Glyncoch: a learning community

Glyncoch
A learning community
Rhiannon Bowen & James Hall
November 2015

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People and Work
People and Work is an independent charity (established in 1984) working in Wales. The
Unit seeks to make a difference through its two core functions: to promote the value of
education and learning as a tool for tackling inequalities and promoting employment,
through a programme of community based action research projects; and to undertake
commissioned research and evaluation work for the public and third sectors in Wales
addressing inequalities in areas such as education, health and employment.
CMC @ Loudoun
Plas Iona
Butetown
Cardiff CF10 5HW
Tel. 029 2048 8536
admin@peopleandworkunit.org.uk
www.peopleandworkunit.org.uk
www.facebook.com/pawu1984
@PWUnit
Glyncoch Community Regeneration Limited
Glyncoch Community Regeneration Ltd is owned and run by a group of local people
committed to seeing improvements in our area for the benefit of all. We will do this by
working in partnership with other organisations such as Communities First to achieve our
goals.
56 Garth Avenue
Glyncoch
CF37 3AA
Tel. 01443 486496
alison@glyncochcp.co.uk
www.glyncoch.org.uk
www.facebook.com/glyncoch

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Contents
A. Introduction to the Glyncoch: A Learning Community project.............................................................. 4
B. Partners and influences ..................................................................................................................... 7
C. Build it Glyncoch (April 2008 – September 2013)............................................................................... 10
D. Chance to Learn (October 2008 – June 2015) .................................................................................... 14
E. School Focused Communities (April 2009 – September 2015) ............................................................ 19
F. Dynamic Communities (April 2012 – June 2015) ................................................................................ 26
G. Distance Travelled: Resultsfrom the Impact Assessment Survey........................................................ 28
H. Key themes and learning.................................................................................................................. 31

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A. Introduction to the Glyncoch: A Learning Community project
People and Work began working with Glyncoch Communities First in 2007 to develop
‘Glyncoch: A Learning Community’, a programme of action research work. The overarching
aim was to work together to tackle some of the deep-seated causes of poverty and its
effects on the community in Glyncoch. The work was planned in collaboration with the
community to be an integrated approach, building on the core development work that was
being done by Communities First. The central focus was on developing involvement in, and
outcomes from, learning.
This report will provide an outline of the approach that was taken to this work starting with
an overview of Glyncoch and the overarching philosophy. It will then consider the
relationship that People and Work had with the various partners over the seven year long
project. The report will outline the four key projects run by People and Work in Glyncoch.
These were Build It (funded by The Rank Foundation), School Focussed Communities (SFC)
(funded by The Paul Hamlyn Foundation), Chance to Learn (funded by The Esmée Fairbairn
Foundation) and Dynamic Communities (funded by Comic Relief). Finally, the outcomes of
the work for the community in Glyncoch will be considered in addition to reflections on
some key points of learning and themes from the whole project.
Glyncoch
Glyncoch is a community with a population of 3000 in Rhondda Cynon Taf. The Welsh
Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD)1 splits Glyncoch into two areas called Glyncoch 1 and
2. By this measure, in 2005 Glyncoch was amongst the 20% most deprived areas in Wales.
WIMD informed the Glyncoch project and the key strands identified for focus were the
heavily interlinked themes of education, employment and health. Building on this, a key
factor in the selection of Glyncoch for the focus of the project was the lack of qualifications
amongst adults in the community. Half of the adult population had no qualifications and
there was not one young person from Glyncoch in the sixth form of the local
comprehensive school (Pontypridd High School) when the programme started. The view
was taken that the community was in desperate need of successful role models to give
local young people evidence that involvement in learning makes a difference to lives.
1
WIMD rates all neighbourhoods in Wales to identify which are considered to have the highest level of relative deprivation.

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Indicator (Ordered according to
weighting given within the
overall figure)
Position against all 1896 communities in Wales
(WIMD, 2005)
Glyncoch 1 Glyncoch 2
Percentile Ranking Percentile Ranking
Overall 10% 43rd 20% 330rd
Income 10% 55th 30% 438th
Employment 10% 51st 30% 432nd
Education 10% 25th 20% 240th
Health 10% 153rd 20% 287th
Housing 10% 123rd 50% 806th
Access to Services 60% 993rd 60% 883rd
Physical Environment 70% 1479th 60% 1199th
Table 1: The position of Glyncoch in the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation
A concentrated whole community approach
People and Work took a highly concentrated approach to the Glyncoch work and aimed to
involve the whole community. This was in response to the learning and development that
had taken place over the previous 15 years of project work in communities. These had
found that with support, which was high in quality and sustained, accompanied by good
guidance and access to provision, people with low levels of educational attainment could
complete qualifications to level 3. Furthermore, the work needed to recognise that people
do not exist in a social vacuum as apprentices or learners. They are part of complex social
groups including their families, peers and community and these have both a significant
influence on, and are influenced by, the individual.
The impact of a single person’s effective learning experiences had been found in previous
projects to have a direct ripple effect on their own family but less on the wider community.
The work was set out in a whole community based structure to strengthen the ripple effect
of community work and to ensure that the value that was added through work with
individuals could also be added through the wider impact on family, social groups and the
community. While People and Work had previously worked with community members to
embed the work that was done, the action research had shown that more was needed in
order to support this whole community approach.
Sub-aims
 Research the impact that sustained combination of co-ordinated learning and
support, based around education and labour market opportunities can have
 Create examples of successful learning and employment
 Co-ordinate and promote existing and emerging learning opportunities

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People and Work aimed to use this model of work ultimately to achieve the tangible goal in
Glyncoch that employment opportunities would be built; qualification levels would be
raised; progression routes would be planned and managed; local and travel to work skill
shortages would be targeted. Through using this model to target these educational and
work related goals the work expected to tackle some of the areas which had widely been
found to be deep rooted causes of poverty within communities like Glyncoch.

