A flexible learning fund worth £10 million has been launched by the government to support ambitious and innovative adult education projects.

This follows an announcement in the spring budget, where £40 million was allocated for pilot projects aimed at helping adults to progress in employment or enter new occupations through reskilling.

The flexible learning fund will provide grant support to projects that develop methods of delivering learning that are flexible and easy to access for adults who are in work, or returning to work, with either low- or intermediate-level skills.

‘Tested with real learners’

Maximum funding for a single proposal is £1 million - although in exceptional circumstances a single proposal in excess of this may be considered, and “proposals for a range of funding amounts, including those significantly below the maximum, are expected and encouraged”.

According to the government, projects supported “must include a period of design and development of the specific delivery method, followed by a delivery phase during which the method is tested with real learners”.

Projects also have to “centre on the delivery of basic skills, or on intermediate- or higher-level technical learning”. The deadline for submitting proposals is midnight on 31 January 2018, and contracts will be awarded in the spring.

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