Welcome to our February half-term newsletter. This edition of the learner newsletter contains updates from across GoLearn, alongside news from our friends in the wider Council. Included in this edition; new dates for the Learner Voice Forums, confirmation of the 2025/26 programme ‘GoLive’, National Apprenticeship Week 2025, Have a Go Month 2025, the 10th Anniversary of the Bosworth Explorers, and more!
Join our Learner Voice Forums this March.This March sees the second of our new GoLearn! Learner Voice Forums, which is an opportunity for our adult learning community to come together and have a say in the development of the service.
The Forums will be taking part in Hinckley, Melton Mowbray, Wigston and Loughborough from the week-beginning Monday 10th March 2025. There will also be an online session for those who are unable to make the in-person sessions. Each Forum event will last for 2 hours, and you will work in small focus groups, supported by GoLearn! managers and staff, to discuss key areas of improvement which have been identified from both learner feedback and service development plans. For more information on discussion topics, dates, times, and venues click the link below.
The official launch date for the 2025/26 programme has been confirmed as Monday 30th June 2025.
Teams from across GoLearn are beginning their programme planning for next year’s courses. Programme planning is the process that begins at the start of each calendar year and looks to plan our course offer for the next year. Planning involves staff from across the service from Tutors to administrative staff, senior managers to exam invigilators. The planning window begins in the January of each year and reaches its conclusion in mid-June shortly before the ‘GoLive’ date.
More information on the course programme for next year, and details of how you will be able to enrol, will be shared over the coming months. Keep your eyes peeled for more communications.
A fond farewell to the Multiply ProjectThis March marks the conclusion of the Multiply Project, a nationally funded project aimed at boosting the confidence and number skills of adults across the UK.
Funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) the Multiply Project has been running since Summer 2023. Here in Leicestershire, we have:
Our courses have taught practical number skills to help people improve their budgeting skills, support their children with homework, take steps into employment or move on in their career.
One of the many people who have benefited from Multiply courses is Kerry, who joined our Cook, Meet & Eat course as her doctor had recommended it to help with her anxiety. Kerry was very apprehensive but pushed herself to attend. Since attending the course her cookery skills have improved, using the maths skills she has learnt she now measures, weighs, follows timings for recipes and the whole family are enjoying her newfound love of cooking. In addition, her daughter’s school say they can see the improvement in her daughter’s maths as Kerry is able to support her.
Whilst the Multiply Project comes to an end in March, there are still courses available for learners to join. Including:
We also have a range of Functional Skills and GCSE Maths courses available in venues across the county, to support you to gain qualifications to support life and work. Visit us online for more information.
National Apprenticeship Week (NAW2025) ran from 10th – 16th Feb, and is an annual celebration of apprentices, their employers, and their providers. It aims to encourage more employers to consider apprenticeships as part of the work-force development.
The theme for NAW2025 is ‘Skills for Life’ and GoLearn!, who provide apprenticeship training to employers across Leicestershire, are celebrating a year of exceptional achievement amongst its apprentices, with every apprenticeship Standard it delivers beating the national averages. Read more about why we are celebrating this year by visiting us online.
Did you know you can claim back the cost of childcare with our Learner Support Fund?At GoLearn, we know that course fees alone are not the only financial costs learners face. Our Discretionary Learner Support Fund (DLSF) is available to help cover the hidden cost of learning like transport, resources, exam fees, and childcare. We’ve brought together a range of frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) to help you understand how you can claim back the cost of childcare to support your learning journey. Click the link below to visit our ‘News’ pages and read more.
Have a Go Month 2025 ConfirmedWe are delighted to announce that Have a Go Month will be returning for 2025, with adult learning tasters offered for FREE in community venues across Leicestershire throughout June. Have a Go Month is a celebration of lifelong learning and an opportunity for learners (past, present, and future) to try something new. In 2024 over 100 learners took part on over 50 adult learning tasters as part of Have a Go Month. Planning is underway and we hope to bring you an exciting programme for Have a Go Month 2025, so keep an eye out for future updates.
We are excited to announce plans for a Summer Arts Exhibition this August at Enderby Adult Learning Centre.
The exhibition will showcase learner work from across our arts and creative courses, with the exhibition open to the public on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th August 2025. If you are currently on one of our arts programmes (be it pottery, drawing and painting, sewing and textiles, photography or even ballet) your Tutor will be talking to you after Easter about how to create something for the exhibition, either as individuals or a group, so keep your eyes peeled for future communication.
On the 24th of January, the adult learners from a GoLearn Learning for Independence group were invited to Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre to celebrate over a decade of achievements.
Going by many names: the Bosworth Knights, Tommies, and Explorers; this award-winning group have been a huge part of the site and have a well-earned reputation for excellence and creativity. Their involvement in initiatives such as Century of Stories, WW1 & Bosworth Street, Bosworth 1485 Around the World and their recent site accessibility film have been vital in enriching the experience at the site. The group have now moved on to their new chapter at Hinckley Library under their new name, Hinckley Historians. We would like to thank the group for all their fantastic work. Find out more about the ‘Hinckley Historians’ online.
The My Jewellery, My Story exhibition at Charnwood Museum is now open until the 15th of June! The exhibition features the Cossington necklace, a Bronze Age necklace with extraordinary beads made almost 4,000 years ago. The Finding Out About Your Local Area group, inspired by the necklace and participating in a variety of workshops created giant beads, scrapbooks and bead necklaces that are now displayed in the exhibition. Read more about the exhibition online.
Your chance to nominate Net Zero HeroesLeicestershire County Council has launched the Net Zero Heroes initiative to celebrate individuals and groups making a difference in the fight against climate change. Residents are invited to nominate those taking positive climate action and promoting sustainable living in their communities.
The scheme highlights inspiring efforts contributing to the county’s goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Eligible activities include tree planting, rewilding, energy-saving retrofits, active travel promotion, environmental education, and sustainability-focused volunteering or projects.
Councillor Blake Pain, cabinet member for the environment, said: “Net Zero Heroes is a fantastic way to recognise the incredible work happening across Leicestershire to combat climate change. Every action counts toward our shared goal of a sustainable future.”
Nominations can be submitted online, with successful nominees featured on the Council’s website and social media. Nominees must be 18 or older. Celebrate your local heroes today by clicking the link below!
Considering a career in Early Years Education? Meet Victoria CockramVictoria is a Workforce Improvement Officer for Leicestershire County Council, who’s role is focused on Early Years Inclusion and Childcare Services.
“My role is to inspire the next generation of Early Years practitioners to consider and begin their career – this could be in a range of settings such as day nurseries, pre-schools, out of school clubs and childminding. All you need is a genuine love of being around children – together with a great sense of humour! There are different qualification levels and courses available to help you begin your journey and make a dream of working with children a reality.”
Victoria attends careers events and jobs fairs to speak about the valuable and rewarding employment opportunities, and to collaborate with Leicestershire colleges and training providers to help support individuals who would like to gain the knowledge skills and experience required to work with children.
If you are considering a career working with children, you can view local Job Vacancies in Childcare/Early Years and visit Careers In Childcare to find out more information. You can also email Victoria.Cockram@leics.gov.uk for help and advice.
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