Addressing inequality across the Midlands and north of England needs to focus on providing better, local learning opportunities and move away from talking about social mobility as we emerge from Covid-19 restrictions, a report has found.

Released by the new Centre for Levelling Up at the University of West London (UWL) in partnership with Policy Network, the report Learning about Place: Understanding lifelong learning and social mobility in Covid Britain sets out the obstacles to economic growth.

It also highlights the need for a lifelong learning strategy focused on flexible, entry-level opportunities and better localised careers support if the government’s levelling up agenda is to be effective. 

Consulting across schools, colleges, universities and local authorities over the past year, in eight areas - (Blackpool, Derby, Oldham, Peterborough Sheffield, Stoke, Wakefield and Wrexham – all towns where Labour lost seats in the 2019 general election), the research found a drastic reduction in community-based and introductory learning opportunities, which help older adults and vulnerable people to get back into learning.

The report also found that even where entry-level learning provision does exist, people are not aware what is available to them and are unable to benefit, with the pandemic only exacerbating challenges around access to careers guidance and work experience schemes.  

It argues that increasing higher education provision will boost opportunity in areas where such provision does not exist – as those areas where universities are more active offer greater opportunities for people at all levels to learn.

It also found a need for new language, with phrases such as ‘social mobility’, ‘disadvantaged’ or ‘left behind’ and ‘lost generations’ do not describe what people want or who they are.   

Professor Graeme Atherton, Head of UWL’s Centre for Levelling Up who led the report, said:  

These areas are all characterised in the government’s levelling up agenda as being left behind by social and economic changes, with poor jobs, failing schools and outdated infrastructure. But the reality is more complex  

While they all have challenges, they also have strengths. To build on those needs a new ‘hyper local’ approach with stable, long term investment and control as close as possible to delivery.  

In a post Covid era, people want broader opportunities accessible locally and policymakers to adopt a language that means something to local people, and short term funding for high visibility projects will not be enough.  

We must put education at the heart of our efforts in support of change if we are going to help people transform their futures.

Professor Peter John CBE, Vice-Chancellor of UWL, said:

Providing fair and equal access to education to the communities we serve is at the heart of everything we do at UWL and this report from our new Centre of Levelling Up is an important step in placing the university at the heart of the debate around educational opportunities.

These findings contain some stark messages about the importance of local networks and autonomy in the design and delivery of education servicers that can help to shape effective policy making that delivers real impact.

Learning about Place: Understanding lifelong learning and social mobility in Covid Britain, was published by Professor Graeme Atherton, Head of UWL’s Centre for Levelling Up, and Dr Barry Colfer from think tank, Policy Network.