Hard to reach learners: what works in reaching and keeping them?

This study was commissioned by the Victorian Government’s Adult, Community and Further Education (ACFE) Board, as part of a suite of initiatives to assist adult and community education (ACE) providers operate effectively in the new funding environment. It distils best practice from the literature and provides case studies which show the application of best practice. The examples provided throughout the report are drawn from Australian and international sources. The report begins by defining who are hard-to-reach learners and presenting information on their location. Understanding local conditions is an essential element in the development of effective training. Best practice principles are then discussed in two contexts: (1) a set of principles broadly applicable to all hard-to-reach groups is described along with the strategies and techniques that flow from them; and (2) several particular groups are also considered; these groups - vulnerable workers, young people, Indigenous Australians and people with a disability - are less likely to immediately engage in a demand-driven training market, and more detailed information about them may be useful to ACE providers moving into these markets. Concluding comments provide suggestions for applying best practice, as well as the possible challenges for ACE providers trying to engage hard-to-reach learners while operating effectively in the new environment.

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