Without support many learners will fail. Support can take many forms and it is not always necessary to provide immediate face to face subject specific help. A trained generalist who understands learning can provide significant assistance. The availability of expert subject support is only required occasionally and can be provided by e-mail or telephone access or the occasional tutorial. Students can help each other and forming a self-help group is a powerful aid to the individual student in overcoming problems.
Learners find it far easier to approach each other with questions than to contact an expert.
Most students need a balance of general and individual help. Summary Learning centres need to maximise accessibility and relevancy to the learners they serve. A centre within a host organisation needs to be integrated into the overall learning strategy of the organisation. It needs to be flexible and have an approach to continuous improvement so that it can adapt to the changing needs of the learners, organisation or community. An effective centre must be a friendly, welcoming learning place which meets individual needs and provides effective learning support.