ASDAN's Objectives, Vision and Values

ASDAN rewards learners’ success in a range of skills and settings from Entry Level to University Entrance.

ASDAN’s Charitable Objectives

ASDAN is established as a registered charity for “The advancement of education, by providing opportunities for all learners to develop their personal and social attributes and levels of achievement through ASDAN awards and resources, and the relief of poverty, where poverty inhibits such opportunities for learners.”

ASDAN’s Vision

We recognise that young people are multi-talented and we celebrate that diversity, seeking to:

  • Encourage, engage and motivate learners
  • Promote active and experiential learning
  • Raise the expectations of learners
  • Reward a range of learning styles and contexts
  • Use assessment to further learning
  • Make learning relevant and transferable
  • Promote the worth and value of all  our qualifications

and thereby recognise the potential to transform the abilities and achievements of all learners.

ASDAN's Values

ASDAN’s values form the basis of our organisational goals, and how we measure our success in achieving them.

ASDAN's Educational Values:

1.  Providing opportunities for all to achieve

We look beyond the formal school/college curriculum towards areas of learning which widen entitlement to a range of experiences and are able to provide evidence of achievement for all individuals. We avoid the fear of failure that is associated with formal examinations and we support a flexible curriculum that can be matched to the needs of individual learners.

2.  Promoting personal and social development

We look to create the opportunities for learners to achieve personal and social development through their achievements, thereby enhancing self-confidence, ambition and contribution to their communities.

3.  Celebrating success

Our courses reward small steps of achievement regularly and progressively. All the courses we produce include systematic and progressive recognition of achievement.

4.  Promoting assessment for learning

We believe that the learner is central to the process of assessment and that assessment is central to the learning process as a basis for further learning. All the courses we produce incorporate a formative assessment process.

5. Supporting personalised learning

We believe that the learner should have some control of the curriculum and be able to proceed at his or her own pace, in short steps. Learning experiences should be perceived as relevant and allow progress from the learner’s existing situation to one of further accomplishment.

ASDAN's Organisational Values:

1. People matter

Our aim is to operate ASDAN as a socially responsible organisation, and one which values, supports, uses and develops the skills and talents of all of its staff. We will regularly review our structures to ensure we are achieving this.

2. Supporting teachers

We aim to work closely with educators in formal and non-formal settings and to support them in their work putting our educational values into practice with learners.

3. Independent

We are not beholden to anyone. We are independent of government and work with all those involved in the education system to achieve our goals.

4. Open

We aim to work without prejudice of any kind, learning from our experiences. We are proud of what we do, and we endeavour to communicate our work clearly and honestly.

5. Accountable

We are responsible to those we exist to serve: learners, teachers, as well as to those who support our work.  Professionally and financially, we are sound, scrupulous, efficient and effective.

Measuring Success

We measure our success by regular reference to Key Performance Indicators:

1. Has there been an increase in the number of young people following ASDAN courses and achieving qualifications through them?

The indicators by which we measure this include:

  • Year on year increases in the number of registered centres, workbook sales, qualifications registered and awarded at each level
  • The number of courses and seminars we run, the number of delegates attending and the ratings of them by participants
  • The increase in the number of awards and qualifications that are offered, especially in response to practitioner demand

2. Are people satisfied with the service we provide?

The indicators by which we measure this include:

  • High levels of satisfaction in customer and staff surveys
  • Retaining 95% of existing centres
  • Retaining Investors in People status
  • Regular Social Auditing
  • Allocating 2% of the overall budget to staff development

3. Is ASDAN in good financial health?

The indicators by which we measure this include:

  • Year on year increase in financial surplus
  • Year on year increase in sum distributed as charitable donations
  • Annual auditors’ report attests to very good financial management & effective use of available resources
  • Employing sufficient staff to manage the workload so that appropriate work-life balance is maintained for all staff (as measured by staff survey)

4 . Is ASDAN’s national standing and reputation growing?

The indicators by which we measure this include:

  • References to ASDAN in Government & other national documents and reports
  • The number of national partners that ASDAN is working with
  • The overall volume of ASDAN business such that ASDAN business is increasing such that its national position is consolidated or improved