We have safeguarded an annual budget of £210 million to 2010/11 to provide personal and community development learning, to widen participation in informal learning and to ensure that people who live in pockets of deprivation do not lose out.
The consultation that I launched last month, “Informal Adult Learning: Shaping the Way Ahead”, re-affirms our commitment to this kind of learning and its importance in meeting the basic human need for creativity and stimulation—as well as improving health and well-being in our communities.
I have been greatly encouraged by the tremendous response of our partners, stakeholders and learners in taking this important consultation forward.