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Adult Learner Forums

Date: July 2003 - October 2003

Client: Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership

Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership commissioned research involving focus groups with seven or eight specific groups of people within each of its ten Community Learning Partnership areas. Papworth Research & Consultancy undertook the work in three areas (Guildford, Waverley and East Surrey).

Setting up the groups involved working through statutory agencies and local voluntary and/or community groups to access the following types of people:

People working for companies that had fewer than 50 employees

People of working age living in areas of relative disadvantage (as defined by the Learning & Skills Council)

People aged between 50 and retirement, employed but earning under £15,000pa pro rata

Women in part-time employment earning less than £10,000pa pro rata

Registered unemployed adults

People aged between 19 and retirement with health & social care needs

19-25 year olds not engaged in formal learning/training

People living in rural areas (Waverley and East Surrey only)

Retired people (Waverley only).

Focus groups were held once with each group in each area and participants were asked whether they would be willing to participate again in the future. The initial findings were fed into Learning & Skills Council Surrey's Strategic Area Review of post 14 learning & training (StAR). The approach ensured that Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership was able to repeat the process to collect qualitative information from the local population as and when it was required.