The Government’s Community Learning Champions' Support Programme helps volunteers promote learning in their homes, workplaces and communities.

Brent based London Academy for Social & Economic Development and the Catalyst Housing Group have been selected as one of the 36 successful organisations working nationally to deliver this Programme. In Brent 30 residents, volunteers and small business owners are currently been recruited to become Brent Community Learning Champions.

What is a Community Learning Champion (CLC)?

A Community Learning Champion promotes the value of learning to others - friends, relatives, and workmates - and encourages them to get involved. A Community Learning Champion is often someone for whom learning has made a positive change in their own life.

They may be volunteers who are active in their community, or they may add the role of Community Learning Champion to their work. One example would be health visitors who encourage people to learn about diet and fitness, or other subjects of interest.

The role involves encouraging people to learn whilst remaining impartial. This means they are not biased towards particular courses or learning providers, but they can suggest possible opportunities for learning.

What do they do?

CLC play a variety of roles:

• Signpost people to the learning opportunities that suit their needs.
• Introduce them to learning providers, sometimes accompanying them to a college.
• Support and mentor people through a course.
• Help to set up new learning opportunities, filling gaps in provision.
• Feedback to learning providers’ suggestions for improvements made by learners.

What next?

The experience of being a CLC is good for personal confidence, building skills and knowledge valued by a range of employers. Many CLCs go on to salaried jobs in education and other sectors, working as learning mentors, classroom assistants and in community engagement, taking degrees and other qualifications.

The role of a Community Learning Champion will be recognised nationally and provides opportunities to acquire further training and qualifications through Catalyst Housing Group.

To find out more about becoming a Brent Community Learning Champion, call 020 8438 4550.  or CLICK HERE