Blog: Pilot literacy programme at City Lit

In response to our 2023 charter and report, ‘Empowerment Through Literacy’, City Lit adult education college in London has worked with three charities to build a bespoke literacy course for vulnerable adults with experience of homelessness.

This unaccredited programme will focus on the individual needs of up to nine participants. The college has planned a safe and supportive induction event, designed to reassure learners who are fearful about returning to the classroom. To further ensure their well-being, tutors will be familiar with trauma-informed practice.

The main objective of the course will be to develop soft skills such as personal organisation and greater confidence in learning. A qualitative evaluation will measure its success, comparing participants’ attitudes before and after the programme. This will include reflections on their capacity to learn, on their literacy skills, and on their openness to engagement with other educational courses in the future.

We are delighted about this pilot project, and have great hopes for positive outcomes. If that is the case, City Lit is keen to promote the model to adult education colleges around the country. We will report back to you in 2025.