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B. Partners and influences
Communities First and Glyncoch Community Regeneration
Communities First in Glyncoch was the main partner with which People and Work Unit
worked over the course of the project. However, the changeable nature of the ongoing
restructuring of Communities First meant that the organisation was able to evolve in
response to the project just as the partnership did. When Communities First Glyncoch first
approached People and Work for support with the project in 2007, it was hosted by the
Pontypridd and District Housing Association (which became part of Cynon Taf Community
Housing in 2008). This was when the initial consultation work with the community and
planning work was done and the projects started.
However, 2011 was a dynamic year for Glyncoch, with talks of the redevelopment of the
community centre and Cynon Taf forfeiting the contract to host Communities First. In
response to this, with support from organisations in Glyncoch, a locally owned and
managed social enterprise formed as an independent entity called Glyncoch Community
Regeneration Ltd.. Within months, Glyncoch Regen was legally responsible for the
community centre, was the new host for Communities First and was establishing
independent projects in collaboration with People and Work. With this change of leadership
came the shift of the locus of control with local people being more central to its direction.
In 2013, Glyncoch Communities First became part of a larger cluster for Pontypridd but the
work in Glyncoch continued to be managed by Glyncoch Regen.
The model of collaboration between Communities First (including Glyncoch Regen) and
People and Work was so tight knit that community members involved in the projects were
often unaware that they were being supported by two separate organisations. While this
was a positive element in terms of project delivery, sharing of resources, support and
outcomes, the two organisations continued to value and retain their distinct identities. This
enabled a ‘critical friend’2 approach where practice could be challenged. The development
and growth of Glyncoch Regen was reflected upon as part of the legacy of the whole
project. Not only has it been emblematic of what community support and organisational
cooperation can achieve, but also has been a valuable resource for the ongoing
sustainability of the projects after People and Work’s withdrawal.
The role of the Project Manager
James Hall was People and Work’s Project Manager for Glyncoch across its seven and a half
year span. This role included managing the four main projects hosted in the area by People
and Work as well as dedicating time to ensure that the whole community approach was not
consigned to being a series of independent projects. A continuously developing role, his
2 For a useful introduction to the role of a critical friend, see:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151715/http://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrde
ringDownload/nlc_pma_nlia_01b_critical-friend.pdf

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presence in People and Work office in Glyncoch (based on the floor above the Communities
First office) enhanced the project’s identity and allowed community members more control
over contact with the project. It became a one-stop shop for the community’s engagement.
He also provided regular feedback on project development, offering support and challenge
to the senior management teams in the local schools, the Communities First team and
wider policy and delivery bodies. Furthermore, extra activities and projects were
continuously being innovated as the needs of the community changed. These followed
different themes such as community safety based activities with young people and adults in
the summer holidays (2009). This enhanced the whole community approach methodology.
Interacting with services
A wide range of services and organisations had ongoing involvement in the Glyncoch
project via consultations, reflections on the impact of the project and reflecting on the role
of their services and policy in light of this. These included Rhondda Cynon Taf County
Borough Council, Canopi3, the police, RCT Homes and the local health board.
Education providers engaged
A large number of education providers were actively engaged with the Glyncoch projects
and played specific roles within each of People and Work’s projects. In relation to Chance
to Learn there was active involvement in a wide range of learning providers; in Build It
there was ongoing collaboration in development of apprenticeships, college course
placements and construction courses; and the local schools and other youth agencies were
instrumental to the success of SFC. Partners involved included the local authority’s
education department, Learnabout, Coleg Morgannwg, Garth Olwg Learning Centre,
Glyncoch Communities First, Dare Training, Janro, Worker’s Association Wales, ACT
Learning, University Heads of the Valleys Institute, RCT Homes, Pontypridd High School,
the local Glyncoch primary schools and local universities.
3 Meaning ‘umbrella’ in Welsh, this group brought together public and third sector organisations involved in
working with children and young people in the local area.

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Comments from Glyncoch Communities First about the importance of People
and Work (and in particular the role of James as project manager):
‘The Glyncoch Community Partnership consider People and Work to be its key
partner in the regeneration of Glyncoch and it has been integral to the success
of the community development programme over the last five years. People and
Work has raised funds to carry out cutting edge projects that drive at the heart
of poverty and disadvantage. Pivotal to this has been the project manager,
James Hall, who has not only managed project staff, but has supported the
whole partnership to raise its game and develop a more coherent response to
community needs. The action research ethos of the People and Work Unit
involves reflective practice as well as listening and empowering community
members in a variety of ways. Given that the problems of poverty and
disadvantage have eluded policy makers for so many years, it is crucial that
projects at the coalface are continuously learning and adapting; moreover it is
essential to bridge the gap between policy, the latest research and the actual
work that takes place. In Glyncoch, James has helped bridge that gap and it is
imperative that he continues to do so if we are going to succeed in finding
effective ways of supporting people and communities to climb out of the spiral
of poverty. Furthermore, sharing best practice is an extremely important area of
work that cannot be done only by project workers who are so absorbed with
working with some of the neediest people in society. The project manager’s role
is essential if the sharing of best practice and knowledge is to happen in any
meaningful way.’ (Glyncoch Communities First Co-ordinator)

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C. Build it Glyncoch (April 2008 – September 2013)
The aim and context
The Build it project was developed in response to the high rate of young people in the area
who were not in education, employment or training (NEET). Engagement with the local
community found that the root cause was felt to be a result of low qualification levels and
limited opportunities for young people. Furthermore, in keeping with the ‘buyer’s market’
methodology demonstrated through Chance to Learn, the project developed in response to
demand for skilled trades in the local community. Impending work by housing associations
for the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) based in the local area was expected to
lead to demand and apprenticeship opportunities in skilled trades. It was anticipated that
supporting young people in apprenticeships with WHQS would reduce the NEET rate, foster
greater respect for the local area, develop the social and emotional skills of the young
people involved and create a supply for labour market demand. One of the key long term
aims for the Build it and Communities First teams was to see trainees become qualified
tradespeople and contribute to the physical improvement of the area such as the new
Glyncoch Community Centre.
Early obstacles
Two young people gained apprenticeships through close working with RCT Homes. This
was significantly less than expected and highlighted the difficulties in measuring demand in
the local labour market, particularly since the contractors working in Glyncoch were either
not in a position to take apprentices (e.g. because they were sole traders and didn’t have
the time or resources) or were disinterested. This key point of learning was considered and,
following the action research methodology of People and Work’s approach, the project was
adapted. Hwyel Williams (project leader) now supported young people to attend college
and to gain construction experience through community based building tasks.
Community building projects
Over the five and a half years that the project ran, Build It undertook 36 community
projects and worked with over 100 community members. The building projects varied in
size and benefitted from the support of local trades people who volunteered their time to
help train the young people and the work of Hywel, a qualified carpenter. An extract from
the annual report for year 2 of the project highlights the variety of work that was done in a
given year:
There have been 11 main practical construction projects this year in Glyncoch with
several smaller tasks (e.g. installing shelves at the local Barnardos centre). The
major projects have included outdoor ground works in the local woodlands,
building and installing large benches and signposts, decorating the church,
rebuilding the church stage, decorating and providing work surfaces for a
computer room, building a walk in cupboard in the community centre, decorating

