Subcontractors and Partners

Lady reading to a child

Over £100,000 a year is shared with local organisations to deliver Community Learning

New Directions College shares over £100,000 annually in Community Learning grants. These grants are awarded to a selection of  local organisations and partners.

The purpose of Community Learning is to develop the skills, confidence, motivation and resilience of adults of different ages and backgrounds in order to:

  1. progress towards formal learning or employment and/or
  2. improve their health and well-being, including mental health and/or
  3. develop stronger communities 

Community Learning Courses are delivered under the following four delivery strands:

  1. Personal and Community Development Learning – learning for personal and community development, cultural enrichment, intellectual or creative stimulation and for enjoyment (in most cases not leading to a formal qualification).
  2. Family English, Maths and Language – learning to improve the English, language and maths skills of parents, carers or guardians and their ability to help their children.
  3. Wider Family Learning – learning to help different generations of family members to learn together how to support their children’s learning.
  4. Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities – supports local Voluntary and other third sector organisations to develop their capacity to deliver learning opportunities for the residents of disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

New Directions College is committed to commissioning high quality providers of Community Learning. Over the period of 2020 – 2023 the College will be working with the following organisations:

Compass Recovery College   Courses to promote good mental health and improve personal wellbeing.

Reading Community Learning Centre   Education and support for ethnic minority women and their families, particularly women who are marginalised, to achieve their full potential.

Berkshire School of English Providing targeted English teaching for adults who are speakers of other languages.

Reading Children’s Centres  Providing Family learning, English, Maths and Language learning including parenting courses, early years development and learning for work courses.

Reading Ukrainian Advice Centre

If you are a local organisation, delivering high quality community learning, and would like to be considered for a community learning grant, please contact Lisa Potter, Deputy Principal at lisa.welch@reading.gov.uk.