Multiply
Reach new heights with Multiply
The government's new £560 million programme to help transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of adults across the UK was launched in 2022, being delivered through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Numeracy is the ability to understand and use maths in daily life, home, and work. Whether that be improving household finances, helping children with homework, making more sense of the stats and facts in the media, or improving numeracy skills specific to your line of work.
People who improve their numeracy skills are more likely to be in employment, have higher wages, and better wellbeing, and will be more able to progress to higher levels of free training to secure a skilled job in our economy.
Businesses who develop their employees' numeracy skills can boost productivity, increase profits, and improve employee retention.
Employers who could benefit from boosting their workforce's skills will be able to work with their Local Authority and training providers to deliver Maths GCSEs or work-ready Functional Skills Qualifications and design and deliver bespoke programmes for their workforce - at no cost to them.
All adults and businesses across the UK can benefit from Multiply.
In Cumbria we are currently working with some major employers to improve employees' numeracy skills, including The NHS, Morgan Sindall and Cavanagh and Grey.
Please contact Victoria Emmett, Multiply Project Lead, if you would like to access this fantastic free training.
Telephone: 01768 812074 / 07827 282198
Multiply will help to boost confidence and assist individuals with career progression whilst supporting the government's levelling up mission to ensure that by 2030, the number of people successfully completing high-quality skills training will have increased.
In total £270 million is being allocated nationally of which Cumbria has been allocated £2.3 million to be used over the next three financial years.
Multiply has been developed in response to the following statements and needs:
- 17 million adults in England (half of the working-age population) have the numeracy skills of primary school children.
- People who improve their numeracy skills are more likely to be in employment, have higher wages, and better wellbeing.
- Improved numeracy matters to businesses by helping boost productivity and improve employee retention.
- Need to raise awareness on the importance of good numeracy for getting on in life.
- Need to de-mystify maths by putting it into everyday, relatable contexts, and help boost adults' confidence with numbers and make training more accessible.
- Need to enable providers to deliver courses that better fit around the needs of adults.
The free numeracy courses are for:
- Cumbria residents aged 19+
- Individuals that have not achieved a maths GCSE of at least a Grade C or equivalent.
- Individuals who may want to develop numeracy skills for work or progression.
- Individuals that want to brush up and develop their numeracy skills for everyday life.
You'll be able to access a range of support and courses from October 2022 to March 2025. Watch this space.
What's your numeracy like?
Not sure what your numeracy level is? Why not find out with a short quiz and get some quick tips.
OR take part in the National Numeracy Challenge which aims to give you an accurate picture of your everyday maths skills through a few simple to answer questions.
We are working with the following partners in the delivery of support in Cumbria:
Inspira - further information on numeracy interventions being run by Inspira
PHX Training - PHX Training gives you the opportunity to improve your confidence and skills. We have a range of new workshops, training or coaching, to help you. We offer the likes of personal finance, helping your child, budgeting, moving towards a functional skills qualification, identifying and gaining job opportunities. Want to know more? Come and have a chat and we can help you choose the best route for you.
Carlisle College - We offer a wide range of courses in numeracy designed to support you to gain employment, support your business, or even budget for your household including baking with maths. For further information please contact our adult learning manager at adultlearning@carlisle.ac.uk
Right2Work - Good numeracy skills may unlock job opportunities and lead to higher wages or prepare you for further study. They also help in everyday life, such as helping children with homework and budgeting money. If you're aged 19 and over and don't have Maths GCSE at grade C (or equivalent), you can access free numeracy courses through Multiply to build your confidence with numbers and gain a qualification.
Newton Rigg Training - Our courses are designed to get you outdoors to explore how numeracy can be found in all aspects of nature. Develop your confidence with numbers as a first step to gaining a numeracy qualification and have fun finding out about nature's numbers with our nature specialists and maths tutor. Courses in Penrith, Egremont and Appleby, with small class sizes.