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a youth room, decorating the People & Work Unit's new flat in Glyncoch and fitting
a kitchen in an RCT Homes flat. These projects have provided opportunities for
carpentry, plastering, tiling, wall-papering, painting, concrete mixing and brick
laying. Hywel has also involved trainees and volunteers in the planning, measuring
up and ordering stages of each project, sometimes getting trainees to deal with
suppliers on the phone.
The community building work was productive and successful, not only in inspiring the
engagement and commitment of young people (in particular, a core group of five NEET
young men), but also for improving the overall appearance of the area in Glyncoch. In
particular, the model of refurbishing a previously uninhabitable property to a high standard,
was reported by partners and RCT Homes to be a model of best practice and great interest
was shown in replicating this process in future by others. Furthermore, the Glyncoch
Partnership secured funding for an environmental improvement team who further
developed the Build It model working with local people and trainees to improve the local
environment.
Support to engage in education
Alongside the community building work, the focus of the project ultimately shifted to
supporting young people in their qualifications at college and with social and emotional
support. By the half way point in the project (2010), Hywel’s work was split between
supporting young people in college and apprenticeships, working in the community with a
wider group of young people and his own studies. However, in 2011, the balance shifted to
focus on progression for the young people in college and apprenticeships. They now
received a lot more support to help them to maintain their studies. This was because some
of the young people had dropped out of college or quickly lost interest when apprenticeship
opportunities fell through.
By 2013, a noticeable difference had been made in the engagement of the young people in
college and flexibility to adapt the project to suit the needs of those involved as they
change was integral to the support offered. This supports the key learning of the
importance of social and emotional support acknowledged in all the projects. Amongst all of
the support provided by People and Work and partners, the ‘tipping point’ of engagement
for the young people involved was when they were motivated to be engaged in education
or employment for their own benefit as opposed to being in response to the wishes of
those leading them.
Case studies of success
A selection of case studies of some of the achievements of the young people involved
highlights the benefit that support of this form can have for young people who were
previously not engaged with any form of employment, education or training.

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 Two project participants became fully qualified carpenters to NVQ 3 which
demonstrates a fantastic commitment to three years work in college and
apprenticeship.
 A project participant is qualified to NVQ 2 in Plastering and another has completed
NVQ 2 Bricklaying.
 One project participant had dropped out of school when Build It started and lacked
direction despite having good GCSEs. He has now gained NVQ 3 in mechatronics (a
combination of mechanical, electrical, electronic and control engineering). He is
currently working towards a degree in electrical engineering, supported by his
employers who selected him for a six week work placement in Chicago. This young
person continues to be actively involved in shaping the community in Glyncoch and
has joined the steering group of Glyncoch Communities First.
 Hywel also achieved a GCSE in maths, a merit in a foundation degree and
subsequently a 2:1 degree in Informal Education over the course of the project. He
then undertook a Design Technology Post Graduate Certificate of Education (teacher
training). This provided an invaluable example of learning for the young people
involved, further encouraging their own involvement.
 Twelve participants successfully completed training for CSC cards organised by
People and Work (out of 14 involved) and are now eligible for employment on
construction sites.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Build It project has had a significant impact on the community in the way
it engaged so many young people and wider community members. The qualifications that
were achieved and the skills, both soft and more tangible, through the social and emotional
development and through the construction training, have made an amazing difference to
the development of individual lives. This group of young people are no longer NEET and
directionless. Glyncoch now is physically a far nicer community with many spaces for the
community to enjoy as a result of the investment in the area. Furthermore, the increased
sense of pride that came from having elements of the community that were built by the
community means that they were not vandalised. Therefore, despite not having met the
original aim of the project of gaining apprenticeships through the WHQS local investment,
an array of meaningful goals were achieved. Central to this was the flexibility to adapt the
project to suit the external factors and the needs of the community members involved.

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Comments from those involved in Build It Glyncoch:
‘One thing I have learned on this project is that the practical work is just an
opportunity to engage with young people and not all young people have an
interest in building. My work as a youth worker has to be more flexible than just
building. My relationship can open doors for young people in other career
opportunities.’ (Hywel Williams, Project Leader)
‘The Rank funding has enabled People and Work to undertake a project that
has reached out to young people and adults in our community with a wealth of
latent talent and skills that had, for a combination of reasons, become NEET
(not in education, employment or training) and very much excluded from the
opportunities that society has to offer. The project has facilitated a remarkable
reconnection of these people with their communities so that they are now seen
by themselves and others as assets with a range of skills to offer - people who
not only work and learn but contribute positively to the life of the community
through, for example, mentoring others and undertaking practical projects to
improve the area. The project has taught us a huge amount about reconnecting
with people on the “edge of society” and how communities and society at large
can be profoundly enriched as a result.’ (Jenny O’Hara-Jakeway, Pontypridd
Cluster Manager - Communities First)
‘I have certainly noticed a change in Glyncoch over the past 10 years, I
remember when you would walk around and be worried about gangs etc
hanging around at certain areas but walking around there now... I notice there
are significantly less people hanging around on street corners... I remember
almost always there was a burnt out car or something vandalised in the
backstreets. I haven’t seen anything like that happen for a long time. It
definitely feels a lot safer around there nowadays.../ As for reflections on my
journey, I have to hand it to you guys and especially Hywel, he was great in
helping me get where I am. By contacting local companies and volunteering he
got me here today and I think maybe promoting more of that would be a great
idea. Companies love it!’ (ex-Build It Glyncoch participant - now an engineer for
an international company)

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D. Chance to Learn (October 2008 – June 2015)
The aim
The Chance to Learn Project was initiated in response to the low level of basic skills and
qualifications amongst some adults in Glyncoch. The 2001 census found that 50% of adults
aged 25 – 64 years in Glyncoch had no qualifications. Subsequently the aim was to support
all forms of learning with the object of improving access to, and retention within,
mainstream learning and training opportunities.
To understand the root causes of low educational attainment in 2008, the project leader
explored what happened in post-16 education in the area and surveyed the community to
investigate what it was like to earn and learn in Glyncoch. Engagement with adult
education at that time consisted of a small group of approximately twenty learners who
engaged regularly with various level 1 or 2 courses without further progression. There was
a low reach of adult education across the community and dropout rates were high. It was
felt that the local Further Education college was not working optimally and that available
courses did not match the needs of the learner and were not spread widely enough.
Partnership and communities
As a result of this, in order to achieve the project’s overarching aim, it was decided to
change the way in which adult learning opportunities were structured in Glyncoch. The
objective was to change the approach from a supplier model, with learning providers
setting up courses and seeking learners, to a demand model, with learners working with
project staff to identify the courses that were needed and negotiating with providers. The
form that this took was continuously changing as the project continued in line with the
response from the community. For example, it was found that students were more likely to
commit if courses were viewed as having a higher value and therefore courses at higher
levels were put on to encourage sustained engagement.
This involved ongoing collaboration and ‘programme bending4’ with 11 statutory and third
sector organisations (see ‘who’ section for more information) and continuous engagement
with the local community. This was to establish the needs of the community and to
encourage further engagement. Furthermore, some courses were put on by the project
leader themselves. Chance to Learn continued to grow each year, reaching a peak of 209
learners engaged with the project in 2013 (see table).
A further finding from the community was that there was a lack of support for young
people and their families concerning their educational options with regard to college,
university or vocational education following school. The project leader also targeted some
who might be encouraged to apply for this route and supported them to access
opportunities that were already established in addition to the programme bending approach
4 A process developed in the early days of Communities First: service providers were encouraged to ‘bend’
their programmes in collaboration with local communities to create the best fit for local needs.

