Foundations for folk at Fircroft: reality-driven competencies

FORUM - ISSN 0963-8253
Volume 66 Number 3 (2024)

Foundations for folk at Fircroft: reality-driven competencies
Angela Bate pages 70-78
DOI: 10.3898/forum.2024.66.3.07

Abstract

The Labour Party’s manifesto aims to reform further and higher education by integrating business, training providers and unions within a governmental effort to ensure a highly trained workforce. Skills England will align training with labour market needs, empower local leaders and enhance support for job seekers. However, the focus on young people overlooks adult learners who are not yet ready for the labour market. At Fircroft College, an adult residential college in Birmingham, we address the needs of adult learners facing barriers such as trauma, homelessness and unemployment. Our transformative learning model helps adult learners gain the skills and confidence needed to progress educationally, and to contribute to society and the economy. 

This paper describes Fircroft College’s approach. Notwithstanding funding limitations, and a national policy which privileges labour market skills, it is based on developing reality-driven competencies through short-term, non-accredited learning focused on well-being, personal growth and coping skills. Fircroft emphasises practical skills rooted in real-world contexts, and makes the most of the vital role which can be played in adult education by residential learning.

SORRY - you are not registered as being permitted online access to the full text of this article

You have the following options:

  1. If you are viewing this via an institution or academic library you can ask that your institution takes out a Subscription to this journal.
  2. If you already have a Personal Subscription please login below


    Forgotten your username / password? Click here to locate

  3. Purchase an annual Personal Subscription
    PRINT + DIGITAL personal subscription (£45 / year)
    DIGITAL personal subscription (£35 / year)
    A Personal Subscription provides immediate access not only to the single article you are seeking, but also to all past and future articles in this journal up to the expiry of your annual (calendar year) subscription.
  4. Purchase immediate access to this single article (UK£7.00) - Buy article Coming Soon

To cite this article
Angela Bate (2024) Foundations for folk at Fircroft: reality-driven competencies, FORUM, 66(3), 70-78. https://doi.org/10.3898/forum.2024.66.3.07

Share this