Case study: Understanding the impact of

Learning and Skills the Adult Learning Grant

Council (LSC) National

Client
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has an overarching
goal to improve individual skills and to ensure we have a
workforce that is of world-class standards. One priority is
to raise demand for skills among adults, and the principle
behind the Adult Learning Grant (ALG) is to enable adult
learners to participate and to remain in learning by removing
financial barriers that could prevent them from achieving key
Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications.

Challenge The research approach consisted

The focus of the research Experian
and Ipsos MORI undertook on behalf
of the LSC was to understand ALG
recipients’ participation, retention,
attainment and progression as a
result of the receipt of ALG. The
research also helped to provide
information about ALG recipients,
in terms of age, ethnicity, gender
etc. This information is to be used
to baseline the impact of the ALG at
the end of the pilots and to provide a
benchmark of success as the grant is
rolled out nationally.
“I would probably Solution
The Experian research found that
use two other the ALG has a positive impact by
organisations on this creating additional benefits in terms
of:
type of project and • attracting people into learning
Experian were better • enabling learners to take up
courses earlier than they would
than both” have otherwise
• supporting learners in full time
Jane Lievesley study
Project Manager • encouraging the retention of
LSC National learners
• raising achievement levels.
of a review of relevant literature,
including previous ALG research
and LSC datasets, and a quantitative
survey of learners in receipt of the
ALG in the final year of the pilot
(2006/07). Despite initial issues with
the survey sample, we achieved
the target of 1,000 interviews and
subsequent reporting according to
the project timetable.
Outcome
LSC National project manager,
Jayne Lievesley, believes the
Experian research will underpin
future assessment of the grant’s
success: ‘The ALG impact study
has provided us with a clear and
articulate snapshot of the ‘typical’
ALG recipient in the final year of the
pilot scheme, as well as enabling us
to understand the impact the grant
has on people’s decision making. It
will act as a baseline for our future
evaluation of the scheme as it
becomes an embedded nationally-
available form of financial support for
adult learners.’
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The LSC has published the findings of this research and will use them as the
benchmark for evaluating the first year of ALG’s national rollout (2007/08).

To read the final report please visit:

http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/National/290348_-_Understanding_the_
impact_of_the_Adult_Learning_Grant.pdf

For more information on the ALG project, or any other © Experian 2008.
aspect of our policy review and evaluation work, The word “EXPERIAN” and
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