The Sustainable Development Alliance for Learning & Skills: How can we best add value?

1. The Sustainable Development Alliance for Learning & Skills:How can we best add value? Conrad Benefield, LSIS Esin Esat, Bedford College Rick Olver, Southend Adult & Community College Graham Petersen, UCU

2. Introducing your speakers • Conrad Benefield, Learning and Skills Improvement Service • Esin Esat,Bedford College • Rick Olver, Southend Adult and Community College, LEAFEA and HOLEX • Graham Petersen, South Thames College and University & College Union • Jimmy Brannigan, LSIS associate and ESD Consulting

3. Aims of our session • Increase your awareness of the purpose and role of SDALS • Develop our understanding of the drivers and barriers to embedding sustainability • Shape and inform the developing SDALS purpose and approach • Introduce the support and expertise that SDALS can offer

4. What we will cover • Who or what is SDALS? • What are the key strategic opportunities for taking sustainability forward? • What value can SDALS add in addressing these opportunities? • How SDALS and its members can help you • Review and final questions

5. About SDALS – membership The Sustainable Development Alliance for Learning & Skills

6. About SDALS - purpose To inspire and facilitate the learning and skills sector to fulfil its leading role in embedding and demonstrating sustainable development to meet the urgent challenges that our economy and society face.

7. About SDALS - purpose • Working with the sector • Inspiring and supporting, not leading • Focusing on sustainable development • Within the economic and social context

8. About SDALS - priorities • Engage with, explore and be a catalyst for thinking, policy, research and practice • Share thinking and engage with leaders, practitioners and stakeholders • Encourage Government, funding councils and Ofsted to collaborate • Actively champion effective practice, innovation and improvement and support providers in measuring that improvement

9. About SDALS – a new focus Increasingly, SDALS is looking to focus its work around the theme of socio-economic value, through: • Informing thinking, strategy and practice • Championing the embedding of socio-economic value by providers in teaching and learning, effective and sustainable leadership, partnerships and operations

10. For discussion • What are the key strategic opportunities and drivers for taking sustainability forward at a strategic level: • Within your organisation • Within the FE/HE sector? • Does seeing sustainability in terms of ‘socio-economic value’ help? If so, how? If not, why not?

11. For discussion • What value can SDALS add in taking this agenda forward? • What would you want to see in SDALS’ plans going forward, if SDALS is to make a difference in the ways envisaged in its purpose?

12. What we can offer • How are individual SDALS members and their organisations contributing to this agenda? • What can they offer you?

13. LSIS • Case studies and resources • Regional Sustainability Advisers • Framework and Reaching Forward Index • Research into teaching, learning and skills • Leaders of the Future programme • Conrad Benefieldconrad.benefield@lsis.org.uk www.excellencegateway.org.uk/sustainability

14. Leaders of the Future 25-26 June 2013 • Build your capability and confidence as a sustainability champion, whatever your level and experience • Varied programme of workshops, presentations, activities and discussions • £300 per person incl accommodation and meals – LSIS Accounts apply https://events.lsis.org.uk/

15. Regional Sustainability Advisers

16. Bedford College • 10 years’ Sustainability in FE experience • Examples of SD in curricula & operations • www.greenbedfordcollege.com • SD projects (Skills, SMEs, community, EU) • Brundtland Building • Sustainability Leadership event on 9 May • Esin Esat, Regional Sustainability Adviser eesat@bedford.ac.uk

17. HOLEX/LEAFEA • Access to two wide reaching networks representing Local Authorities and including Third Sector organisations • Good practice examples from the Adult and Community Learning Sector • Community engagement • Rick Olver rickolver@southend-adult.ac.uk

18. UCU • Largest post-16 teaching trades union • Extensive network including membership of key sector bodies • Cross education sector link through TUC • Campaigning on national ESD policies via Green Skills Manifesto • Co-ordination of the Greener Jobs Alliance • Graham Petersengpetersen@ucu.org.uk

19. EAUC • SORTED online resource for FE and skills organisations – www.eauc.org.uk/sorted • Sustainability Exchange - knowledge and resources from across FE and HE www.sustainabilityexchange.ac.uk • LiFE Index performance improvement system – www.thelifeindex.org.uk • Green Gown Awards • info@eauc.org.uk

20. AoC • Completed a substantive review of AoC’s role in the agenda, including consultation with member colleges • A new Sustainability Portfolio Group has been established to inform AoC strategy and activity in this area going forward • Ian Munro, AoC SW Regional Directorian_munro@aoc.co.uk

21. Give us further feedback on how SDALS can make a difference Draw on the experience and expertise of leaders and practitioners in SDALS (including Esin, Rick and Graham) Contact your Regional Sustainability Adviser Explore LSIS and EAUC resources