Extract from an article by Marcus Bell of the DfEE Individual Learning Division in the current issue of Individual Learning News:

"In the DfEE's Individual Learning Division we have recently been involved in contributing to policies which are at the heart of the Government's concern to address social exclusion and social disadvantage.

There are a huge number of initiatives in this area, from which I single out four:

1. Neighbourhood Renewal, from a report published by the Social Exclusion Unit last autumn, which examined the problem of poor neighbourhoods and the success and failures of past Government policy in dealing with this. Out of this work have come 18 policy action teams. In the Individual Learning Division, we are supporting the team concerned with skills, with finding out and recommending - by July - what needs to be done across all Government Departments to help residents of poor neighbourhoods to develop the skills they need.

2. Our recent consultative document on Local Information, Advice and Guidance for Adults plugs a gap in existing arrangements and foreshadows a significant investment of programme funding.

3. A new initiative under the New Opportunities Fund of the National Lottery is aimed at promoting community learning.

4. The Adult and Community Learning Fund is for learning at community level with an emphasis on the disadvantaged, the disabled and the excluded.

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