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Status
Received: on time
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Income
£2.8M
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Spending
£2.4M
Public benefits
OCN NI exists to advance education by providing opportunities for all to develop their personal and social attributes and levels of achievement. We formally accredit their skills for life and employment to enhance individual development and wellbeing. We develop qualifications and accreditation opportunities to help meet the priorities of the
Northern Ireland Assembly in supporting learners of every age in Northern Ireland, helping communities and individuals from all walks of life to gain access to the benefits of learning. With over 19 years of experience in awarding credit, our team of specialists operates across the province providing support in curriculum development and quality assurance across all sector areas. There are direct benefits flowing from our purpose. Our bite-sized credit based approach is designed to ensure that all learners achieve recognition for their learning. This provides equality of opportunity and improves the responsiveness and quality of learning, which enables learners to progress into, through and across a broad range of credit based national qualifications and bespoke learning programmes. Individuals benefit through the recognition of their learning within a nationally recognised and quality assured framework. Using this approach we have empowered generations of learners to become more active citizens and make their social and economic contribution to society. We build capacity across smaller centres by providing training and tailored support to ensure all OCN NI approved centres meet the required compliance standards, while building the skills and knowledge base of paid staff and volunteers. These benefits are capable of being demonstrated. Since being established, OCN NI have registered 322,621 learners onto national qualifications and bespoke learning programmes and have awarded 220,598 achievement certificates. The largest number of learner registrations which account for 51% came from the voluntary/community sector; 28% came from further education colleges, with training organisations, public bodies and employers making up the remaining 21% of OCN NI’s beneficiaries. Typically our learners are those who have not benefited from educational opportunities, for example those working at lower educational levels or with few formal qualifications; learners based in offender institutions; young learners who are not in employment, training or school; and people working in industries that have not traditionally valued formal qualifications. We provide a flexible accreditation service to widen access to education and training to promote learning for life. There is no harm or possibility of harm flowing from the purposes of Open College Network Northern Ireland. There is also no private benefit flowing from the purposes of OCN NI.
... [more] [less]What your organisation does
Our mission is to ‘develop and award qualifications which engage, enrich and equip learners for life.’ OCN NI is a leading Awarding Organisation, working with Further Education Colleges, Schools, Training Organisations, Third Sector Organisations, Health Trusts, Prisons and other education and training organisations. Our offices are based in
Belfast and we are regulated by statutory bodies to develop professional and technical qualifications from Entry Level up to and including Level 5 across all subject areas. We are an independent, self-financing charitable organisation that has a proven track record of delivering and contributing to the NI skills agenda. As an indigenous Awarding Organisation based in Belfast, our priority is to develop and maintain qualifications tailored to the needs of people living and working in NI. Our flexibility and responsiveness to economic need ensures our qualifications are tailored to the needs of education and training providers, employers, learners and align to the outcomes of the draft NI Programme for Government.
... [more] [less]The charity’s classifications
- The advancement of education
Who the charity helps
- Addictions (drug/solvent/alcohol abuse)
- Adult training
- Children (5-13 year olds)
- Ethnic minorities
- General public
- Learning disabilities
- Mental health
- Older people
- Youth (14-25 year olds)
How the charity works
- Advice/advocacy/information
- Community development
- Cross-border/cross-community
- Education/training
- General charitable purposes
- Relief of poverty
- Volunteer development
- Youth development
