What is Test the Council?

1. Test the CouncilMDC experienceLorraine PowneyPrincipal Learning & Development AdviserSfL Coordinator Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

2. What is Test the Council? A positive opportunity for employees in your organisation to: • check their English and Maths skills • have a brush-up course if needed • gain a national qualification in English and/or Maths • have an enjoyable learning experience. Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

3. Which works best: • A leaflet? • Talking to someone who knows about what is involved and is confident to talk positively about the opportunity? Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

4. Test the Council is a tried and tested campaign • Promotion with achievement built in. • A fun way to engage employees at all levels of the organisation. Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

5. Organisational benefits An organisation will benefit if it can: • meet health and safety requirements • achieve an Investors in People award • be seen as a learning organisation • increase productivity • reduce errors/wastage • reduce absenteeism • improve customer relations. Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

6. What’s involved in Test the Council? Devise a Project Action Plan detailing: - • Initial Set-up • Learner Support • Promotion & Marketing • Delivery • Evaluation & Follow-up Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

7. Who’s involved? • SMT and Line Managers • ULRs • SfL Champions • Providers • CfBT Learning & Skills Advisers • Marketing & Communications Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

8. Briefing Sessions Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

9. Raising Awareness • Pilot • Managers Forum • Learning through Experience Event • Insider Bulletin • Wage Slips • Communication Boards • Team Meetings Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

10. The Campaign • Ran over 4 days • £250 Prize Draw to encourage participation • Engaged all remote sites • Used Move On Practice Tests • Engaged the Dyslexia Association Resulted in • 456 employees participating • 155 expressing an interest in improving their English or Maths Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

11. Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

12. Test the Council - In Action • ROWA bus • 5.30am start • Midnight finish • Laptops used in site huts, parks and council vehicles Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

13. Where are we now? • Achieved the GO Award in 2008 • Short listed for MJ Workforce Involvement Award in 2008 • Short listed for Get On Local Gvt ‘Whole Organisation Approach’ Award in 2009 • 54 Employees have achieved Literacy Level 2 • 25 Employees have achieved Literacy Level 1 • 24 Employees have achieved Numeracy Level 2 • 10 Employees have achieved Numeracy Level 1 • 10 Employees have received 1:1 Dyslexia tuition Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

14. The Next Steps • Successfully received funding from LSIS to support Embedding LLN through a Whole Organisation Approach • Have a Union Learning Coordinator and 11 Union Learning Representatives in the Council • Continue to develop Lifelong Learning opportunities in partnership with the Trade Unions and our Providers Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

15. Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed

16. Visual Presentation Mansfield District Council Creating a District where People can Succeed