RISE is a small organisation focused on developing high-quality and responsive learning experiences for disadvantaged communities. We recognise that all individuals, of any age, should have the opportunity both to learn and to teach.

Our full aims & objectives are outlined here;

  • Mission Statement
  • Founding Principles
  • Strategic Priorities
  • Objects of Association
  • Community Interest Statement

Mission Statement

RISE is an employee-owned organisation focused on developing high-quality and responsive learning experiences for disadvantaged communities. We recognise that all individuals, of any age, should have the opportunity both to learn and to teach.

RISE provides education programmes for disadvantaged learners in Nottinghamshire – both formal accredited studies on the national qualifications framework and informal programmes for life skills, healthy living and lifelong learning.

RISE provides, or assist in the provision of, activities for recreation or other leisure time occupation in the interests of social welfare with the object of improving the conditions of life for the learning community.

RISE is a not-for-profit community interest company committed to community development through education, and to the development of a learning community of staff, volunteers, young people, families and supporters through a mutual membership scheme.

Founding Principles

Two founding principles are at the core of our development plans:

First, that our constituency – that is to say, staff, volunteers, young people, their families and colleagues from other services – should be a community of learners, where everyone is learning;

Second, that our constituency should have ownership of the learning.

Strategic Priorities

A Community of Learners: Breaking down barriers associated with authority, in particular those linked to the teacher-pupil power relationship, can enhance young people’s commitment to their own learning – seeing ‘teachers’ as ‘lead-learners’, sharing the learning journey in a more mutual way. We aim to reach a point where, through training and development, staff take on their own studies, and can share their own experiences as ‘pupils’. Developing programmes of CPD for professionals, and extending learning for families including adult education for parents, form part of the strategy for exemplifying and providing life-long learning.

Ownership of Learning: We believe we may be offering something quite unique within our constitution – a co-operative structure that will allow not only staff and volunteers to mutually own the organisation through membership, but an extension of that membership to learners and their families. Schools often talk of engendering pride and respect in their institutions from pupils, and it is common for youth organisations to form steering groups from their client base of young people, but at RISE we are committed to offering genuine ownership through a beneficial membership scheme – giving learners a real stake in their education.

Objects from our Articles of Association

The objects of the Company are to carry on activities which benefit the community and in particular (without limitation) to:

1. Provide education programmes for disadvantaged learners in Nottinghamshire;

2. Develop the capacity and skills of members of the community and promote the capacity building of learners and their communities;

3. Promote social and economic inclusion of learners and their families, including integration into the wider community;

4. Develop and encourage, foster and promote the social welfare of the learning community;

5. Promote the interests of the learning community by acting as an advocate for the community;

6. Promote healthy living and social responsibility;

7. Promote community involvement and participation in education programmes;

8. Provide, or assist in the provision of, activities for recreation or other leisure time occupation in the interests of social welfare with the object of improving the conditions of life for the learning community;

9. Carry on any other activity which the Directors & Members consider is for the benefit of the community.

Our Community Interest Statement

RISE will provide education programmes for disadvantaged learners in Nottinghamshire – both formal accredited studies on the national qualifications framework and informal programmes for life skills, healthy living and lifelong learning:

The learning community will benefit by acquiring both skills and qualifications that they will have missed through being excluded from, or failing in, mainstream education;

The wider community will benefit by developing the capacity and skills of members of the community and promoting the capacity building of learners and their communities;

Communities will benefit through developing social and economic inclusion of learners and their families, including integration into the wider community;

The community will benefit from programmes promoting healthy living and social responsibility.

RISE will provide, or assist in the provision of, activities for recreation or other leisure time occupation in the interests of social welfare with the object of improving the conditions of life for the learning community:

The learning community will benefit by having access to recreational programmes during holidays and other out-of-school times which they would not normally access.

The wider community will benefit from building a strong link to the educational work of the organisation, breaking down barriers to learning that disadvantaged communities have through past experiences, by engagement in recreational programmes and involvement in organisation and planning of activities.

RISE Learning Zone CIC is registered at Companies House as a community interest company; company number 09759374