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Breaking Barriers Adult Literacy and Numeracy Research Group
Method(s) Used
Name of person who posted the project: Kerry Ryan
Location of project: United Kingdom
Date when the project started: 2006
Date when the project ended/project ongoing: 2007
Background to project: Scottish Community Action Research Fund participatory action research project. Based at Glasgow Women's Library.
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Purpose of project: 1. What are the adult literacy and numeracy needs of disadvantaged women in Glasgow--particularly woman who use "crisis" services?
2. What barriers prevent women from learning and how can these barriers be broken down?
AIMS OF PROJECT
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Participants are females aged 16 plus with experience of adult literacy and numeracy learning. The participants design, initiate, participate and evaluate research and developing research skills while having complete "ownership" of project. Project to develop with full involvement of participants and involve women with differing skill-levels. The project aimed to work closely with "crisis" organisations.
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The participants would develop a range of skills including: research, analytical, problem solving, communication, ability to work in a team, as well as technical skills such as camera operation and interview skills.
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They would also develop literary and numeracy skills while enhancing confidence and engaging with community issues.
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The research aimed to investigate how service provision can be improved, develop solutions and suggestions for change and generate Ideas for Action.
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Project activities: Over nine months until the project�s completion, weekly workshops with a core group of four researchers took place. During this time skills and abilities were developed to ensure the participants would become confident researchers. The group members were encouraged to take ownership of the project and make every decision with regards to how it progressed and in what form.
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The group decided to use semi-structured interviews and postal surveys and were able to target hard-to-reach groups of women.
Findings would be written up in traditional report but also used as the basis for creative drama project written, acted, filmed and directed by research group.
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Project results: The outcome was a traditional report with recommendations or what the group named 'Ideas for Action', as well as a short drama which was written, acted, directed and filmed by the research team and recorded onto DVD and sent to other ALN agencies as an awareness raising tool.
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Personal outcomes from the project included:
- Promoting positive change
- Enhancing community involvement and knowledge
- Developing range of skills
- Boosting confidence, self-esteem and communication abilities
- Providing a body of research for GWL and other agencies
- Support and friendship
- Opportunity to advance knowledge
- Providing a platform for views and opinions
- Community networking
- Experiential learning
- Demystifying research process
- Planning and event delivery
IDEAS FOR ACTION
- Peripatetic ALN outreach worker appointed to support and train crisis service staff while providing tutoring and support for female learners within crisis organisations. This would be a service providing a range of integrated learning opportunities for women users of crisis services on an outreach basis adopting a holistic approach to learning. This would ease pressure on under-funded, over-stretched crisis service staff while offering focused support and learning for female users addressed to their specific needs and wants.
- Confidence and self-esteem courses to run in partnership with ALN provision for learners
- Confidence to be added to Knowledge, Skills and Understanding as one of the key aims of ALN service provision
- Public perceptions are still an issue, therefore Scottish Executive's awareness-raising to continue. Publicity to have more focus on female learners' stories and experiences.
- More flexibility for tutoring. One-to-one tutoring for all who require it. Evening tutoring sessions made available.
- Funding made available for home visits for learners in need due to illness or disability or their role as carers. Home visits only after in-depth risk assessment has been carried out.
- Flexible childcare
- Organisations to become more child-friendly
- Better accessibility for disabled users
- Long-term funding for ALN services
- In-depth study of female learners� levels of experience of abuse and violence with focus on domestic abuse in particular
- Similar study to Breaking Barriers carried out with regards to ESOL learners and the barriers that they face
- Awareness raising in agencies such as housing, jobcentre plus and social security
Contact details: Project Coordinator
Kerry Ryan
kerry.ryan@strath.ac.uk
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Kay McKie
Glasgow Women's Library
GWL, 2nd Floor, 81 Parnie Street, Glasgow, G1 5RH
t/f: 0141 552 8345 e: info@womenslibrary.org.uk
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