2000/2001
		Contents Annual Report Home Chair The Vision Development Framework Strategic Objectives Achievements Targets Company Accounts Quotes

Chair's Statement

	It gives me great pleasure to introduce this report which shows the very positive impact of the work of the Core Skills Development Partnership within and beyond Birmingham. The Partnership is entering a new, equally productive, phase of its development. In its initial stages there was an emphasis on developing a common language across partners, agreed principles and procedures, and a close negotiation of new ways of working. The next stage, over the last two years, has seen an expansion of the developments through the Partnership’s influence, support and challenge. This created whole system changes and whole city impacts across a wide diversity of partners and beneficiary groups. There has been a faster than national rate of improvement in levels of literacy and numeracy pre-school, in primary schools and in secondary schools.		The emphasis, in the current phase, is on the 14-45 year old group. There is a common agenda emerging around 14-19 work and a local determination to work towards a strategic approach with adults. This is drawing together work via the voluntary sector, work via major providers, work via probation service, and work with young people through the Youth Service and the Careers Education Business Partnership. This is all taking place with stronger frameworks being put in place by Birmingham City Council and via Birmingham and Solihull Learning and Skills Council. The Board’s perspective is now less concerned with structures, processes and new developments. These are being picked up by others and promoted as a model of outcome-focused, partnership working. The Partnership’s focus is more and more on “getting there” and “linking up”. Milestones set for 2003 look to be within reach, whilst longer term plans are being laid down for collaborative working to reach more challenging outcomes for 2010. Jane Slowey