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that characterised the Chance to Learn project and had been developed by Glyncoch
Communities First.
The Project Leader Role
As the role of the Chance to Learn project leader grew and developed, the key elements of
the role were identified as:
 Community learning commissioner
 Quality control of education provision
 Personal coach and mentor
 Partnership broker and developer
The role as a personal coach and mentor, providing social and emotional support, was
found to be the most important element of the project for the learners. This led to the
development of consistent relationships between the learner and the worker where they
could not only engage with expertise, but also engage with a person who took a personal,
pastoral and professional approach. This was very different to the reported experience of
the community before this project where there was a lack of consistency in provision and
many of those engaged in learning did not have anyone in their existing social network who
could support them in this way. Furthermore, the ongoing support which continued even
when the learners had enrolled was crucial for preventing early drop outs and providing
practical and emotional support through the culture shock that a new learning environment
can be.
While some of the barriers to engaging in education were practical (in particular, childcare),
many of the learners experienced social and emotional barriers as the dominant cause of
their lack of engagement. This often included mental health issues. A community group
providing peer support for those with low level mental health issues was cultivated with the
support of People and Work. Furthermore, the project leader acted as a point of contact
when community members needed support for issues related to income or health. This
provided a person who could be a resource for social and emotional support as well as
expertise and contacts to refer them to appropriate agencies, a resource which was not
previously available. Barriers to education such as these have been common across all of
People and Work’s projects. For example, in Dynamic Communities (using sport as a tool
for youth and community development and engagement in the Rhondda and Glyncoch)
Mark (project leader) found health to be a key factor preventing educational progression
and achievement and he continues to support young people with their health and well-
being.

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A new project leader
In 2012, Katie Gillett took over Chance to Learn as the new project leader. Further
surveying, community events and online groups took place to ensure the relevance of
courses and to cultivate the social network that had been developing over the past four
years.
Sustainability
The attention had now turned more closely to the self-sustainability of the project and
embedding a learning culture in the community. Previously, there had been ongoing
awareness of the danger of relying on the existing cohort that had become successfully
engaged. There had always been a need to continually recruit, otherwise a loop could form
where fewer people participated in a high number of courses but did not progress or
spread the community benefit of learning. Plans to embed the learning and practice from
the project in the community and through Glyncoch Regen and learning providers had
started in 2011. Furthermore, community learning volunteers had been encouraged to
become mentors and maintain the momentum of the project amongst themselves.
Reflective practice workshops in 2013 found that this approach to encouraging community
mentors had been successful but some of the key community shapers who were previously
active in recruiting others and leading volunteers had moved on to work or learning outside
the community. This awareness of the reliance on a few specific individuals amongst the
partners led to increased recruitment drives for new leaders and mentors. This
strengthened the infrastructure and anyone who wanted to become a leader was supported
and this led to a fresh set of leaders emerging from the community. In 2013, Glyncoch
Regen further developed the model and improved sustainability for the community by
employing a worker to fulfil a similar role in the community to that of the Chance to Learn
project leader.
In 2014 there was a distinct shift towards different community groups which were run
independently by community members. This included some pre-exisiting groups, such as
Tiny Tiddlers, New Beginnings, Health Buddies, and The Community Centre Committee but
added to these were the Learning Champions, Glyncoch Flowers and the Apprentice
scheme. Furthermore, Communities First restructured their learning officer’s role reflecting
the Chance to Learn Project Leader’s role, meaning that some support is available in the
year following the end of Chance to Learn until at least March 2016. This indicates that
there has been some successful shift towards encouraging the community and partner
organisations to take the reins in cultivating an adult learning culture.
However, reflections on the development of sustainability of the project past People and
Work’s heavy involvement found that while some community leaders have emerged as part
of the strategy to encourage community members to become learning leads, they are
reluctant to lead for a variety of reasons. One theory is that the lead role that the People

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and Work project leader took has stopped others from taking the lead but when the
support is lessened perhaps leaders will emerge to support the sustainability of the project.
It therefore remains to be seen how well the strategy of developing learning leaders in
Glyncoch has worked in the medium and long term.
Conclusion
The table (overleaf) shows that hundreds of community members engaged with learning
through the Chance to Learn project and its collaboration with partner organisations with
over a thousand accreditations gained through community learning. The community of
Glyncoch has embraced the learning opportunities available and many of its members now
see education as a means to stepping out of poverty and into the job market. Education
and learning is not just about gaining new qualifications and the project has shown how it
also raises people’s confidence in their ability to achieve their goals and the resilience that
people need to cope with the impacts of living in an area of deprivation.

