WIDER POLICIES
Scottish Education and Skills Policy

Key Policies:

Policy on education and skills development is fully devolved to the Scottish Executive.

There is no national programme for skills development among homeless people.

There are two main adult learning programmes in Scotland:

• Adult literacy and numeracy
• Community learning programme. 

Neither of these programmes has a specific agenda relating to homeless people, although such people may be covered by some of the services.

Adult literacy and numeracy

The Adult literacy and numeracy strategy began with a series of Pathfinder projects in 2002.  One of pathfinders (Perth and Kinross) was focused on homeless people.  Its aim was to help homeless people improve their ‘tenancy' literacy - issues such a budgeting, understanding bills and meters, accessing the benefits system etc.  The intention was to provide a model of good practice around the issue of sustainable tenancies.

There does not appear to be any other evidence of work to engage with homeless people through the adult literacy programmes.

Community learning programme

The Community learning programme is centred on learning and social development work with individuals and groups in their communities using a range of formal and informal methods.  A common defining feature is that the programmes and activities are developed in dialogue with communities themsleves, depending on their needs.  

Each Community Planning Partnership had to produce a community learning and development strategy by September 2004.  It is understood that some projects for homeless people emerged as a result of this process.

Page last modified on 20/06/2006 at 16:01