Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:35 pm on 20 March 2018.
I attended a seminar with the Learning and Work Institute last week, in which those in need of returning to work, and returning to education and developing their skills, were highlighted. And one of the issues that was raised was the fact that those people returning to education may find it uncomfortable and intimidating going to formal college settings, where they may be dominated by young people, who are developing their skills in those environments and have perhaps a different set of skill needs. Therefore, community learning is really important, where returning learners can develop their skills in community settings. Would you be willing to commit that to be part of the national skills strategy, and also that the new post-compulsory education and training body overseeing further education and higher education also puts community learning at the heart of their mission too?