ASDAN

ASDAN (Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network) is a UK education charity and awarding organisation based in Bristol. It develops and accredits programmes and qualifications aimed at supporting learners in developing personal, social, and employability skills, using its six skills framework^[1]. Its work focuses particularly on those who face barriers to learning in traditional educational settings.

ASDAN

Purpose	Educational
Location	Bristol, United Kingdom
Chief Executive	Melissa Farnham

History

ASDAN originated as a curriculum development project at the University of the West of England during the 1980s and was formally established as a charity in 1991. The organisation was created with the aim of broadening educational access and supporting inclusion for students who may not thrive in conventional academic pathways.

Activities

Programmes and qualifications

ASDAN provides a variety of curriculum programmes and regulated qualifications. Its programmes include the Personal Development Programmes^[2], Preparing for Adulthood programmes^[3], Moving On^[4], Lifeskills Challenge^[5], and Short Courses^[6] intended to be flexible and adaptable to different educational contexts, including mainstream schools, special education settings, and alternative provision.

The organisation's regulated qualifications ranging from Entry Level 1 to Level 3, include the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE)^[7], Employability^[8], Personal and Social Development (PSD)^[9], Personal Progress and the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)^[10]. ASDAN's Level 3 qualifications attract UCAS tariff points and are designed to support progression to further education or employment.^[11]

Learner support and focus

ASDAN is committed to prioritising learners with diverse needs, including those who are:

• experiencing poverty in all its forms, whether economic, physical, mental, cultural, spiritual, political or societal
• without support for their emotional and social needs have a special educational need or disability
• not engaged or succeeding in their education and who miss an English and/or Maths pass at 16 or subsequently;
• at risk of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training)

Governance

The Chief Executive of ASDAN is Melissa Farnham.

The Chair of Trustees is Brian Doidge.

Membership and training

Educational institutions (centres) can become ASDAN members, gaining access to teaching resources, training opportunities, and support networks for delivering ASDAN programmes and qualifications.