We've been working with regional partners on live projects to pilot innovations and test out new ways of working.

This will enable us to:

• Understand the skills deficits in each region, both generic and professional
• Identify how to increase skills levels and build capacity
• Develop an understanding of what changes behaviour 
• Learn lessons from past programmes, present new approaches and allow sharing and transfer elsewhere
• Demonstrate how knowledge, skills and experience can influence change
• Build an understanding of each region's position and through this the overall national picture

Our regional projects are listed to the right, as well as the evaluation reports to accompany them.

The projects

We have looked for a range of projects so we can understand the many different challenges involved in creating sustainable communities. However, they share the following core characteristics:

• A focus on improving skills and increasing capacity locally
• New approaches to developing generic skills
• Engagement with one or more of our priority areas
• The ability to disseminate knowledge and information regionally

To ensure a consistent approach, we have commissioned an independent organisation to evaluate the programme. Everything we learn will be published on our website, providing practitioners and organisations with practical solutions to achieving sustainable communities.

There was one learning lab per region in both 2006-07 and 2007-08.

You can download the evaluation reports for the projects as PDF's - they are listed on the right.

For more information on the Learning Labs contact Judith Stead on 0113 394 4581 or email Judith.Stead@hca.gsx.gov.uk