Evidence of the impact of the sector providing learning

NAVCA works to support its memebers and the wider voluntary sector in its invaluable work in providing learning and skills. It is estimated that 6 out of every 10 voluntary organisations provide some kind of learning to their users. Research from the Learning and Skills Council published in 2010 has confirmed to the value of the sector's contribution:

'Within every funding stream, third sector learners are more likely to have a learning difficulty or disability, and in Work Based Learning and European Social Fund provision, they are more ethnically diverse and also more likely to be resident in a deprived area.

'Third sector further education (FE) provision also attracts older learners compared with non-third sector FE: just 2% of learners are aged 16-18 vs 30% of those learners on and FE course with a non-third sector provider.'

What is also interesting from this research is that when we look at how good the voluntary sector learning provision actually is:

'Achievement rates for third sector FE learning aims are significantly higher than thise for non-third sector FE learning aims (88% vs 75%).'

These research results are based on 3 years individualised learner records from LSC funded provision.