A Celebration of Collaboration!
The Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Lifelong Learning Network has successfully supported the development of a new programme in Leadership and Management. Operating at Postgraduate level the programme is intended for learners in relatively senior positions in organisations, with management or leadership experience. This programme can be taken as a full award (for example as part of a Postgraduate Certificate in Leadership and Management) or by accumulating skills, knowledge and academic credits which will contribute to the Postgraduate Awards at any of the participating universities. This gives learners and employers flexible learning patterns, with valuable experience which can contribute to organisational growth and success.
The first of the CPD modules to be developed was in Transformation and Change. This module was the result of collaboration between Staffordshire and Keele Universities and the University of Wolverhampton. Although lecturers from any of the universities could have developed this module, it was decided to work collaboratively, with a system of peer review, in order to build confidence and strengthen the relationships between the institutions. The module was developed in close cooperation with the University Hospital for North Staffordshire (UHNS) as the principle employer partner.
The module was developed in direct response to the needs of the University Hospital of North Staffordshire (UHNS). However, while contextualising it to the needs of this sector, it was also intended to develop the core elements of the module in a way that would satisfy the needs of a wider audience.
The first cohort was run at Keele University, with lecturers from Staffordshire and Wolverhampton Universities participating in the training. The first cohort involved senior members of staff from a range of functions within the hospital. Two training consultants from Staffordshire County Council also participated in order to assess the suitability of the module for SCC.
Three additional cohorts are planned for October, November and February. This module development has been invaluable in building stronger links between the Business and Management Schools of the three participating universities and has helped to iron out issues in relation to collaborative module development and collaborative teaching.
Bite size and flexible awards in Mental Health
The Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Lifelong Learning Network funded the development of three new mental health awards. The awards on offer are:
University Certificate in Mental Health
(60 credits at HE level 1) equivalent to level 4
University Diploma in Mental Health
(60 credits at HE level 2) equivalent to level 5
University Advanced Diploma in Mental Health
(60 credits at HE level 3) equivalent to level 6
Students come from a wide and diverse background including carpentry, housing support work, nursing homes, adult nursing, an independent training organisation and community workers.
The awards are modular and allow maximum flexibility in terms of start date which can be September, January or May. Four modules make up the award, of which only one, Exploring Values, is mandatory. The other three are selected by the student from a list of options including counselling, cognitive behavioural interventions, dementia, substance misuse, child and adolescent development.
Delivery patterns vary; some modules are delivered as a block of one week whilst others are work-based and only require 8 hours of contact. Students can choose their level of study and if they are uncertain about this they can arrange to meet one of the teaching team to get some advice.
Module choices to date include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dementia, Mental Health Assessment and Neuropharmacology. Learner Dawn Zdrodowski commented: "I've found the modules I've taken to be really rewarding; and equally important, relevant to the work I do. It's been great to learn something one day and to be able to put it into practice the next. My CPD means I deliver a better service for my employer, and gives me a great deal of personal satisfaction too. I'd say that many of, if not all the modules are relevant for most businesses today."
Fifteen students have already completed this award, one of whom has already applied to become a qualified mental health nurse and has been accepted subject to successful completion of his module.
SKILLS FOR HE Module - Helping learners progress!
At the outset, partners across the network indicated a need for a short course that would help vocational learners to think about progression into a higher education experience. Something that would shine a light on what higher education was about; that would help to develop learners' skills in preparation for progression; and would most importantly raise learners' aspirations and confidence about progression.
The Skills for HE module has been developed with the support of further education colleges, employers and work-based learning providers, such as Acacia Training, specifically to meet the needs of vocational learners wishing to progress. An integral part of the module is an innovative CD-ROM which all learners receive and forms both the basis for the workshop sessions and the portfolio learners submit for assessment. One course tutor commented "I am really impressed with the CD; it's fab. Problem now is I want all my teaching to be done in this way!"
Approximately 35 learners have taken part in the pilot so far with many now considering progression to foundation degrees offered by college partners. The pilot will be evaluated by the Network's Researcher, Amelia Rout.
