Provision of foundation skills training by community education providers in regional Australia

Description

This research investigates the contribution community education providers make to foundation skills training in regional Australia, the models of delivery which seemed to work best, and whether the undertaking of foundation skills training helps build social and human capital of the individual and broader community. The research finds that proportionally more regional community education providers deliver foundation skills training than other regional training providers. Completions among students at regional community education providers are high but little is known about education or employment pathways following training due to difficulties in tracking students.

Summary

About the research

Defined as language, literacy and numeracy, and employability skills, foundation skills are essential for individuals to participate in further education, employment and wider society. Community education providers, such as community colleges, neighbourhood houses, faith-based organisations and adult learning associations, are key providers of foundation skills training. The characteristics of community education providers, such as their relatively small scale and flexibility in teaching strategies, make them particularly suitable for providing such training. Despite this, the impact of foundation skills training delivered by community education providers on education and employment outcomes and involvement in society is not well known, particularly in regional areas where the foundation skill levels of adults tend to be lower than in metropolitan areas.

This research investigates the contribution that community education providers make to foundation skills training in regional Australia, the models of delivery which seemed to work best, and whether the undertaking of foundation skills training helped build the social and human capital of the individual and broader community.

Key messages

• Proportionally more regional community education providers deliver foundation skills training than other regional training providers.
• Between 2018 and 2019 however, enrolments in foundation skills subjects with regional community education providers declined whereas enrolments with other regional providers remained steady. Regional community education providers reported difficulty in securing sufficient funding and appropriately qualified staff, which may explain the recent decline.
• A higher proportion of foundation skills subjects in regional areas were completed by students with community education providers than with other training providers. Little is known though about the education or employment pathways after foundation skills training due to limited capacity by regional community education providers to track student outcomes.
• The positive impact of foundation skills training on an individual’s social and human capital was viewed as improved levels of self-confidence and self-worth among students, and development of soft skills. Any broader impact at the community level is yet to be determined.

Executive summary

Foundation skills are essential for greater participation in education, employment and society (Skills Australia 2010). In this context, we use the definition from the National Foundation Skills Strategy (NFSS) for Adults, which defined foundation skills¹ as:

• English language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills, including listening, speaking, reading, writing, digital literacy and use of mathematical ideas
• Employability skills, including collaboration, problem-solving, self-management, learning to learn, and information and communication technology (ICT) skills required for participation in modern workplaces and contemporary life (SCOTESE 2012, p.2).

The need for individuals to build and develop their foundation skills is becoming even more important with the growth in the use of technology in the workplace causing a shift away from low-skill work (Payton 2017).

Although its data are now becoming dated, the 2011-2012 Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) reported that almost half of Australia’s adult population at that time had literacy and numeracy skills at a level considered to adversely impact on their ability to participate and function in a technologically-advanced economy (ABS 2013). Further, the PIAAC data showed that literacy and numeracy levels are lower in regional areas than major cities and vary markedly by age and gender. The 2016 Census data also showed that English proficiency for people who speak a different language at home is generally worse in regional areas than in major cities (ABS 2016).

Training providers, including community education providers, have a role to play in helping adults develop their foundation skills. The NFSS recognised the importance of community education providers in this role, describing them as critical for the provision of diverse foundation skills programs for adults and noting the value of flexibility in pathways to build learners’ skills and confidence (SCOTESE 2012, p.12).

The role of community education providers in developing the foundation skills of adults in regional areas is even more crucial given that little is known about the impact of such provision on the further education and employment outcomes or development of social capital of individuals in regional areas.

This research aims to rectify this lack of knowledge by examining the provision of foundation skills by community education providers, particularly those in regional areas. The key areas of interest are:

• Who is delivering foundation skills courses in regional areas?
• What works in the delivery of foundation skills courses in regional areas?
• How does successful completion of foundation skills courses influence the development of human and social capital within a community?

A multi-method approach is used to investigate these questions including the administration of an online survey to both regional and metropolitan community education providers and follow-up telephone interviews with a selection of community education trainers and managers, along with an analysis of inquiries to the Reading Writing Hotline (a national referral service for adults looking for help with their literacy and numeracy skills) and analysis of Total VET Activity (TVA) data².

Provision of foundation skills training by community education providers

In 2019, 83.2% of regional community education providers had enrolments in foundation skills subjects in 2019. This proportion is higher than for other regional training providers (72%) but similar to the proportion of metropolitan community education providers (84.9%; NCVER 2019).

Demand for both LLN and employability skills subjects delivered by regional community education providers increased between 2015 and 2018 but has since declined to 2016 levels. Enrolments with other regional training providers declined over this period and have been relatively steady since 2018.

Enrolments in employability skills subjects outweigh enrolments in LLN subjects at regional community education providers, whereas the reverse is found with metropolitan-based community education providers. This pattern may be due to the greater availability of funding for employability skills training in regional areas rather than LLN training or it may reflect the reported difficulties regional community education providers have in employing qualified LLN trainers.

Student profile

Foundation skills students with regional community education providers are generally more disadvantaged than students with other regional training providers. Consequently, regional community education providers are more challenged in their reach, teaching and delivery strategies. For example, the lower socioeconomic status of their students acts as a barrier to securing transport to attend training, using the internet, and accessing childcare.

Despite their more disadvantaged profile, a higher proportion of foundation skills subjects in regional areas were completed by students with community education providers than with other training providers.

Delivery models

Responses to the survey show no standard delivery model amongst community education providers due to high levels of uncertainty about future funding, the subsequent need to plan in relatively short timeframes and fluctuations in student numbers. A higher proportion of community education providers in regional than metropolitan areas reported difficulty in securing sufficient funding and appropriately qualified staff. Both regional and metropolitan community education providers face similar structural barriers, such as heavy administrative burdens.

Online learning may be a cost-effective delivery mode for education and training in regional areas but is generally not suited to foundation skills training, especially in LLN, because it requires a prerequisite level of literacy. Further, internet access is often poor in regional areas. Traditional class-based, face-to-face teaching was the typical mode of delivery for foundation skills training among survey respondents and interviewees.

Development of social and human capital

Based on the proportion of completions in foundation skills and their direct experience and engagement with students, community education providers reported that most individual students experience at least some improvement in their human capital. In addition to developing practical LLN and employability skills, providers report improved self-confidence and self-worth for most students, attributes that form the basis for greater community engagement and social interaction. They also note the development of human capital for better employability in the form of soft skills, and significantly improved social capital and inclusion at the individual level.

Community education providers are generally unable to gauge the broader social impact of foundation skills training due to lack of resources, time, and the means to follow up students after they have completed. Providers in small regional centres are often better able to use word-of-mouth and informal contact with former students to track outcomes. Two-thirds of regional community education providers who were able to track outcomes report that at least half of their students proceed to further study or employment, compared with less than half of students with metropolitan providers.

The number of foundation skill subject enrolments and completions and the different profiles of students with regional community education providers confirms their effectiveness at meeting the needs of local populations. These outcomes suggest that community education providers can assist their students in accessing VET and employment opportunities, as well as helping develop an individual’s social capital. However, to measure and confirm the wider social and economic effects of foundation skills training delivered by community education providers, further research could compare the social inclusion and participation status of community education students before and after undertaking the training.

Updated in February 2021, with the addition of a footnote and minor wording changes on page 14 to further clarify the number of calls to RHS services included in the analysis.