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 case studies
The power of the web
Norfolk Unites aims to offer organisations, of all sizes,
more effective ways of working within the learning and
skills sub-contracting arena. As learning and skills
contracts become larger and fewer, there is increasing
emphasis and demand for effective and efficient processes to
support the sub-contracting role.
Norfolk Unites does this in two ways: the Norfolk Unites
Directory, and the Funding page.
Norfolk Unites has over 500 different users hitting the site
each month and between 200 and 300 accessing its Directory
and Funding pages.
Within the Norfolk Unites Directory, organisations can
register themselves as providers for specific user groups,
for delivery within a specific geographic location or as
providers of specific services.
When a search is made in the Directory the reader is able to
view organisations’ details in the form of a CV, showing
track record and other useful information. This system
provides a platform from which organisations can market
themselves and enables the viewer to quickly, and easily,
identify suitable organisations with whom they may wish to
work.
The Funding page pools together the latest opportunities
into one convenient place. Organisations can also advertise
for partners for their own funding applications.
An example of this working in practice was a request by
Norwich City College for partners to deliver on a Learning
and Skills Council, European Social Fund, NEET contract, in
Norwich. Details of the opportunity were placed on the
Funding page and the Directory was used to identify specific
organisations who might be potential partners.
The quote below demonstrates the benefit to the contract
holder:
“I felt these were all genuine enquiries but I wasn’t
inundated, which was good on one hand but does still leave
the feeling that there are more out there! This has worked
very well for me because the time limit on bidding is so
tight that I simply don’t have the time to hunt around for
partners – I have to go with the ones that I am familiar
with, which of course excludes those I haven’t heard of! I
would like to report…that this facility has been set up in
Norfolk as it has been a very useful tool for me.” -
Sarah Taylor, Project First Manager, Norwich City College.
This way of working puts into practice the Freud Report
(2006) with FE, third sector and private sector learning
providers working together to support individuals into
training and employment. From the organisations who signed
up to this opportunity, three had browsed the site and the
other four were contacted by Norfolk Unites when they were
identified as being potentially suitable providers.
What is particularly positive about this NEET contract is
that smaller (third sector) providers have been able to
contribute specialist services, instead of it being just the
traditional, larger providers, who are more likely to be
able to find out about opportunities at the right time, but
less likely to be able to offer diversity of provision. |