Digest 8

Digest of recent communications and publication received by NAEGA

Through membership of sister organisations and materials sent to us by members, NAEGA receives regular information from far and wide. This Digest is an attempt to make some of this information more widely available for members.

1. A Sector Skills Council for Lifelong Learning?

Six organisations - the Further Education NTO, the Employment NTO, the Information Services NTO, the Higher Education Staff Development Agency, the Association of Learning Providers and PAULO (the NTO for Community based learning and development) - have issued a consultation paper on setting up a Lifelong Learning SSC. The initial consultation period has now finished and the partners are now considering submitting a formal expression of interest to the Sector Skills Development Agency. This would be followed by the submission of a business proposal in December. Further information can be obtained by emailing

2. Careers England

Careers England was launched at the Institute of Directors on 27th June. Careers England is a Trade Association established to represent and promote the interests of its members - organisations whose principal purpose is the provision of careers guidance and related services - and the benefits of these services for individuals, businesses, and the wider economy. Careers England can be contacted on

3. Paid Educational Leave Campaign

The Campaign is widely supported by the TUC, several unions and NIACE. The Campaign's website is at www.paid-educational-leave.org.uk

4. Careers Education and Guidance... in the frame

A CRAC/NICEC one-day conference in London on Thursday 9 October 2003. Details and booking to

5. Building a National Skills Strategy

A CRAC /NICEC one-day conference in London on Tuesday 11 November 2003. Details and booking to

6. Children's Rights and Connexions: some issues

Attention is drawn to the website of Action on Rights for Children - in education which can be found at www.arch-ed.org

ARCH has deep seated concerns about several aspects of the Connexions service including the:

• giving of informed consent by young people
• relationship of that consent, once given, to the use of data collected by Connexions Personal Advisers
• particulars of the APIR assessment tool particularly the section which deals with parents.

For ARCH "One of the most offensive sections ... [of APIR] ... concerns the capacity of a young person's parents/carers".

On entering the website go to ARCH ISSUES the first of which is Connexions.

Digest 8 prepared by Jonathan Brown.
August 2003

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