'Get on local government'

'Get on local government' is the national campaign to address skills for life in the local government workforce. The campaign aims to get local authority employers to take a more proactive, sustained and strategic approach to workplace skills for life.

The campaign is a response to central government’s national Skills for Life strategy, in which local government is identified as a priority group. See www.dfes.gov.uk/readwriteplus.

The Basic Skills Agency defines skills for life as: "the ability to read, write and speak in English, and to use mathematics at a level necessary to function at work and in society in general". Visit the Basic Skills Agency website.

It is estimated that some 11 per cent of the local government workforce are below level one in literacy – equivalent to below GCSE English grade G. Some 40 per cent are reckoned to be below level 1 in numeracy. In addition, 11 per cent of the workforce has no qualifications at all.

For local government, failing to address the skills for life needs of employees can lead to failing:

• to provide high levels of customer care
• to meet national performance standards
• to respond to change and the modernisation agenda

Skills for life is an essential element of both the Local Government Workforce Strategy and the NJC Agreement. The agreement is available to buy at the Local Government Employers website.

The Government's Skills for Life strategy identified local government as a priority group. The Local Government Skills for Life Strategy in England 2005-2007 is the Employers' Organisation's (EO) response to this. Launched in March 2006, it sets out a vision to help local authorities address the skills for life needs of all employees at all levels in the organisation. It also introduces a number of challenging targets.

For all Skills for Life strategy documents, visit the documents and resources section.

The Get On (GO) Local Government Award was launched in May 2006. It aims to help local authorities implement the strategy cohesively, in a way that is relevant for them as employers and is embedded within the whole organisation.

For more details on the GO award and how your council can start to address Skills for Life, visit the documents and resources section.

'Move on' offers an operational resource for employers and employees alike. Try out your skills by taking a sample national test in literacy or numeracy and to find out more. Visit the Move on website.

For further information, contact Nigel Carruthers:

email: nigel.carruthers@idea.gov.uk
telephone: 07766 251641