Case Study - Using the NRS for the Literacy and Numeracy Programme

This case study is focused on an outer metropolitan/semi rural consortium of community based education providers and employment assistance providers who have formed a consortium to tender for the Literacy and Numeracy Programme, a Commonwealth Government initiative for 18–24 year old unemployed people. Between them the providers offer ESL, literacy and life skills programs and have a good record in working with young unemployed people in the area. The Consortium was successful.

The Literacy and Numeracy Programme requires the pre-training assessment to be reported to DETYA in terms of NRS Indicators of Competence in Reading, Writing, Oral Communication, Numeracy and Learning Strategies. DETYA has produced a standard form for reporting this assessment. This Programme offers a considerable challenge to the Consortium in that the assessment process is central to the administrative arrangements of the Programme with payment being tied to individual outcomes related to the NRS. The co-ordination of the record keeping and reporting to DETYA by participating providers in the consortium requires co-operation and planning.

Accredited curriculum is used for delivering the training. In this case the provider is experienced in using the Certificates of General Education for Adults and the Certificates of Spoken and Written English. The learner’s pre training assessment and final outcomes are reported to DETYA using NRS Indicators of Competence in Reading, Writing, Oral Communication, Numeracy and Learning Strategies using the proformas provided by DETYA.

This is how the providers established their program and record keeping systems: