This virtual roundtable event focused on XP and the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Region of Learning, Skills and Opportunity (CPRoLSO), which is a programme led by Cambridge City Council to address a range of social mobility, economic, and employment issues through raising participation levels in learning, improving skills and wellbeing, and dynamically linking people to career opportunities.  This innovative and ambitious project is part of the Cities of Learning wider movement, including Southampton, Belfast, Bradford, Brighton, Plymouth, and Tees Valley CA.

The session was hosted by Debbie Kaye, Chair of CLOA and Head of Community Services, Cambridge City Council.  The speaker presentations can be download below:

Michelle Lord, CLOA Executive Committee and Manager, XP and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Region of Learning, Skills and Opportunity – The journey to XP Why the local authority is doing this, what local issues/challenges does this approach help address. Examples of place-based partnerships, digital badges and pathways and what they support.

Tom Kenyon, Head of Enterprise Design, RSA – Cities of Learning Background to the development of the national movement and RSA.  Work with other cities (Belfast, Bradford, Tees Valley, Southampton, Plymouth, Brighton) – what their priorities are, what they are working to improve/resolve/address through the CoL model.

Ed Hart, Programme Lead, Real Ideas Organisation and Badge Nation – Engaging communities in digital badging What is Badge Nation, how badges and pathways support people to articulate skills. Examples of badges and pathways that have resulted in positive outcomes/results for participants. What the benefits are of digital badging to local authorities, employers, learning providers.

Rachel Carter, Strategic Lead – Learning, Skills and Enterprise, Future Creators – Brighton – the success story so far. Context from the pilot and insight into the CoL journey. Arts and culture examples of badges and pathways, outcomes achieved. Kickstart example of improved employment outcomes. Funding, connecting with Stakeholders.

You can watch a recording of the session (1hr 28min) if you were not able to join or share with colleagues here, which also features a Digital platform demonstration by Tim Riches, Director, Navigatr and Q&A with speakers.