Cumbria County Council Adult Learning - We are running a series of bespoke workshops, courses and support sessions throughout Cumbria to help improve your numeracy skills. These are aimed at individuals wishing to get on in work, find employment, prepare for maths qualifications or just brush up on skills. Please contact your local Adult Education Centre.
Furness College - numeracy skills are vital in helping you to understand the world around you. We are currently offering a free 6-week course that is designed to build your confidence with key mathematical concepts to support your child with their homework, allowing you both to flourish and progress. A range of courses are also available to those who would like to develop their maths skills further. For further information please contact hilary.johns@furness.ac.uk.
Kendal College - Our Multiply provision will offer a flexible and highly personalised range of numeracy courses, specifically tailored to addressing learners' unique circumstances or requirements and/or barriers to learning.
Cumbria Youth Alliance - The Cumbria Youth Alliance 'Money Matters' programme provides both life skills, financial awareness and budgeting skills for young people in care. Our aim is to enable these young people to look forward to a normal adult life, by helping them to reverse instability and enhance their employability prospects.
The Workers' Educational Association (WEA) - Do you want to improve your number skills at home, at work and in daily life. You use numbers every day, from working out your household budget to helping the kids with their homework. Every time you do the weekly shop or trying to keep up with the cost-of-living crisis, you're using maths skills. You can study where you want, when you want with the WEAs free online course. If you get stuck and need help, a friendly tutor is only a click away. If you'd like further information, or need help with booking please email: multiplycourse@wea.ac.uk or call Elle on 07827308148
You can contact a partner directly or if you wish to have an initial discussion then please contact Adult Learning at adultlearning@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk .
| Organisation | Location | Subject | When | How to refer |
| Barrow Adult Learning | Barrow and the surrounding area |
|
| 01229 407630 |
| Carlisle Adult Learning | Carlisle and the surrounding area |
|
| 01228 227304 |
| Kendal Adult Learning | Kendal and the surrounding area |
|
| 01539 713257 |
| Penrith Adult Learning | Penrith and the surrounding area |
|
| 07468 709606 |
| Whitehaven Adult Learning | Whitehaven and the surrounding area |
|
| 01946 506416 |
| Workington Adult Learning | Workington and the surrounding area |
|
| 01900 706023 |
| Carlisle College | Carlisle |
|
| 01228 279862 |
| Cumbria Youth Alliance | Various throughout Cumbria |
|
| 01900 603131 |
| Furness College | Barrow |
|
| 01229 828377 |
| Inspira | Whitehaven, Workington, Carlisle, Penrith, Kendal |
|
| 0345 6588647 |
| Kendal College | Kendal |
|
| 01539 814700 |
| Lakes College | Workington |
|
| 01946 839300 |
| Newton Rigg Training | Egremont, Penrith, Appleby |
|
| 07876212881 |
| PHX | Carlisle, Barrow |
|
| 01228 210317 |
| Right to Work | Kendal, Appleby |
|
| 01539 735025 |
| WEA | Online |
|
| 0300 303 3464 |
Multiply launched in September 2022 and Cumbria County Council is looking to develop a range of partnerships with organisations to deliver high quality, innovative numeracy interventions that meet the needs of local people and the national aims for Multiply. Some of these interventions will lead to attainment of a qualification, but non-qualification provision should also be developed where more appropriate.
Local education providers, employers, community development centres, employability support organisations, job centres, voluntary and community sector organisations can apply for grant funding to deliver interventions by completing an application form in line with the Multiply Grant Specification. These documents are included here:
- Multiply Grant Application Specification (PDF 179KB)
- Multiply Grant Application Form (DOCX 2.1MB)
- Multiply Funding Planning Tool (XLTM 63KB)
Completed applications will need to be returned by email to adultlearning@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk. We will inform applicants when the next round of evaluations will take place. Notification of successful and unsuccessful applications (including confirmation of values) will be sent by email shortly after bids have been evaluated.
Any questions relating to completion of the Application Form or using the Funding Planning Tool should be sent to adultlearning@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk. We will respond to all questions by email or telephone call.