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Table 2: Chance to Learn outputs and key events
Comments from community members involved in Chance to Learn
Year Key activities
2008
Chance to Learn starts with Sue Barrow as Project Leader
• 39 learners engaged with 50 accreditations gained (33 new with 6 retained from the previous
year)
2009
• 57 learners engaged in total with 91 accreditations gained (47 new with 10 retained from
previous year)
• 6 learners gain places at university (youth and childhood studies, and Health and social care
courses)
• 11 learners progress to further education courses
• Health improvement – 16 participants in walking and exercise groups
• 15 learners gain certificates in food hygiene
• 7 learners complete various stages of fitness instructor course (with re-sits needed)
• Support and guidance given to 10 learners currently enrolled on various FE and HE courses
2010
• 77 learners with 135 accreditations (39 new with 38 retained from previous year)
• 10 community members involved in health and well being activities
• 16 adults in mental health support group
2011
• 96 learners with 442 accreditations (50 new and 40 retained for their next year of study)
• 442 accreditations
• Several progressions to HE
• NVQs related to work placements developed (linking learning and employment)
• Community celebration evening to recognise achievements of learners and volunteers in
partnership with Glyncoch Regen
 Chance to Learn 1 ends
2012
 Successful reapplication for funding - Katie Gillett is the new Project Leader for Chance to
Learn 2
2013
• 209 individual learners engaged (60 of them children) (since July 2012) - over 7% of the
population of Glyncoch
• 31 different courses have been run in the community.
• Supported a family nurture programme (Families and Schools Together)
• “Glyncoch Learners” Facebook Group has 59 active members
• 89 students have accessed courses in the community ranging from psychology to food hygiene.
• Community volunteers (7 parent partners) organised and ran Families and Schools Together
(FAST Families) in co-production with Save the Children. This engaged 74 people from the two
newly federated schools, Craig yr Hesg Primary and Cefn Primary, and had a 100% retention rate,
with community members acting as mentors and supporters to more isolated families. Volunteers
went on to run a regular and well attended ‘coffee morning’ for a group ranging from 6 to 14
people.
• New community centre, owned by the community regeneration partnership, opened and 8
volunteers have been supported to form a committee to run it.
2014
• 200 individual learners engaged with 114 accreditations
• 19 different courses have been run in the community
• “Glyncoch Learners” ” Facebook Group has 94 active members
2015
• The project has worked with 118 individual learners
• 32 different courses have been run in the community ranging from pottery to basic skills to
forensic psychology level 3
• 116 Qualifications to date - awaiting some results.
• “Glyncoch Learners” Facebook Group has 111 active members
• Numerous community groups now run by community members themselves
• Preparation for People and Work's heavy involvement to end with restructuring of a
Communities First Role to provide support and a push for new community learning leaders.

19
E. School Focused Communities (April 2009 – September 2015)
The context
'I feel good about myself, this is the first time that I have ever completed
anything, I have always found exams hard but with your support I was able to
pass. The childcare helped me because I would not be able to come to the
course. I am now looking forward to year 2 so I can continue to the next level’
‘If it wasn’t for Sue I would never have had the help I needed. I didn’t know
where to go and no one was listening to me. Sue is an inspiration and such a
caring person. When she says that she will help you, you can count on her to
try. She has helped my family and for that I will always be grateful. There are
not many people that I can trust and be honest, but Sue is one of them. I am
enjoying learning now as well and hope to be in a better position to help both
my children in the future’
‘I decided to start learning because I was working in the evenings and the baby
went to school in the day so I had plenty of time on my hands. To keep myself
busy and to gain adult conversation and some form of social life I joined in with
a Criminology level 1. I succeeded and this gave me confidence to go to new
places with people I didn’t know, I thought “Stuff it! I have as much right to be
here as anyone else”. I have been studying for eight years doing a range of
courses from Mentoring to Forensic Investigation. I also feel that I wanted to
show my daughter that if you wanted something in life you have to work to get
it and that you could succeed; that you could pick yourself up and try again
even if you did not succeed initially; that learning is a way of gaining a better
standard of living.’
‘It seemed natural to help my fellow students while we were studying and
completing part one of the University module and I really enjoyed the way in
which we supported each other.’
‘I am waiting to start the second part of the UHOVI/USW level 4 course in an
Introduction to Forensic Investigation. I have applied to join an access course
in Sciences with Coleg y Cymoedd and am attending an interview in the coming
weeks to see if I qualify for a place. I plan on using this to access the BA
course in Forensic Sciences in September 2016.’
‘I would not have had the courage to think I was capable of doing this had I
not done the courses in the community. It made me realise that my mind-set
of “I am not going to try, I am not good enough” was wrong and that I did
have the ability and that I could at least try.’

20
SFC was developed in response to a request from Glyncoch Communities First for support
as part of a process to address the low levels of qualifications in the area, which, in turn,
embedded socio-economic disadvantage. This was supported by contemporary research:
...most of those with no qualifications at the age of 19 will not have acquired any
more by the age of 25, and those aged 25-50 with no qualifications face a
markedly higher risk of unemployment, economic inactivity and life on low pay
(Kenway, et al., 20055
; MacDonald and March 20056
, cited in Lloyd-Jones and
Holtom, 2012: 847
)
Glyncoch Communities First wanted to understand more clearly the complex mix of reasons
that some children from disadvantaged areas fail to achieve in school (for example,
aspirations and expectations of families and friends, cultural and behavioural issues, the
learning environment and the conditions that poverty creates such as overcrowded houses,
poor health and greater reliance on services) and evaluate how this is being tackled in
Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Consultation with community members, young people, local primary schools and the local
secondary school (Pontypridd High School) found that some young people felt
discriminated against in secondary school because they were from Glyncoch. Furthermore,
primary schools reported that their ‘star’ pupils were progressing to secondary school and
not achieving as well as they would expect (although further investigation found that some
pupils in Glyncoch primary schools were not performing as well as might be expected
compared with so called ‘star’ pupils from other areas). Teachers from Pontypridd High
reported that many students from Glyncoch were disaffected from education with poor
behaviour, low levels of attendance and achievement. Low parental expectations and
aspirations for their children in relation to education and employment were also deduced
from the community discussions.
The aims
As a result of this array of factors, SFC aimed to reduce truancy and exclusion and aid the
improvement of educational attainment for pupils from Glyncoch. It aimed to promote a
culture of learning and progression amongst pupils, families and the wider community and
provide varying degrees of support for local pupils.
The project worked with 44 young people and their families (42 after the first year),
following them as they progressed through secondary school and made the transition to
5 Kenway, P., Parsons, N., Carr, J. And Palmer, G. (2005) Monitoring poverty and social exclusion in Wales
2005. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. [pdf] Available from https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/monitoring-poverty-
and-social-exclusion-wales-2005
6 MacDonald, R. And Marsh, J. (2005) Disconnected Youth? Growing Up in Britain’s Poor Neighbourhoods.
Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
7 Lloyd-Jones, S. And Holtom, D. (2012) ‘Wellbeing and Children and Young People’ In: Walker, P. and John,
M. ed. From Public Health to Wellbeing: The New Driver for Policy and Action. Basingstoke: Palgrave
Macmillian. pp: 79-96.

