Learning Partnerships is a Leeds-based education charity, established in 1990, that works with children, young people and their families. We run a number of projects aimed at enhancing the life chances of people in some of the most deprived estates of the country.
Our work concentrates on 7 inner city wards of Leeds, all of which are identified as SOA (Super Output Areas) of which 3% are ranked in the lowest areas of deprivation. [Source: Leeds Economy Handbook 2007]
The communities are characterised by poor housing, low skills, low educational attainment, high unemployment, single parent families and large ethnic minority populations. Our projects are needs driven and we base our funding and bid strategies on this premise.
LP Projects
Learning Partnerships runs a number of 'hands-on' projects:
Extended Services Provision
Supports schools in providing access to a core of extended services including high-quality childcare, a varied menu of study support, parenting support, swift and easy referral to a wide range of specialist support and providing wider community access to ICT, sports and arts facilities etc.
Family Learning Workers
The team support and engage parent/carers by offering help and support through the delivery of various programmes and workshops e.g. family numeracy & literacy, healthy living, training and job skills, family IT and parenting skills.
The Job Zone and Access2Employment (A2E)
Offers opportunities and training for 16+ in deprived areas of Leeds. The communities are encouraged to attend taster sessions, learning markets and accredited ICT and basic skills courses to improve their quality of life and enable them to access new opportunities.
In addition to this, the A2E program offers support to lone parents across Leeds. They are supported by an individual case worker who will encourage and help the client take the first steps back to employment. This is achieved by attending a 'New Opportunities Program' within their local community which offers CV writing, interview techniques, well being and much more. Clients can then be supported through partner organisations back into and through their first period of employment.
The Future Jobs Fund Programme
creates job opportunities for young people aged 18-24. All Jobs are for a minimum of 25 hours per week and last a minimum of 6 months. They are all paid at least minimum wage and all have direct benefit to local communities. Through Leeds City Council, Learning Partnerships will deliver 109 jobs in Schools, Children's Centres, Community venues and Sports organisations.
The programme offers a full package of support, starting with a 'New Opportunities Experience' that addresses budgeting, presentation skills, transferable skills, confidence building and much more. Each Future Jobs Fund employee is assigned an individual development worker who will guide and support them through the 6 months. In addition to this, work placement partners are also supported to ensure the young person has the best possible work experience.
Read More about the Future Jobs Fund Programme
Volunteer Programme
Recruits, trains, places and supports volunteers from local businesses and the community to support children's literacy in schools and after-school clubs (Let's Learn Clubs).
Vinvolved Youth Volunteering Project
Programme offering a range of short-term, part-time and full-time volunteering opportunities and initiatives for young people aged 16-25. A city wide programme delivered in partnership with Children Leeds and University of Leeds.
LP Values
Vision
- "Learning Partnerships seek to provide opportunities for disengaged children, young people and their families to 'close the gap' by participating in the economic well-being of the city."
Aims
- To contribute to raising achievement in inner city schools.
- To engage targeted parents in both their own learning and their children's learning.
- To work with partners to address worklessness.
- To provide & support volunteering opportunities for members of the community, local business and young people.
- To action research and evaluate activities to measure their impact.
- To communicate and transfer good practice.
Objectives
- To build the confidence and develop the capacity of families.
- To sign post economically and socially excluded families and provide opportunities.
- Ensure the sustainability of the Charity through income generation by identifying suitable funding opportunities.
- Maintain robust financial systems and quality standards.
LP Sponsors
- Addleshaw Goddard
- Arcadia Group Plc
- Bank of Scotland
- Bentley Jennison
- British Gas
- Carey Jones Architects
- Department of Health
- Department of Work and Pensions
- GE Money
- Halcrow Group Ltd
- HBOS Plc
- HSBC Bank
- International Provident Finance
- Lee & Priestly
- Leeds City Council (Corporate IT Services)
- Leslie Silver OBE
- Malcolm Wells
- Surestart Harehills
- Unilever
- White Young Green Environmental
LP History
Learning Partnerships has been working in inner-city Leeds since 1990, when it was one of the national Education 2000 pilots set up by former head teacher John Abbott.
The aim was to revitalise schools and help them to develop the capability of lifelong learning in young people. The overall aims of Education 2000 were articulated in a book "Giving Substance to a Vision" published in 1990.In January 1990, Leeds Education 2000 was invited to become a pilot Education 2000 project. Funding came from Allied Lyons (?10,000 for five years), Marks & Spencer (?15,000 for three years) and the DTI (£300,000 of ? for ? match funding for development of ITC in the classroom and £75,000 for core staff provision).
Judith Robinson, the first Director, was appointed in September 1990 and Trevor Kitson, the retired Finance Director of Joshua Tetley became Treasurer.
Leeds Education 2000 was formally launched at the Tetley Brewery in October 1990 by Tim Eggar, the Minister responsible for Trade and Industry.
A charitable company was established with Rt Rev David Young, Bishop of Ripon and Church of England spokesman on Education in the House of Lords, as its Chairman. The Trustees (General Council) were and continue to be members of the local community, business community, head teachers and other notable local people.
Over the last few years the Charity has gone from strength to strength, in 2006 it saw the appointment of a new Chief Executive Tom Murray and we have been successful in securing new funding opportunities for the Charity.
We have built extensive relationships with various agencies, local authorities, colleges, universities and numerous voluntary, community and faith organisations and are continuing to develop these relationships to ensure we meet the needs of the communities in which we work.
Learning Partnerships now has a staff team of nearly 40 staff and more than 150 volunteers, a far cry from the two people it employed in 1991!
LP Trustees
Humphrey Boyle, D.L.M.A, Chairman
Humphrey Boyle has been associated with Learning Partnerships since its inception in 1990, initially as a patron and now as chairman.
He read history at Cambridge before joining the family textiles business, which has been trading in Leeds since 1760. Since his retirement, he has worked as a consultant and lecturer on the history of the decorative arts.
In 1992, he was made High Sheriff of West Yorkshire and is now a Deputy Lieutenant.
Treasurer
- Colin Duckels, Group Chief Accountant, Arcadia Group Ltd
Patrons
- Leslie Silver OBE, Chancellor of Leeds Metropolitan University
- Jeremy Burton, DL
Chief Executive Officer
- Tom Murray
General Council
- Patricia Heron, Patheron Ltd
- Brainard Braimah M.B.E., Technorth
- Mohsin Zulfiqar, Education Leeds
- Inder Hunjan, Leeds Metropolitan University
- Sadie Alton, KPMG
- Judith Hall, Education Leeds
Sponsor Us
Learning Partnerships relies heavily on local support and there are many ways in which you can donate directly to us: