Supporting residents to engage and access learning, skills, employment and other opportunities

A Grassroots-led Initiative

Learning Communities is a grassroots-led initiative initially established by Wolverhampton Learning Platform CIC (Community Interest Company) and the City of Wolverhampton Council in conjunction with other key VCS (voluntary and community sector) partners and education training providers, who together work to improve the city’s response to supporting local residents and those who are socially excluded. This provides an integrated package of learning, skills and well-being activities that are tailored to the needs of the communities within the City of Wolverhampton.  

The Wolverhampton Learning Communities Partnership

Wolverhampton Learning Communities is a partnership between City of Wolverhampton Council, voluntary and community providers, WEA – Adult Learning within Reach, City of Wolverhampton College, Adult Education Wolverhampton and the University of Wolverhampton.

The aim, through the Wolverhampton Learning Communities Partnership, is to improve the city's response to supporting people who live in the local communities to engage with learning in the community and access employment and skills services in order to facilitate their integration, skills development and capacity to make a personal contribution to flourishing communities and economic growth in Wolverhampton. The partnership is a network of voluntary and community sector learning providers working collaboratively with the City of Wolverhampton Council and key training, support and health providers to deliver learning, skills and employability services in community venues and neighbourhoods across the City of Wolverhampton. The Partnership was established to find solutions and ensure adequate resourcing to support residents, particularly those who are furthest away from the labour market, to access learning, skills and employability services. 

In 2019 Wolverhampton Learning Communities won the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL) Innovation Award. This was a great recognition for the partnership work which has demonstrated that by working collaboratively together it has been possible to ensure partners are sharing best practice and providing complementary services to provide local residents with a clear pathway to access to all levels of quality learning in their local community.  

Wolverhampton Learning Communities Activities

The partnership offers a wide range of city-wide support to develop skills, access employment, training, and further and adult education progression opportunities, and tailored advice to ensure that barriers to support, learning and services are removed for Wolverhampton residents. These Learning Communities activities are normally conducted at community venues across the city, but partners have had to readjust their engagement and delivery methods to meet the needs of residents during the outbreak of Coronavirus and are working to ensure community wellbeing during this challenging time and providing support for almost 1,000 residents on a weekly basis.