Presentation of

1

• Presentation of
• All Panel Survey - Wave Eleven
• Lifelong Learning Consumer Confidence
• September October 2003
• By Angus Tindle

2
Coverage

• RBA Research
• Citizens Panel
• Methodology
• Main Findings
• Customer Service The Confident Consumer
• Lifelong Learning
• Learning Opportunities in Warwickshire
• Schools and the Community
• Information, Advice and Guidance
• Museum, Archive and Arts Service Learning
  Opportunities
• Library and Information Service Learning
  Opportunities
• Early Years and Childcare
• Family Learning

• Summary

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RBA Research Who We Are

• Established, full service agency
• Leading agency in the publicly-accountable
  sector
• Work for 80 local authorities health,
  police, etc, and central Government including
  ODPM, DfES, CYPU LGA
• Quality-assured firm (ISO9001/BS7911)
• Good practice employer (IiP accredited)
• Open accountable business

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Citizens Panel - What is it?

• Residents survey postal telephone
• 1,500 residents initially, to get 1,000 on the
  Panel
• Even spread across 5 districts
• Broadly representative of population (on
  recruitment)
• Citizens Panel benefits
• Regular sounding board
• Ability to co-ordinate consultation
• Flexible approach
• Cost effective

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Methodology (latest survey)

• Postal 12 page questionnaire
• Pilot survey internally to test the
  questionnaire
• Reminder questionnaire/reply paid envelope sent
  after two weeks
• 412 questionnaires completed between 4 September
  2 October 2003
• Data weighted to demographic profile of the County

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Customer Service The Confident Consumer
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Sources of Advice on Consumer Problems
74 would tend to go to Trading Standards and/or
CAB for advice

Awareness of Trading Standards and CAB relatively
high
(Unweighted base 412)
Q5. If you have a consumer problem, where would
you tend to go for advice?
8
Degree to which Feel Well Informed about Consumer
Rights
69 well informed but only 13 very well
informed

(Unweighted base 412)
Q6. How well informed do you feel about your
rights as a consumer e.g. knowing what you
are entitled to if something you've bought is
faulty, or a service is poor?
9
Ease of Obtaining Information or Advice on
Consumer Problems
46 report getting information to be easy, only
9 very easy

(Unweighted base 412)
Q7. How easy or difficult do you think it is to
get information or advice about what you are
entitled to if you are sold a faulty product,
or receive a poor service?
10
Scope for improvement in confidence of
panellists and they are willing to learn more
11
Interest in Learning More about Legal Rights as a
Consumer
78 interested in learning more
Of whom 60 would attend if held in local library

(Unweighted base 412)
Q8. Would you like to learn more about the legal
rights you have when you buy goods and
services?
12
Complaints in Past 12 Months
53 have complained about faulty goods or services

Only one in five totally satisfied with outcome
(Unweighted base 412)
Q1. Have you complained about faulty goods or
services in the last 12 months?
13
Lifelong Learning Learning Opportunities in
Warwickshire
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Preferred Size of Learning Group
Small or medium learning groups preferred


(Unweighted base 412)
Q14. Generally, how do you prefer to learn?
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Problems Encountered in Learning
Most common problems time-related (37)
particularly work

(Unweighted base 412)
Q10. The following is a list of problems that
people sometimes experience in learning,
training or studying. Please say which, if any,
of them apply to you
16
Preferences for Where Learning Delivered
Most support for conventional approach in
college

(Unweighted base 412)
Q11. If you were to take part in further learning
or training, where would you prefer it to
be delivered?
17
Lifelong Learning Schools and the Community
18
Whether Schools should provide Learning
Opportunities for All Community
Weekday evenings and school holidays have most
support Weekday evening 89 School holidays
71 Weekend daytime 62 Weekend evening 34 In
term during day 16 (Unweighted base 309 those
who think schools should provide learning for all)
Three quarters agree that schools should do this
but when?

(Unweighted base 412)
Q17. Do you agree or disagree that schools should
provide learning opportunities for all
the local community, as well as pupils?
19
Services would use within Local School
Over half predict they would take up adult
learning

(Unweighted base 309 those who think schools
should provide learning opportunities for all
local community)
Q19. Which of the following services would you
use if they were available in your local school?
20
Lifelong Learning Information, Advice and
Guidance
21
Sources of Information, Advice or Guidance on
Learning used Past 3 Years
53 have used the Internet and/or local
newspapers/magazines
Prominence of old and new incarnations of the
written word

(Unweighted base 412)
Q20. In the last three years, which, if any of
the following methods have you used for
information, advice or guidance on learning?
22
Distance Prepared to Travel
More likely to NOT be willing to travel to talk
about this

Importance of telephone advice and local
delivery research likely take-up?
(Unweighted base 412)
Q21. Would you be prepared to travel to speak to
someone personally about the learning
opportunities available to you?
23
Lifelong Learning Museum, Archive and Arts
Service Learning Resources
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Awareness Usage of Museum, Archive Arts
Service Learning Resources

