Learn Direct Pilot Study Launch

Venue: Trinity Methodist Church, Plumstead
Date: Thursday 4th June 2004

A pilot study using community based organisations to offer a variety of online courses to hard to reach members of the public was launched at Trinity Plumstead Church on Thursday 3rd June at 7pm.

This is the first of a small number of pilot venues to be used to gauge the feasibility of using faith-based community venues to deliver Learn Direct courses to parts of the community not normally engaged with by conventional Learn Direct learning venues.

A number of members of the local community expresses an interest and registered for the courses of their choice after a brief assessment of their needs and ability level. This personalised, and personal, service is provided by one of the pilot study parters, London Community College, and differentiates Learn Direct online learning from a number of other online services.

Learn Direct

The courses offered by Learn Direct cover topics as diverse as basic skills - literacy and numeracy, IT skills, business courses, management, marketing and leadership courses. There are courses aimed at the absolute beginner, through intermediate level to an advanced level of competence.

There are approximately 2,500 courses offered by Learn Direct, of which over 800 are free to the student. The other courses are heavily subsidised by the government and offer exceptional value for students.

Facilitated by Red Ochre and RainMakers

This event and the pilot project as a whole are facilitated by Red Ochre and RainMakers in collaboration with Learn Direct and London Community College. Red Ochre, a business and management consultancy, and RainMakers, a training and enabling organisation, are both social enterprises working within and for the voluntary, faith and social sectors.

Useful Links

www.redochre.org.uk

www.rainmakers.info

www.learndirect.co.uk

www.londoncommunitycollege.com