Listed below are the literacies projects which are currently funded as part of the Scottish Literacy Initiative with monies allocated by the Scottish Government. Click here for details of all projects completed under this initiative since 2002.

More recently, we have been awarded Scottish Government funding with which we have set up a Challenge Fund for ESOL Projects. Click here to access details of projects funded by this or by earlier ESF funding.

Please contact us if you would like to receive more information about any of these projects.

Projects Index

Adult Basic Education
Apex Scotland
Highland Council - Interrupted Education
Lairg Learning Centre Association
Lead Scotland
Prison Literacy Liaison Officer
Workers Educational Association - Workplace Literacy

Adult Basic Education

April 2009 to March 2010

Lead - Highland Council - Adult Basic Education
Contact - Julie Simmons on 01463 251278
email julie.simmons@highland.gov.uk

To maintain the increase in ABE Co-ordinator hours and to recruit further part-time staff in order to further expand and improve the service to adult literacy and ESOL learners. ABE is also currently involved in providing literacy and numeracy classes to the Army at Fort George. Additional funding was awarded for ESOL classes and for innovative ways of providing groupwork for ALN learners.

Apex Scotland

April 2009 - March 2010

Lead - Apex Scotland (Highland)
Contact - Alistair McDonald on 01463 717033
email: - alistairm@apexscotland.org.uk
Partners - Prison Literacies Liaison Officer, Adult Basic Education

Apex Scotland is providing a community based support service, working with other agencies to identify individuals as requiring literacies support to help them maintain motivation to change and gain and sustain employment, traing or further education opportunities.

Highland Council - Interrupted Education

January - March 2010

Lead - Highland Council - Interrupted Education
Contact - Karen MacMaster on 01349 863441
email: - karen.macmaster@highland.gov.uk
Partners - Workers' Educational Association

A project which aims to embed literacy and numeracy into the learning of sewing and craft skills by a small identified group of Gypsy/Traveller women.

Lairg Learning Centre Association

September 2009 - August 2010

Lead - Apex Scotland (Highland)
Contact - Barbara Watson on 01549 402050
Email: - barbara_123@btconnect.com
Partners - Brora Learning Centre, Assynt Leisure, North West Training Centre

To help under-skilled people in Sutherland towards employment, to join community groups, to undertake voluntary work or to complete accredited courses. They plan a series of integrated literacies projects involving group work which will also provide team working opportunities.

Lead Scotland

April 2009 to March 2010

Lead - Lead Scotland
Contact - Russell Stuart on 01343 576270, email rstuart@lead.org.uk
Partners - ABE, Inverness College

For the development of a completely new Literacies Support Module in Health and Social Care SVQ levels 2 and 3. To roll out Liteacies with Care training to social work and the voluntary sector and to unpaid carers.

A further project will offer the opportunity to engage in literacies learning for those, often referred by health professionals, who have difficulty with speech, cognitive function, and communication because of acquired disability.

Prison Literacy Liaison Officer

April 2009 to March 2010

Lead - Adult Basic Education
Contact - Norman Ross on 01463 251279
email norman.ross2@highland.gov.uk
Partner - Scottish Prison Service

The post of Prison Literacies Liaison Officer was established in 2003 and is located within Highland Council's ABE Service. The remit is to engage with offenders to undertake literacies learning both in Porterfield Prison Links Centre and the community. The PLLO is part of a wider Highland and national network of practitioners and links in partnership with other agencies who work with offenders in prison and community in a holistic Social Practice approach. Three of the challenges are working with clients who sometimes have chaotic lifestyles, related issues such as addictions to drugs and alcohol which affect learning, and the increasing frequency of prisoner movement in the system. Delivering training, supporting tutors and staff from other organisations, liaising, awareness-raising, building networks and referral systems and connecting with clients is central to the role.

Workers Educational Association - Workplace Literacy

April 2009 to March 2010

Lead - Workers Educational Association
Contact - Sheila Maher on 01463 710577
email s.maher@weascotland.org.uk

To continue the work of the Workplace Literacy Organiser to continue to target employers in all business sectors and offer suitable literacies provision for their staff.

In addition, they have a project to work with existing providers to promote numeracy activities and to also co-ordinate and develop a network of numeracy practitioners in the Highlands.