03.01.06
Exciting new family learning project in Cornwall receives £¾ million of Objective One investment

An exciting and innovative Family Learning project which will see specialist tutors based at Children's Centres across Cornwall to encourage families to learn together has been awarded almost £¾million pounds from Objective One.

The Family Learning Years (FLY) project is a community partnership project where families learn together and parents and carers are motivated to take their own learning further. Investment for the £1.57 million project ( which includes £742,000 from Objective One) has come from the Devon and Cornwall Learning and Skills Council, the Children's Services Authority, The Book Trust ( Bookstart Initiative) and the West Cornwall Primary Care Trust.

The project was officially launched by Terry Lello, the County Council's Lead Member for Children, Young People and Families and Nigel Walker, the Executive Member for Adults, at the Bodriggy Children's Centre in Hayle at 1pm on Tuesday, January 10th.

Also attending were Dean Ashton, the Director of Children, Young People and Families; Richard Williams, Head of Family Services; Morwenna Vernon, Family Learning Development Manager; Caroline Willis, Children's Centre Area Manager and John Hall, Head of the Adult Education Service.

The project will be focused on Cornwall's Children's Centres. The investment will be used to extend existing Family Learning provision and employ tutors to work with parents and carers on a one to one basis to encourage them to take up family learning, and support them to move on to other learning or vocational opportunities. It will also fund the recruitment of local Bookstart Co-ordinators to develop the Bookstart initiative which provides free Bookstart packs for families with babies and young children.

Cornwall's highly acclaimed Family Learning Unit is part of Cornwall Adult Education Service and funded by the Learning and Skills Council. It provides adults and children with the opportunity to enjoy learning together and develop new skills and encourages adult members of the family to pursue further learning. Activities range from fun one day learning together events, built around themes such as Healthy Eating, Technology, Sport and Arts and Crafts to 72 hour family literacy programmes.

"We currently provide a range of formal and informal learning opportunities that involve more than one generation," explained Morwenna Vernon, Cornwall's Family Learning Development Manager. "We have been very successful in encouraging people with few or no qualifications to return to education, raising educational aspirations for all family members and encouraging adults to recognise and address basic skills such as literacy and numeracy.

"This new funding will enable us to place tutors in every Children's Centre to work with learners on a one to one basis. In some cases this may involve meeting with potential learners in their own home, and working with them until they feel ready to join a group. We will also support people who have attended our courses to take the next steps on their learning journeys."

Carleen Kelemen, director of the Objective One Partnership, said: "A very important aim for the Objective One Programme is to include everyone in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly on the journey to a better economy. This project will help people from recognised disadvantaged areas learn, grow in confidence and also take that one step further into employment."

The project aims to work with approximately 1968 beneficiaries across Cornwall, including unemployed parents, carers and wider family members. Services will be delivered from the Children's Centres that are being set up in Cornwall's 20% most disadvantaged wards.

For further information please contact Patricia Hewitt of Cornwall County Council on 01208 893318 or email: phewitt@cornwall.gov.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Family Learning Years Projects FLY1 and FLY2 through the European Social Fund (ESF).

Editor's notes:

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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