Low usership compared to awareness BUT
Q22. For each service please tick a) which ones
you were aware of before receiving this
questionnaire b) which you or any member of your
household have used in the last 12 months and c)
whether you are likely to use the service in the
next 12 months?
(Unweighted base 412)
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Degree of Importance of Museum, Archive Arts
Service Learning Resources
more prevalent perceptions of importance

(Unweighted base 412)
Q23. How important do you think the following
learning resources provided by
Warwickshire County Council's Museums, Archives
and Arts Service are?
26
Lifelong Learning Library and Information
Service Learning Resources
27
Awareness Usage of Library Information
Service Learning Resources
Highest awareness of resources less explicitly
linked to learning
(Unweighted base 412)

Q24. For each service please tick a) which you
were aware of before receiving this questionnaire
b) which you or any member of your household has
used in the last 12 months and c) whether you are
likely to use the service in the next 12 months?
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Awareness Usage of Library Information
Service Learning Resources (cont.)
Relatively low usage of all learning resources
little discrimination
(Unweighted base 412)

Q24. For each service please tick a) which you
were aware of before receiving this questionnaire
b) which you or any member of your household has
used in the last 12 months and c) whether you are
likely to use the service in the next 12 months?
29
Awareness Usage of Library Information
Service Learning Resources (cont.)
Relatively low usage of all learning resources
little discrimination
(Unweighted base 412)

Q24. For each service please tick a) which you
were aware of before receiving this questionnaire
b) which you or any member of your household has
used in the last 12 months and c) whether you are
likely to use the service in the next 12 months?
30
Awareness Usage of Library Information
Service Learning Resources (cont.)
Relatively low usage of all learning resources
little discrimination BUT
(Unweighted base 412)

Q24. For each service please tick a) which you
were aware of before receiving this questionnaire
b) which you or any member of your household has
used in the last 12 months and c) whether you are
likely to use the service in the next 12 months?
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Degree of Importance of Learning Resources
provided by the Library Information Service
Relatively high perceptions of importance
although again little discrimination

(Unweighted base 412)
Q25. How important do you think the following
learning resources provided by Warwickshire
County Council's Library and Information Service
are?
32
Lifelong Learning Early Years and Childcare
33
Information Sought Past 6 Months
One in ten or fewer have sought information on

Higher amongst those with children aged under 6
(Unweighted base 90 those with children aged
under 15 years)
Q27. Have you contacted the Council for
information about any of the following in the
last six months?
34
Sources of Information about
Childcare and Early Years Education
Nursery Education Grant for 3-4 Year-Olds
65 Local school 61 Friends/ family 42 Contact
Education Department 38 Local library 36
Internet
39 School or nursery 34 Contact Education
Department 18 Health visitor 16 Friends/
family 11 Council 10 Internet
Local school or nursery most mentioned sources
for each
(Unweighted base 90 those with children aged
under 15 years)
Q26. Where would you look for information about
childcare and early years education in
Warwickshire?
35
Whether Would Consider Using Approved Childcare
Around two fifths with children under 15 would
consider this
Higher amongst those with children aged under 6
(Unweighted base 90 those with children aged
under 15 years)
Q31. Would you consider using approved childcare?
36
Use of Childcare for Children Over Age of 5
Past 6 Months
One in six used Approved Childcare past 6 months
Not working working flexible hours are main
reasons for non-usage (relatives in school
holidays)

(Unweighted base 90 those with children aged
under 15 years)
Q32. In the last six months have you used
childcare for children over 5? / Do you intend to
use childcare for children over the age of 5 in
the next six months?
37
Lifelong Learning Family Learning
38
Awareness of Family Learning Scheme
Relatively low awareness
Lower proportion wish to learn more re effective
parenting
(Unweighted base 90 those with children aged
under 15 years)
Q34. Before receiving this questionnaire had you
heard about the scheme 'Family Learning'?
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Summary

• Relatively high awareness of Trading Standards
  and CIB but potential for increase in Confident
  Consumers ( eight in ten interested in learning
  more) fewer satisfied complainants for non-goods
• Time, especially work-related, most prevalent
  problem encountered in learning, training or
  studying (employer engagement?) but recommend
  qualitative research to explore how to overcome
  barriers to learning (e.g. time may conceal
  lack of interest)
• Up to 14 participants is preferred learning group
  size
• Local provision and learning advice by telephone
  important in encouraging panellists to TALK about
  learning opportunities BUT panellists behaviour
  suggests importance of WRITTEN word
• Learning resources in libraries and museums have
  relatively low usage but relatively high
  importance ratings (nice to know theyre there)
• Although two-fifths of those with children under
  15 would consider approved childcare, only one in
  ten have sought information in past 6 months
  just over a quarter to reach?
• Relatively low awareness of Family Learning Scheme