Social enterprise Realise Futures to continue delivering adult community learning courses after winning Suffolk County Council contract

Realise Futures has won a three-year contract to continue to deliver adult community learning courses in Suffolk.

The social enterprise will cover the county until July 2022, with the option to extend for a further two years subject to funding, following a Suffolk County Council tender process.

Sally Butcher, Realise Futures managing director, said: "We will continue to build on our excellent track record to achieve the council’s aim to provide high-quality learning opportunities."

The social enterprise runs courses throughout Suffolk covering maths and English, computers and technology, skills for work, health and wellbeing, and family learning, and it also offers bespoke courses for businesses, offering training for small, medium and large employers.

“The adult community learning contract links with existing opportunities Realise Futures delivers across Suffolk delivering to those who are most socially, educationally and economically disadvantaged, supporting people with disabilities and/or disadvantages and helping people facing complex barriers in life and in work.

“We are proud of our people. Our success rates for individuals who learn with us is 94 per cent, one of the highest performing adult learning providers in the eastern region.”

On the value of community learning, she said a recent report from the Social Mobility Commission had pointed to why adult education was so important to productivity and wellbeing.

She added: “It showed that those with the lowest qualifications are losing out on training, as adult training is often only available to workers who are highly paid or skilled, which is why community learning like that provided in Suffolk is absolutely vital.”

For more information on courses, contact 0300 456 2050 or go to www.rflearn.co.uk