitted by midnight on Wednesday 22 February 2012:

New Initial Teacher Education projects Guidance and Application form (.doc, 108KB)

Funding for Phase Two will be announced after April 2012. This will also support ITE provision accredited by awarding organisations (AOs).

*This does not include training programmes for staff in sixth form colleges who are trained through DfE/TDA routes..

7. Regional innovation in teaching and learning funds (RITLF)LSIS is issuing an invitation to providers to bid for an LSIS funded-project which will promote innovative continuing professional development (CPD) in teaching and learning. Each project will be funded up to the value of £5,000, and LSIS is funding a minimum of four projects in each of the nine regions.

The overall aim is to improve teaching and learning by using these funds to overcome barriers and provide additional opportunities for CPD in circumstances where otherwise it would not take place. All projects must demonstrate how they intend to improve teaching and learning. Projects should also be capable of contributing to the IfL 30 hour (or pro rata) CPD requirement and include opportunities for reflection.

LSIS is committed to improving the quality of teaching and learning through the use of its change agents*. This Regional Innovation in Teaching and Learning Fund is aimed at improving the effectiveness of teaching and learning through the transfer of effective practice using change agents. This builds on the findings in the LSIS funded report “Brilliant teaching in further education and skills” based on research by the Institute for Learning (IfL). This found that “CPD is most likely to lead to the desired impact if based on learning from others – from shared resources, from peer support and working together”. This focus on Teaching and Learning is reinforced by New Challenges, New Chances, published by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills in December 2011.

Collaborative applications between two or more organisations within a region or between regions are encouraged. We are particularly keen to hear from providers who have embedded the work of the change agents into cross-organisational improvement strategies in Teaching and Learning.p>

Please read the accompanying invitation and guidance, and complete and return the application form to the LSIS funding portal by

midnight on 13 February 2012:

RITLF invitation, guidance and application form (.doc, 153KB)

Please note that you will have to pre-register with the LSIS funding portal and we advise doing this in advance of your application.

* LSIS change agents include: Subject Learning Coach, PDA or Eguides , and priority may be given to these (although applications that use other change agents – key individuals who have a focus on teaching and learning and are authorised by their SMT- are welcome).