NEON will look to give members the opportunity to shape widening access practice and policy by bringing together our work and expertise through the NEON Publications Series.
The first NEON Publication Riding the Storm:A NEON Report for the Lifelong Learning Network National Forum was published on 28 February 2013. This report looks at how practitioners are attempting to retain a focus on impartial and even provision of support for learners from all under-represented groups to progress to HE, in particular those who wish to pursue vocational routes, through collaborative working across sectors. It is based on a national seminar for representatives of organisations working to support this collaboration and those from institutions facilitated by Higher York in summer 2012, and a follow-up piece of research in Autumn 2012 taking a snapshot view of the collaborative work in England producing the first ‘Access Map’.
The report Student Opportunity Funding – Why it counts co-authored with million+ examines HEFCE’s Student Opportunity funding and illustrates why supporting students to access and to succeed at university remains a ‘work in progress’. The report concludes that any reduction in government support for Student Opportunity funding would be a fundamental policy and funding error.
If you have an idea for a publication or want to be part of a small group leading the NEON publications strategy then please email Dr Graeme Atherton (Director, NEON).