Multiply – New programme aimed at transforming the lives of adults by improving numeracy skills

The Learning Link, Orkney College UHI and Voluntary Action Orkney are working together, with the Council’s support, to launch Multiply in Orkney. Multiply is a new Government programme to help transform the lives of adults by improving numeracy skills.

The Council’s Community Learning Development & Employability (CLDE) dedicated adult learning centre, The Learning Link, has received £306,379 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for a three-year programme to deliver the Multiply programme.

The funding has been awarded to deliver free numeracy classes to anyone in Orkney aged 19 and over, with the majority of the provision being offered through The Learning Link.

Following their refurbishment, the Orkney Library & Archive is hosting an open day on Wednesday 17^th May coinciding with National Numeracy Day and providing a golden opportunity for the library to work with The Learning Link to launch Multiply.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the numeracy support available should head along between 11am-5pm. Alongside a friendly “natter” with anyone experiencing maths anxiety, The Learning Link will be running a number of activities – from messy play with the Early Years Team to taking the National Numeracy Challenge. There will be information about accredited Numeracy levels 3, 4 and 5. Visitors will be able to partake in numeracy based Ipad/tablet games, with numbers for adults and children - and a free prize draw.

The Learning Link is a free, confidential service dedicated to helping adults of all ages. The service sits within OIC’s Community, Adult & Family Learning Section of the CLDE Service.

Last year, The Learning Link, which has been operating for over 20 years, provided 900 hours of learning time to 90 learners.

Evidence from the National Numeracy survey suggests there’s around 56% of adults with low numeracy skills across Scotland.

Walter Gorman, the Council’s Team Leader of Adult and Family Learning, which is part of the CLDE team, said: “The investment will enhance and extend the services already provided at The Learning Link and enable staff to support a greater number of adult learners than ever before.

“A further two Adult Learning Support workers have been employed with a specific Multiply remit to reach as many potential learners as possible over the three-year lifespan of the project. Courses and learning opportunities will be rolled out following the launch of Multiply.”

CLDE and The Learning Link are also working in partnership with Voluntary Action Orkney and Orkney College UHI sharing funds with both organisations to ensure the benefits of Multiply are available across the community.

VAO’s Community Development, Projects & Finance Officer, Davie Campbell, said: “VAO are delighted to be involved in this collaborative project and are looking forward to offering a wide range of training and support for individuals and community groups around numeracy and finance.”

Orkney UHI, your local University, continues to support employers by offering workplace core skill qualifications in numeracy.

Whether you have recruitment difficulties as an employer; need to retrain as an employee, or you are planning a career change - we’d love to work with you to help you realise your aspirations. Contact Colin Risbridger at Orkney College UHI for further information.