Student Paula Smith explained why the course attracted her: "For years I've not had the confidence to go into Higher Education and hope this course will give me this, to do something I really want to do and achieve my goals to work in Nursing."
Fellow student Victoria Eratt concurred: "From this course I'd like to take with me confidence, knowledge and an understanding of the quality and level of work needed to undertake my nursing career."
Student Saskia Kanzler sees the course as "a great opportunity to have a gentle shoehorning back into Higher Education in order to pursue a career after a long break out of work to bring up a family." Longer term plans for the module include incorporating it into other larger awards. For example, the Faculty of Health at Staffordshire University will be using it as the first module of all their Foundation degrees, and it will also be run as a trial with a group of learners taking the new 14-19 diploma as part of their extended project. Longer term tracking will also be implemented to evaluate the ability of the module to prepare learners for their HE experience.
Foundation Degree in Leadership & Management - Tamworth & Lichfield College
This course was validated in 2008 with the first cohort starting in September 2008. We targeted various employers in the local area including the local council. It soon became obvious that some of the college's own staff were also potential students. As a result five employees of the college took up the challenge and enrolled.
Alison Dunne
"I enrolled on the FD in Leadership to enable myself to teach at a higher level within the college. I also selected this particular course to be able to diversify into other teaching areas.
I am extremely pleased with the course and the teaching staff are very supportive and flexible. With a hectic full-time job I never thought I would be able to fit studies around my work."
Michael Edden - Site Supervisor
Following the merger of our College with Cannock and Rodbaston, and my subsequent promotion into a Supervisory role, I decided to improve my management skills. I felt that this course provided an excellent opportunity to do. Although a challenge, getting back into learning, I am thoroughly enjoying.
Pauline Clarke - Business Development Manager
"Completing the Leadership and Management Degree will fulfil a personal ambition of mine. First and foremost the degree will give me the formal qualification behind the job I do.
Secondly the whole experience will enable me to develop those skills into making me a better project and people manager."
Amanda Wyatt - Curriculum Organiser (Work Based Training)
"By completing the FD in Leadership and Management, it is my personal opinion and ambition that it will enable me to progress to a higher position within my organisation. It will allow new opportunities to develop both professionally and personally as an individual, giving me new skills to implement."
Union Learning Representatives have their say …
At the IAG Stakeholder meeting we heard from three Union Learning Representatives (ULRs) employed in public and private sector organisations in the LLN about their interest in lifelong learning and how they perceived their role in supporting progression for work colleagues into higher level education and training. Now supported by a legal entitlement to provide learning advice in the workplace, ULRs have a key role as Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the TUC suggests, in ‘reaching the parts of the workforce that no others can reach’. Our LLN is investing in the capacity and infrastructure of the ULR network supported by ‘Unionlearn’ by helping ten ULRs to develop professional qualifications in IAG. We are extending the work of these ULRs in the LLN to develop workplace-based information and advice progression activities. Stakeholders also received a presentation from Jo Hutchinson, Deputy Director of the Centre for Guidance Studies at the University of Derby about the findings of a major ‘mapping and gapping’ study of IAG support for vocational and work-based learners commissioned by the Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull LLN. This study found that:
- access to IAG is more difficult for individuals not currently in learning, particularly for employed adults seeking to progress beyond level 3
- vocational and work-based learners place greater emphasis on IAG when considering issues such as employability and short to medium-term career progression
- vocational and work-based learners may not initially perceive the value of IAG aimed at supporting progression to HE because they may see themselves as having already made decisions about their chosen career route and HE may not be perceived as relevant
- vocational and work-based learners are more likely to receive careers and training advice from non-specialists - particularly employers, work-colleagues, family members and course or personal tutors
- very few individuals, particularly employed learners, are likely to have personal development or training plans
In break-out discussions, Stakeholders agreed that the LLN needed to develop practical and achievable strategies to extend access to IAG in the workplace. One suggestion was that there would be value in linking into the ‘Skills pledge’ being made by many employers in the region and developing integrated activities to support workplace IAG and the awareness of the opportunities to upskill in higher level education and training.
