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Explore how a single well-designed event can deepen relationships, improve alignment between workforce needs and education pathways, and amplify the provider voice within Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs). 

For those who work in LSIP teams, colleges, sector bodies and partners.

Based on an approach by Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, this toolkit offers practical, step-by-step guidance on planning, stakeholder roles, event design and sustainable engagement cycles, providing a replicable model for other regions seeking to strengthen adult social care influence and workforce development.

What this toolkit can help you achieve

• A co‑ordinated, festival‑style approach can meaningfully increase provider engagement in LSIP activity.
• Warm‑network recruitment generates stronger participation and better‑quality stands.
• Multi‑agency planning strengthens alignment, governance and delivery consistency.
• Reusable assets, repeatable timelines and mixed funding models support long‑term sustainability.

Quick start

• highlighting the key points of the toolkit.

• Overview - explore what the toolkit offers, overarching lessons and key takeaways.
  
  

Explore the toolkit at your own pace

Explore the toolkit step-by-step, or go straight to the sections most relevant to you. Each section includes practical recommendations to support you in applying the approach in practice.

Go straight to the sections

• Planning and preparing
  The Care Connection festival was conceived in response to a clear need to raise awareness of adult social care roles among early year health and social care students.
• Financing and investment
  Funding for The Care Connection festival was planned to ensure the event could run at scale, support student participation and deliver a high quality experience for both learners and providers

• Involving key stakeholders
  Stakeholder involvement relied on WDPs that aligned employers, colleges and sector bodies.

• Governance and implementation
  Delivery was guided by regular engagement, evidence-based planning and transparent reporting.

• Outcomes, impact and learning
  The festival increased student understanding, shifted perceptions and improved providercollege dialogue. Attendance was strong, satisfaction high and visibility for LSIP widened.

Recommendations

• Leveraging provider engagement in local skills - Recommendations

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