Aimhigher in the West Midlands forms part of the national Aimhigher initiative to encourage more learners from under-represented groups to participate in Higher Education.
The West Midlands is a diverse area spanning rural wilderness on the Welsh borders and intense urbanisation in the East.
It has some of the most entrenched problem areas, comparatively low rates of participation, and very low performance in terms of graduate skills in the workforce. Its young participation rate in 2000 was 28%. The economic profile of the region sees a high proportion of graduates going into the public sector and there is a continuing need to create high value jobs in the private sector to encourage more learners to aspire beyond level 2. It is a net exporter of students to HEIs outside the region.
The region has 13 HEIs, 47 FE/6th form colleges, 367 secondary schools, and 14 LEAs. It is divided into 6 LSC areas: Birmimngham and Solihull, Black Country, Coventry and Warks, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent.
Because the region is divided, it is important to minimise boundaries and barriers for learners. Aimhigher West Midlands has attempted to co-ordinate its planning, while maintaining a clear view of local need. Activities are grouped into 3 programmes, which are addressed in each area plan:
- Programme 1 works with school and college based learners
- Programme 2 works with vocationally routed and work based learners
- Programme 3 works with community based learners.
All three programmes draw on the resources of a wide range of partners to whom Aimhigher West Midlands is highly indebted.
Regional activity is devised and developed in conjunction with the 6 areas to enhance the learning and communications infrastructure, and to deploy effectively resources for the whole region.
Regional Programmes:
- CARD (Choose A Real Deal) ? a post 14 compact for the region, which will guarantee a place for those who achieve the goals. This is run in conjunction with Programme 1 events and is currently in pilot phase with a full launch for 2005/6.
- Progression Framework ? a feasibility study to map the kinds of support available to learners in schools, colleges, workplace, and the community as the first step towards a possible basic entitlement. This phase to be completed by April 2005.
- Mapping and Bridging ? a Programme 2 related project to map electronically all provision from level 1 to degree across all HEIs, FECs and training providers in the West Midlands, and, to create bridging curriculum for Advanced Modern Apprentices progressing into HE. The electronic map, which will be interrogated by level, career outcome, and location, will be launched in July and the bridging curriculum is being piloted this year for a 2005/6 start.
- Healthcare Strand ? a triple project to bring vocationally routed, work based and community based learners into healthcare professions. This involves two community programmes and a healthcare version of the CARD.
- Disability Programme ? a project which seeks to identify and remove barriers to progression for disabled students. So far a set of disability self review tools have been devised for area and summer school coordinators, an audit of support in FECs, HEIs, and schools undertaken, and a longitudinal survey of student experience supported.
- Part time student research project ? an exploratory project to look at patterns of part-time recruitment in HE and FE in conjunction with the OU
Additionally the region has set up activity databases and is leading on evaluation programmes, is providing marketing and communications services and is working to underpin performance measures with appropriate data and agreed baselines.
In order to build brand awareness amongst all the Aimhigher target groups, young people, mature students and work based learners, the areas are operating a common marketing ?look? supported by a regional newsletter, integrated marketing materials and a West Midlands website www.aimhigherwm.org.
Contact details ? regional office
Wolverhampton Science Park, Wolverhampton, WV10 9RU
Tel: 01902 824437 E:aimhigherwm@wlv.ac.uk
www.aimhigherwm.org
aimhigherwm@wlv.ac.uk
Regional Director: Dr Viv Wylie