21
adulthood. The project objectives were to improve attendance, attainment and promote
family involvement in learning. The first group of young people completed compulsory
education in June 2013, and the second group in June 2014. The attendance, behaviour
and attainment of young people was monitored regularly to assess the change as the
project developed and to compare the Glyncoch pupils to their school peers. Furthermore, a
questionnaire was completed annually by both the Glyncoch pupils and their peers at
Pontypridd High. This was to assess attitudes to school and education as well as social and
emotional measures such as confidence, happiness and aspirations.
Overlapping domains based on Ulrich Beck, ‘The Risk Society’: Sage, 1992
Based upon a theory of change (pictured above) the project worked in three core ways:
 Building the capacity of young people to get the most out of school (capabilities)
 Building the capacity of families to support young people who are in school,
including working to develop the perceived relevance of school and education
amongst families (support)
 Bridging the capacity of school and community cultures to support learners by
building mutual understanding (opportunities)
From extensive project experience in Welsh communities, People and Work suggests that
the ideal position for learners is to have all three domains. However, most will thrive with
two out of three (with some support). Very few thrive with only one domain.
Early years

22
Sam Turner was the project leader for SFC from 2009 to 2013. As the young people were
just starting their secondary school education, the support was more heavily orientated
towards social and emotional support with bullying issues being addressed and a homework
club being set up. Five of the young people needed more intensive support as a result of
significant family or individual problems over the first few years and groups were formed to
participate in life coaching courses following concerns around social and emotional issues.
Furthermore, there was initially a lot of work with the parents and Sam established herself
as a link between parents and the school. The importance of consistency and an
understanding of the purpose of school by parents and the young people was found to be a
significant factor in the engagement of both parties.
Three years in to the project, exclusions from school had decreased by 25% and
attendance figures matched those of the broader year group at Pontypridd High School.
Pupils were no longer seen as a problem by teachers and behaviour had improved.
Furthermore, school staff had developed a richer and more informed understanding of
Glyncoch and its regeneration goals through their involvement in the project. However, the
academic expectations and the clarity over their importance, as well as the overall
happiness, efficacy, confidence and involvement in extracurricular activities of Glyncoch
pupils remained lower than their peers from other areas. It was clear that ongoing social
and emotional work was a core element of this project, as was discovered in the other
Glyncoch based projects.
From July 2009 to September 2012, the investment from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation in
Glyncoch’s SFC via People and Work was matched by funding from the Welsh Government’s
Communities First Outcomes Fund. This new funding supported an SFC project in the Porth
area of Rhondda, managed in partnership with the local Communities First teams.
In 2013 the SFC model of working was taken up by Glyncoch Regen and a worker started
supporting young people through a similar structure across three schools in the Pontypridd
area.
Family involvement
Encouraging family involvement in the young people’s learning was found to be most
successful when done through informal contact. This created a much stronger awareness of
the purpose of education, how parents or carers could support their children and fostered
better relationships between families and the school. However, family involvement waned
in the latter years of SFC. This was principally a result of young people being less keen to
have their parents involved alongside them as they grew older. Furthermore, while they still
valued the social and emotional support of their families, the active involvement in SFC
meant that young people tended to have a higher level of knowledge about their
educational options than some parents could provide. Approximately ten out of the 42
families were overtly engaged. Of the others, some were simply happy for the project to
take the lead whereas others were not keen to associate with the project as they perceived

23
SFC to have a focus on troublesome teenagers or on those who were at risk of dropping
out. As a result of this, some of the parental involvement targets were difficult to meet and
only 50% of Glyncoch parents attended parents’ evening in the project’s final year.
Starting to achieve
In 2012, the project shifted its focus onto academic achievement (the first cohort were due
to sit their GCSEs in the Summer of 2013). An array of practical support was put on for the
young people, including revision support classes (50% take up), social enterprise
residential courses (4 attend), encouragement of further plans (6 want to go to university)
and increased informal support for the parents or carers involved. Collaboration between
the school and the project also became tighter, with emphasis on the need for further
support to protect against the risks of drop out. Furthermore, there was collaboration with
the Chance to Learn project where support was offered for future planning for the young
people. The result was that 18% (4/22) of the older cohort gained level 2 inclusive8 at
GCSE and six entered the sixth form of Pontypridd High School.
A new project leader
Following the end of the 2013 school year, Andrea Williams took over as project leader.
The objectives of the project developed more explicitly to encourage involvement in
learning and effective transition to post-16 education and employment. Andrea supported
the young people through GCSEs, A Levels, college, apprenticeships and subsequently
planning next steps to university, training and work. The level of practical support available
was increased and more focussed and targets for their take up were exceeded for almost
all indicators. This included organised revision opportunities, structured revision planning,
support and personal planning for post-16 destinations, higher education based advice or
planning opportunities, support with applications for college or sixth form and retention
rate, career support services, job clubs and CV writing skills. Furthermore, she supported a
group of the young people to develop their own research project which explored attitudes
to learning amongst pupils in year nine in their school. This was presented to the Welsh
Government by those involved and demonstrated improved levels of confidence and
involvement in extracurricular activities from some of the pupils in the SFC cohort.
The final school attitudinal survey (December 2014) found that the Glyncoch pupils were
happier, had no self reported behavioural issues and had similar aspirations to their peers.
However, confidence levels remained lower than their peers in relation to achieving their
desired outcome. These must be treated with caution since there were only six
respondents, but it demonstrates and improvement on previous attitudinal surveys which
found a more significant lag behind peers.
Attainment
8 5 GCSEs at A*-C including English or Welsh and Maths

24
A difficulty with data collection means that attendance and achievement data is unavailable
for those who attended Further Education College. However, of those who went to sixth
form, three pupils achieved a C in their GCSE maths resits and some of the individual AS
exams had good results but some resits were also needed. The GCSE results for the
younger cohort were much higher this time (Summer 2014) with 40% (8/20) achieving the
level 2 inclusive benchmark. Three of these young people did exceptionally well at GCSE
and received a special mention from the head teacher of Pontypridd High School. Ten
planned on entering the school sixth form in the coming year.
A variety of reasons for the younger cohort achieving better GCSE results than the older
group have been suggested: Working with the children when they were younger (still in
primary school – year 6) potentially had a significant impact and the project leader had
good links with the local schools and was able to support them through the transition. It is
possible that starting with the older cohort while they were half way through year 7 was a
little late, particularly with regards to picking up on poor literacy. Furthermore, the second
year group that the project supported could use the learning and experience from the older
group and apply it, leading to improved support. The younger group also had access to
marginally more extra activities such as a residential course they attended.
Final updates
The oldest cohort completed their A levels in summer 2015 and 80% of those who
completed their A levels in school achieved at least 2 A levels at A*-C (FE college results
unavailable). This is significantly higher than the 43% from Glyncoch who achieved this in
2013. The younger cohort has now started its final year of sixth form. At the end of SFC
the final aim was that at least 30 out of the 42 young people were involved in post-
compulsory education, training and/or work based learning. In November 2015, this target
was achieved (with 30, 71.4%). The distance travelled from when People and Work first
started the project when there were no pupils from Glyncoch in the local sixth form at all is
considerable. This demonstrates a great deal of achievement and hard work from the
young people involved and the community that supported them.
Destination Number of young people
University 3
College 18
Sixth form 6
Training 3
Total 30
Table 3: Destinations of the SFC cohort

