Influencing the Learning and Skills Council (LSC)

NAVCA has undertaken work to influence the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and its relationship with the voluntary and community sector (VCS) since it was established in April 2001.

The LSC commissioned NIACE to develop a proposal for a national strategy for its work with the VCS. NAVCA was actively involved in developing the strategy, Working Together.

NAVCA consulted members in Spring 2003 to gain an overview of how work with local LSCs was developing. We received 75 replies. A summary (rtf format, 21 KB) of responses was produced to inform our input to Working Together.

We are currently represented on two high level national LSC groups. The practitioner reference group designed the content of Working Together. It now comments on the detail of LSC actions supporting Working Together. The second, originally a strategy group, has now re-formed to become the Working Together Implementation Group and is overseeing the implementation of the strategy within the LSC. From your responses to our consultations, we believe that our involvement at both levels reflects the importance of the LSC to LIOs.

More recently, two further documents have been produced to support the implementation of Working Together.

The first is Working Together in Practice, a toolkit aimed at LSC staff who work with the voluntary and community sector. Working Together in Practice: Volume 2 aims to enable a mutual understanding between the LSC and the voluntary and community sector and to disseminate good practice case studies.

NAVCA will continue to keep people updated via Circulation and LINX on any further developments. If you would like to discuss your work with the LSC please contact lynne.bryan@navca.org.uk.