Edinburgh Napier University

  Scottish Workforce Empowerment for Lifelong Learners (SWELL) was an ESF Equal-funded initiative aiming to provide interventions enabling disadvantaged individuals and groups to overcome barriers to progression in both working and learning. The ERI was commissioned to evaluate the impact of the initiative, in terms of the achievement of a number of specified strategic objectives, and in facilitating progress under the key themes promoted by the Equal programme. The research team developed an evaluation framework before assisting SWELL partners to implement assessment and evaluation procedures throughout the life of the initiative. The research found that SWELL assisted more than 1000 learners. Evaluation surveys were completed by more than 50% of these beneficiaries, while four series of in-depth interviews were undertaken with SWELL partners. The evaluation concluded that SWELL has made an important contribution to the promotion of lifelong learning, particularly in: enabling the development of innovative solutions; building capacity in communities and sectors where learning provision has been under-developed; and facilitating creative and intelligent approaches equal opportunities in learning.