Call for case studies on teaching and training in a recession

The current economic downturn is presenting teachers and trainers in the further education (FE) and skills sector with a range of new challenges. For a start, it has generated a new audience of learners, many of whom have lost their job, are concerned about being made redundant or fear they may never get a job. New learners are signing up to retrain, gain new skills or develop existing skills further, and a growing number of existing learners are being affected by redundancy and unemployment. Many have been unemployed for a long time.

Recognising the extent to which these factors impact on teaching and learning, we are producing a series of case studies about the central role that teachers and trainers play in helping people develop new skills, rebuild their employment prospects and restore their sense of self-worth.

We would like to hear from teachers and trainers who have been affected by the recession and are willing to share your experiences of facilitating learning in a cold economic climate. We would like to know what approaches you are using – successfully or unsuccessfully – and your innovative solutions for tackling the new challenges you face. We would also be interested to hear what you think about the different government initiatives aimed at mitigating the effects of the recession – which of them you think are proving helpful, and which of them are not.

If you are willing to take part in a case study, please email communications@ifl.ac.uk with a brief description of your experience and confirming your availability for a telephone interview from the beginning of June. The case studies will be written by a professional writer, and you will have the opportunity to read yours before publication.

We look forward to hearing from you.