By Kim Neyland of RLP at the 2014 European Structural Fund event in Llanelli.

1. Regional Learning Partnership
South West & Central Wales
Regional Strategic Planning ~ Local Delivery

2. What does the RLP do?
Regional Strategic Planning, Local Delivery
3 Key Pillars
• Partnership, Brokerage & Development
• Regional Learning & Skills Observatory
• Regional E-Portal
Regional Strategic Planning ~ Local Delivery

3. The SW&CW Region
Regional Strategic Planning ~ Local Delivery

4. Pillar 1
Partnership Brokerage & Development
• The partnership’s collective response to the region’s skills
challenges
• Regional Approach to the development and delivery of ACL
• HE / FE Regional Strategy
• Engagement with Sector Skills Councils
• Regional Apprenticeship Mapping
• Regional Third Sector skills collaboration
• Regional Economic Regeneration Strategies
Regional Strategic Planning ~ Local Delivery

5. How does the RLP engage with the Third
Sector?
Representation
• Third Sector representation on the RLP Steering, Strategy, ACL,
Third Sector and Regional Delivery Plan Groups
Activity
• RLP Third Sector group formed by regional CVC representatives
• Group meets regularly to identify and deliver key work areas
Regional Delivery Plan
• Providing the regional view of the sector for the Regional Delivery
Plan for Employment and Skills
• Providing representation to the Delivery Plan Task and Finish &
Advisory Groups
Regional Strategic Planning ~ Local Delivery

6. Activities completed to date
Looking Below the Surface – A Regional Profile
• Regional profiling research completed and
launched during 2012
• Included the collection of primary evidence
from over 150 survey respondents
Economics for Third Sector Leaders
• Two full day regional training events
undertaken with the support of a leading
economic development consultancy
• Very positive feedback received from
participants
Regional Strategic Planning ~ Local Delivery

7. Pillar 2
RLSO

8. Pillar 3
E-Portal Development
• Putting people at the centre of provision
• Assisting individuals to access the skills and work related experience
needed to join the workforce
• Linking job seekers with employers
• Ensuring that education and skills providers deliver the learning that
employers and job seekers need, when required
• Facilitating the collaboration of providers for the benefit of the
learner/economy
• Facilitating the identification of the most appropriate providers to
meet the required skills and training need
Regional Strategic Planning ~ Local Delivery

9. Regional Delivery Plan for Employment & Skills
• Facilitation of a Regional Delivery Plan will be aligned
strategically with the Skills Implementation Plan covering all
funding sources
• The plan will identify the region’s skills needs, articulate the
collective response and operations to be supported by
appropriate investment
• The Regional Employment & Skills Framework is comprised of
four main ‘themes’ under which priorities will sit:
1. Engagement 2. Pre-employment
3. In-work support 4. Continued professional development
Regional Strategic Planning ~ Local Delivery

11. Update
• 137 Expression of Interest forms received
• Initial review of EOI’s by the Advisory Group took
• Similar proposed activities identified and grouped together – 8 Brokerage Groups have
taken place
• Purpose of Brokerage Meetings
• Encourage collaboration to eliminate duplication and identify gaps
• Ensure quality provision is relevant to and appropriate for each county and delivers
the impact needed
• How we may establish a co-ordinated approach to addressing skills needs
• Transform current provision to meet the future needs of the region

12. Brokerage Groups
•Portals
•Entrepreneurship Skills
•Youth Engagement & Pre Employment 11-24
•Employee Skills Programmes
•Transition into Employment
•Employability Skills
•Welsh Language
•Skills for Specific Sectors

13. Brokerage Groups – Initial Feedback
• Clear actions emerging to drive forward development of activity ideas
• Action log produced and circulated following each meeting
• RLP facilitating progression of actions including to date:
• Portal Brokerage Group
• A discussion paper for WG DfES outlining regional initiatives that could link into the Skills
Gateway and providing a number of practical considerations in its further development including:
• A process for regional and local web links that will be available on the national portal
• Sustainability of updating and managing content
• Exploring sectoral approach
• Entrepreneurship Brokerage Group
• Mapping of entrepreneurial skills activities by geography and age to identify duplication and
gaps.
Regional Strategic Planning ~ Local Delivery

14. Next Steps
• Employer Voice Research
• Thematic working groups established where necessary to provide specialist advice
for further development of activity ideas including where gaps have been identified
• Updating the mapping document detailing existing activity on skills and employment
initiatives (including DfES backbone projects, mainstream domestic provision etc)
• Response to WEFO Paper on Regional Engagement
• Formal engagement with WEFO
• Presentation to SBCR Board
• Process paper for engagement with Powys & Ceredigion
• Contributing to the development of the Welsh Government’s Skills Implementation
Plan:
• Ministerial Statement published 15th July on the Skills Implementation Plan highlighting the key roles for
Partnerships in developing the plan to align with regional need and a response to the co-investment
consultation
• Ongoing development of the Employment & Skills Plan to incorporate employers voice evidence, measures
and outcomes and an outline of identified regional and local employment and skills activities
• 3rd version due to be published October 2014 in line with the next version of the DfES Footprint for ESF
Delivery 2014-2020
Regional Strategic Planning ~ Local Delivery

15. Contacts
Amanda Carr
Assistant Director Volunteering & Training
SCVS
Amanda_Carr@scvs.org.uk
Kim Neyland
Senior Researcher RLP
Kneyland@cccpartners.org.uk
www.rlp.org.uk
Regional Strategic Planning ~ Local Delivery