25
Comments from those involved in SFC:
‘I was delighted to see her [a young person from Glyncoch] come up onto the
stage for her attendance award a couple of weeks ago. Only a year ago she
was regularly referred to the Education Welfare Officer and the school’s pupil
referral panel. What pleased me also was that she came onto the stage in front
of fellow pupils and staff with a beaming smile on her face, happy to
acknowledge the importance of school attendance. Much of the credit for such
a turnaround must go to Sam Turner [SFC Project Leader] and her close
partnership working with the Education Welfare Officer.’ (Deputy Head Teacher,
Pontypridd High School)
‘If I were to be new to the school now then I would never have known that
pupils from Glyncoch usually have problems. We have very little trouble from
that group of young people now’ (Head Teacher, Pontypridd High School)
‘What really helped was James telling us how research had showed that even if
parents cannot read themselves, taking time to listen to their child is helpful.
That gave us confidence to go ahead.’ (Parent Governor, Craig yr Hesg school)
‘If it wasn't for Andrea I wouldn't be in university now. She encouraged me to
try my best and gave me and the girls the confidence we needed to step out of
our comfort zone. We definitely wouldn't be where we were now if it wasn't for
Sam and Andrea. We'll always be grateful for that.’ (Young person in the SFC
cohort)

26
F. Dynamic Communities (April 2012 – June 2015)
One of the project leaders for School Focused Communities based in Porth had used sport
and fitness as a tool to engage some young people in the Trealaw area. Mark Hutton, a
qualified sport and fitness coach, discovered that a number of local young people were
keen on sport but had not been able to join a team. Alongside Communities First
colleagues from the Porth area, he organised a range of sporting and youth activities,
which helped to engage young people and their parents in community volunteering (time-
banking) and in education (e.g. using the relationships developed in sport and youth work
to support young people and families engage more effectively with school. Mark visited
local schools regularly). One of the methodologies used by Mark to engage with parents
and community members was to offer fitness assessments which covered exercise,
nutrition and wellbeing. Over one year, Mark carried out over 100 such assessments in
three communities. These proved to be very popular and were often as valued for the
chance to talk about life aims as lifestyles.
When the SFC project was coming to a close in Porth, we discussed with Mark, local
partners and funders the possibility of a sport and fitness project to develop the capacity of
local families to engage with community activities. Comic Relief agreed to fund this
experiment (called Dynamic Communities) for three years across five communities: one of
the five was Glyncoch (c. 7 hours per week). The others were in Rhondda.
In Glyncoch, Mark collaborated with the existing prosperity, education and health projects
being run by Communities First and People and Work. One of the key findings from these
projects (noted above in the section on Chance to Learn) had been the low levels of
fitness, lack of exercise and poor diet of some community members as well as a
considerable amount of poor mental health. Mark drew upon some of the research9 and his
own experience to work with community members to start healthy lifestyle activities. In
Glyncoch, these included supporting a healthy eating club (Health Buddies) which still
meets in the office weekly with up to 10 participants trying different styles of healthy eating
and cooking (with weight management); a weekly walking group (which only lasted a
couple of months as some members weren’t getting on together!); a mini Olympics for
Glyncoch’s summer festival; supporting the depression busting self-help group, New
Beginnings (which continues to meet every Friday and is now self-sustaining with about
eight regular members); supporting the development of Street Games with young people
(following its success in Rhondda); working with the parent and babies group to develop
family fitness fun (about 15 participants); and providing fitness and nutrition assessments
for adults.
In Rhondda, Mark supported similar community groups and started other activities such as
developing new rugby teams for u18 boys and girls in Wattstown (which led to u15s girls
9 E.g. the research by Dr. Lynne Friedli concerning mental health, resilience and inequalities for the World
Health Organisation: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/100821/E92227.pdf

27
and to a women’s team). Many volunteers, parents, businesses and community members
supported the growth of young people’s rugby. This area approach to community
development in Rhondda and Glyncoch has led to the next project concentrating on the
development of voluntary (third sector) and community groups in Rhondda (known as
Stronger Rhondda Gryfach), using a range of approaches to support local people to develop
education, employment and their own community ventures. This latest phase, supported by
the Rank Foundation, is using some of the learning gained over eight years in Glyncoch to
build a network of third or voluntary sector groups into a collaborative network whose aim
is to work with young people in Rhondda to strengthen their opportunities in education,
employment and wellbeing.

28
G. Distance Travelled: Results from the Impact Assessment Survey
In Glyncoch over the past seven years, school attendance and attainment has increased,
school exclusions have fallen, adult participation in learning has increased, crime and anti-
social behaviour has fallen. Where there were once many vacant properties, there is now a
waiting list of people wanting to move to Glyncoch.
The predominant way in which the Glyncoch project measured the distance that had been
travelled was a survey. This used a census level sample of every home in the community
and had 473 responses. As the project drew to a close, people living in the area were
asked about their perceptions of Glyncoch now and whether they thought it had improved
since ten years ago. It also asked about awareness of, and engagement in, various projects
in the community events. The responses to each of the key themes were:
 Safety
Three quarters of respondents felt that Glyncoch is safe and 44% of people felt that the
level of safety had improved in the past ten years.
 Friendliness
Almost all of the respondents (88%) said that Glyncoch is friendly with half feeling that the
level of friendliness had remained the same. However, a third reported that it had
improved. The over 60s were most likely to find Glyncoch friendly now with 93% reporting
that it is either friendly or very friendly
 Appearance of area
78% of respondents felt that the appearance of Glyncoch had improved in the past ten
years with four out of every five people saying that it was either good or very good. This
coincides with substantial investment by RCT Homes in the housing stock in Glyncoch and
by local people working with Communities First and Glyncoch Regen providing open green
areas for the community to use.
 Importance of local schools
The proportion of respondents who felt that local schools are important to local people was
high at 88%. Although half felt that the level of importance of education had remained
more or less the same, a third reported that it had increased.
 Support available to adult learners
Where survey respondents were aware of support available to adult learners, they almost
exclusively felt that the support was good now and that it had improved since ten years
ago. However, 44% of respondents did not know about the quality of the support available
for adult learners. This suggests that, while those aware of or engaging with adult learner

