Evaluation of the impact of Skills for Life learning: longitudinal survey of learners, wave 3

The Skills for Life programme is designed to improve literacy, numeracy and language skills of adults and of young people (aged 16 to 17) who have left full-time education. As part of the programme, literacy, numeracy and ESOL [English for Speakers of Other Languages] training was provided free of charge to those without literacy or numeracy qualifications at Level 2. This report is the third in a series of reports of the evaluation of the impact of participation in a literacy or a numeracy course at a college for a qualification. As such, the evaluation does not assess the full Skills for Life programme (notably excluding ESOL courses and courses delivered outside college). The analysis is restricted to those aged 19 and over. The evaluation examines the impact of participation on a range of economic, personal and social outcomes, including employment, health and involvement in one’s children’s education (at Wave 2 and Wave 3). It also describes course benefits, as perceived by the participants (at Wave 2), factors affecting qualification gain and dropout (at Wave 2) and progression in education and training (at Wave 3). The first report [indexed at TD/TNC 83.460] described the characteristics of participants and their courses and identified factors affecting participation in Skills for Life literacy and numeracy courses (Metcalf and Meadows, 2005). The evaluation is being conducted through a longitudinal survey of participants on literacy and numeracy courses (Skills for Life learners) and a matched group of non-participants with low or no literacy or numeracy qualifications. A short test- based assessment administered prior to interview confirmed respondents to be lacking literacy or numeracy skills at Level 2. Respondents were first interviewed in 2002/03 (when course participants were on their course), with second and third wave interviews taking place one and two years later, respectively. This report provides findings based on analysis of the first three waves of the survey.

Published excerpt.

The second report is indexed at TD/TNC 83.461.

The Skills for Life programme is designed to improve literacy, numeracy and language skills of adults and of young people (aged 16 to 17) who have left full-time education. As part of the programme, literacy, numeracy and ESOL [English for Speakers of Other Languages] training was provided free of charge to those without literacy or numeracy qualifications at Level 2. This report is the third in a series of reports of the evaluation of the impact of participation in a literacy or a numeracy course at a college for a qualification. As such, the evaluation does not assess the full Skills ...  [+] Show more