Individual Learning Accounts in Scotland A practical case study of demandled funding for adult learn

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Individual Learning Accounts in ScotlandA
practical case study of demand-led funding for
adult learning
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ILA Scotland

• What is ILA Scotland
• Where are we now with ILAs in Scotland
• Our future plans

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What is ILA Scotland?

• a national scheme operating since Dec 2004
• a virtual account
• which provides a learner funding entitlement (up
  to 200 a year)
• to cover (part) payment of course fees
• learner makes a (minimum) personal contribution

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What is an ILA?

• account holder chooses course and learning
  provider (wide range of both)
• payment is made by ILA Scotland to approved
  learning providers
• learner entitlement is renewed each year (if
  learner is still eligible)

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What do ILAs aim to achieve?

• To widen participation in adult learning
• To introduce new learners to adult learning
• To encourage learners to take ownership of their
  own learning
• To prioritise the needs of certain learner groups
  (ie. people on low income)
• To encourage learning progression
• To support the development of a quality learning
  provider base in Scotland

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Who is eligible (ILA200)?

• Age 18
• Residence ordinarily resident in Scotland
• Income on specified benefits
• 18,000 income threshold
• (individual annual earned income)
• ILA200 can be used to fund a very wide range of
  courses no requirement that courses must lead
  to qualifications

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Who is eligible (ILA100)?

• Age 18
• Residence ordinarily resident in Scotland
• No income limit
• BUT
• ILA100 can only be used for specified courses,
  more restricted than ILA200 must lead to
  qualifications
• also limited to basic level skills/qualifications
  

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What courses are funded?

• Eligible learning excludes
• full-time higher education and advanced
  professional qualifications
• learning related to statutory requirements eg.
  health and safety
• work-related training eg. training for core
  duties
• adult literacy and numeracy courses
• driving lessons (standard, not heavy goods)
• leisure or sports activities which do not lead to
  a recognised qualification

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What providers can participate?

• Wide range of learning providers, to offer
  flexibility and encourage learner choice
• Colleges, universities, community and voluntary
  learning centres, private training providers
• All must hold accredited quality standards and be
  formally approved by ILA Scotland
• Currently there are 300 approved learning
  providers

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Where are we now?

• ILA Scotland (2004 2007)
• targeted scheme, focused on people on low incomes
• retains a universal element via ILA100, but
  this is also targeted on low skills levels
  rather than income
• includes close working with intermediaries to
  help support harder to reach learners

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ILA Scotland - Participation

• over 91,000 account holders and over 56,500
  active accounts
• most active learners (90) are low income
  (ILA200)
• most learners (nearly 90) are over 25
• most learners (70) are female

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ILA Scotland - Participation

• most learners (63) take courses in college
• 28 with a private/community based provider
• 9 at university
• most (82) ILA200 learners choose courses leading
  to qualifications or certification
• 50 choose to do ICT courses
• other popular subjects include health and
  welfare, business, arts and languages

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ILA Scotland - Outcomes

• 96 ILA200 satisfaction with scheme overall
• 88 ILA200 learners satisfied with level of
  funding
• 90 satisfied with application process, guidance
  and documentation
• 91 ILA200 learner satisfaction with course
  quality
• 55 value added for ILA200 learners
• 63 value added for ILA200 learners with low or
  now qualifications

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Evaluation key messages

• ILA Scotland is recognised as a valuable part of
  lifelong learning funding in Scotland
• ILAs have helped increase access to lifelong
  learning, especially for lower income learners,
  women returners, older learners
• ILAs should aim to have greater strategic impact
  in the future
• look at ways to widen the reach of the scheme by
  extending learner, provider and course
  eligibility
• reinforce and expand the support role of
  intermediary bodies
• streamline scheme administration to make it more
  flexible and easier to use

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Future of ILAs in Scotland

• Focus on low income offer ILA200
• Widen learner eligibility
• - income
• - age
• Widen accepted provider accreditation standards
• - professional/industry bodies
• Widen range of eligible courses
• - workplace adult literacy and numeracy
• - workplace learning (not statutory training)
• Increase the funding level for priority learners
  and/or courses
• - ILA500 for part-time higher education courses

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Further information

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• Final Learning Provider and Intermediary Study
• http//www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/12/13
  151715
• Phase 1 learner survey
• http//www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/03/07
  115752/0 
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• Future publications in 2008
• Final learner evaluation
• Statistical extract