29
support in Glyncoch felt it is good and improving, some people in the community are
unaware of it or do not engage with it.
 Importance of learning or education
Almost 80% of survey respondents agreed that education or learning was important to
them. Half of people placed the same level of importance on it as they did ten years ago
but a substantial proportion (33%) said that it had increased.
 Support available to people wanting to find and access work
Of those who said that they knew about the support available to people wanting to find
and access work, almost everyone reported that it was good and that it had improved in
the past ten years. 58% of people knew about the support available.
 Quality of public facilities
Two thirds of people reported that the public facilities are good in Glyncoch and half of
respondents felt that they had improved over the past ten years while a third felt that they
had not changed.
 Support available to help people be healthy
Half of respondents did not know about the support available to help people to be healthy
suggesting they were potentially unaware of it or did not engage with it. Of those who did
know, most felt that it was good and that it had improved in the past ten years.
 Recommendation of Glyncoch as a place to live
There was a large increase in the proportion of respondents who said that they would
recommend Glyncoch as a place to live from half ten years ago to almost three quarters
now. Furthermore, the proportion who said that they would not recommend Glyncoch
reduced from 31% ten years ago to 11% now.
 Engagement with community projects
A high level of usage and awareness of projects in the community of respondents or their
family members was reported. Where it was reported that a facility had been used, it was
likely that it was used regularly (5 or more times) as opposed to less. Two thirds of the
community had used the new community centre and almost everyone had heard of it. The
youth club, the job club and learning and courses in the community were reported as being
used by 1 in 4 respondents or their families. This represents a large proportion of people
engaging with community based support and development. As to be expected on the basis
of their target audience, the Build It project and the School Focussed Communities project
had a lower proportion of resident involvement with 8% and 7% respectively. However,

30
this still represents a substantial proportion of this community and over half of respondents
were aware of the projects even if they had not engaged with them.
Conclusions
The survey found that community members had an overall positive perception of Glyncoch
as a place to live. Most people felt that it had improved over the past ten years, or at least
stayed the same, with very few people reporting that it had worsened. Key factors where
respondents had particularly positive views were local friendliness, the appearance of the
area, how important the local schools were and the support available to adult learners.
There was a high level of community engagement with local facilities, in particular the
community centre. Furthermore, the majority of residents felt that Glyncoch was now a
nice enough place to recommend to others to live.

31
H. Key themes and learning
Unpicking the role of social and emotional support
As highlighted throughout the report, social and emotional support came to be the most
important element of the projects with a sustained and consistent relationship being vital to
the ongoing success and engagement of many participants. This was found to be the case
regardless of the initial medium the community work was using. However, the hook or
stimulus for engagement in the project (such as learning construction skills) remained the
key pathway through which the participant would achieve the tangible goal which would
lead to the achievement of the project aims. This needed to be in place in order for People
and Work to understand which types of barriers existed preventing people from reaching
their desired learning goal.
Learning that the key barriers were social and emotional (as well as mental health and
health related) led to the heavy focus on support in this way. Furthermore, it was felt that
many of those involved in the projects would not have wanted to participate in a project
that was so explicitly focussed on alleviating these issues and it was necessary that the
approach was informal or incorporated into the more tangible activities. For the
participants, this learning has rubbed off and many of them now take on this support role
as community mentors and/or with their families and friends.
Community safety
An interlinking theme that was explored as part of the whole community approach was
work to improve community safety and the local environment. This utilised resources and
collaboration from People and Work’s three projects and Glyncoch Regen. Consultation with
the community found that youth annoyance and vandalism in the area was an issue,
particularly during the summer holiday period when some young people were bored and
unoccupied. As a result of this, over the summer of 2009, there was a drive towards
fostering respect for the area and giving the young people productive activities in a
summer challenge (summer community events had happened in previous years). The
participants from Build It made things such as planters and bird tables, young people from
SFC were also involved in practical projects alongside a whole host of children and adults
from the community supported by Communities First.
Furthermore, activities such as community litter picks were organised and the Chance to
Learn project leader encouraged the involvement of parents and older people and
developed ideas from the younger group with them. There was a time banking scheme
whereby those who volunteered were rewarded for their involvement with leisure activities
(an hour of volunteering equals an hour of leisure). This work had a variety of benefits for
the community: it improved community well-being, civic pride, improved intergenerational
relationships and also boosted the confidence, morale and connectivity of the young people
in preparation for the new academic year. At the end of the summer the police said that
the amount of reported crime had dropped to zero. This model of a themed project in the

32
summer has been continued by Glyncoch Regen every year since and examples of themes
include a 2012 mini Olympics, multi-cultural festivals, constructing a sculpture and a
woodland based theme.
Cultural tipping points
While formally measuring a cultural tipping point would be very difficult, informal
conversations with community members, schools and other organisations as well as
ongoing Facebook contact has suggested a distinct shift towards more positive perceptions
of earning and learning in the community. When the work started it was not uncommon
that individuals were ostracised by their peers, family and community for working hard at
their education and this was having a negative impact. However, the public
acknowledgement of the importance of learning and celebrating those achievements has
grown significantly and is particularly visible through Facebook. Previously, a passivity had
been identified amongst learners where it was expected that everything would be done for
them. However, People and Work took a tough love approach and the penny dropped for
learners when they realised that engagement was important for their own benefit. Many
people took ownership of their work rather than simply responding to the push from
around them.
The power of the cohort
A key factor that contributed to positive outcomes from projects and the development of
the whole community approach was that being part of a wider group all engaged in similar
things seemed to have a positive impact on the level of engagement from individuals and
their success. Furthermore, in some cases whole families were engaging with the work of
the Glyncoch project in some way which served to further embed the learning and
development for individuals.
Taking part counts
Even when the participants did not achieve very much in relation to the aims of the project,
there was still a lasting impact on both the individual and the community around them. In
many cases, it was the first time that the participant had engaged with a structured,
productive and regular activity and this had a strong impact on giving a sense of purpose
and direction. This had a positive effect of providing momentum and helped those involved
to move on to employment. Furthermore, even where some of the adult learners hadn’t
progressed on to further qualifications, they were now participating in valuable activities
including volunteering, mentoring others, becoming community leaders, supporting and
valuing the education of their children and seeking employment.
Gender and engagement
Engagement in the projects was almost exclusively established according to traditional
gender roles, despite attempts by project workers to avoid stereotypical patterns. Chance

33
to Learn was made up almost exclusively of female learners with men being disinterested in
returning to academic style development. Inversely, the Build It project consisted of almost
exclusively male participants following the stereotype of skilled trades people being male.
This has been the experience in past People and Work projects where the Life Support
Project (supporting participants to become nurses) almost exclusively consisted of women.
Furthermore, academic literature has consistently identified male engagement in formal
learning in adulthood as an issue.
Interconnectedness of health, learning and employment
A key theme that is continually being explored and reinforced by the work of People and
Work and partners is the intrinsic connectivity of health, learning and employment. The
relationship between these factors is complex and poor levels of health, education and
employment are the cornerstones of reproduction in the cycle of poverty. People and Work
has found that a holistic and community based approach which considers all of these
factors is vital to creating change in an area.

Glyncoch: a learning community

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