Welcomeby Paul Toner

Welcome to the Autumn / Winter edition of the Creative Academy Newsletter. We are almost halfway through the training year and demand for training across the country remains high.

In this edition you will be able to read about some new and exciting developments in training and development. If you have any comments on this newsletter please email paul.toner@creativesupport.co.uk.

NewsletterAutumn / Winter 2013

Advanced Apprenticeshipby Ray Corry

The Advanced Apprenticeship scheme is well under way. We have six apprentices working in both mental health and learning

disability services being supported through their Diploma, technical certifi cate and key skills qualifi cations on a 52 week programme.

The apprentices are enjoying this challenging role and have a mentor within the workplace who is coordinating their

learning and work placement. The apprentices have initially attended an induction covering the National Minimum Training

Standards, and are now working towards the Creative Support Competency Framework and have additional learning and training built in to their programme.

We aim to roll out another apprenticeship intake early in 2014.

E-Learningby Tracey Oliver-Walsh

Essential Safeguarding and Safety For All (ESSA) is now available as an e-learning course.

Dates can be found on the Training Calendar. To apply, complete an E-Learning Training Application Form.

Regional Trainingby Amy Llewellyn

Creative Support continues to develop its regional training provision, which has seen a growth in the numbers of people receiving

training in the regions. To meet demand we have recently opened a new Training Centre in Bradford, which hopefully

will reduce travel time for staff coming from Bradford, Leeds, Halifax and surrounding areas. Welcome to Jo Hellawell, who is the new Training Administrator in Bradford.

We have also opened a new Training Centre in Barrow which will cover the Barrow area. Welcome to Helen Mason who will be

responsible for the training administration at the centre. Helen will also share some responsibilities for the Cumbria region with Laura Rodgers who will be based in Carlisle.

I would like to say some goodbyes. Firstly, to Brenda Mos, who was our training Administrator in Scunthorpe and will be missed by all her colleagues in the training team. And fi nally It’s goodbye from me as I will also be leaving Creative Support.

Royal Pharmaceutical Society Accreditation

by Michael Johnson

Since Boots the Pharmacy discontinued their medication administration training last year we have delivered our own Administration of Medication Training to our staff teams.

Boots’ training was delivered by qualifi ed pharmacists so to ensure quality, we are going through the process of having our training accredited and recognised by the Royal

Pharmaceutical Society (RPS).

In order to facilitate this, our training was referenced to the QCF Diploma Units, CQC standards, the National Minimum Training Standards and the RPS guidance for social care workers.

We should have the accreditation soon and this will enable us to use the Royal Pharmaceutical Society branding on our

certifi cates and materials.

Gateway Awardby Tracey Oliver-Walsh

The Gateway Award is a non-competitive award open to all service users. It gives participants the opportunity to try fun activities, develop new skills and have exciting experiences.

Participants will get the opportunity to try something new in fi ve areas: hobbies, fi tness, lifestyle, volunteering and gateway challenge.

The award has three levels: bronze, silver and gold. Participants can get started with the bronze award now.

To get started, each service user needs to complete a Gateway Award Registration Form and return it to

us. Creative Support will pay the registration fee for the bronze award.

For more information or to request a leafl et or registration form, call Tracey Oliver-Walsh, Training & Development Coordinator on 0161 236 0829 or email

tracey.oliverwalsh@creativesupport.co.uk.

Our latest Training & Development Handbook is now available online! Visit:

bit.ly/CreativeAcademyHandbook

to download your copy!

Social Workby Elaine Johnston-Jones

Firstly I would like to introduce myself. My name is Elaine Johnston-Jones and I have taken over as Practice Learning Coordinator

based in the Training Team at Head Offi ce. I worked for many years in the statutory sector undertaking all aspects of social

work training and education. I am really pleased to have the opportunity to work in the voluntary sector where social work is very much valued and is seen as an important part of the

services offered.

Since joining the company we have been working with a number of newly qualifi ed social workers who are progressing through their Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE).

If you are, or if you know of, a newly qualifi ed social worker please get in touch with me on the contact details below so that we can support you appropriately.

Creative Support are proud to be taking the lead with the ASYE as part of an initiative to network with other private, voluntary and independent sector organisations who employ social workers. This is an exciting project which is supported by the Greater Manchester ASYE Group and Skills for Care.

We want to work with qualifi ed social work staff to raise the profi le of the profession within the company and have been working to identify all of our qualifi ed social workers.

It is student placement time again! Requests from our partner universities for placements are being received so we will be in contact with some of you to support the talent within the organisation by taking on social work and nursing students. We will be recruiting and supporting more practice teachers, so watch this space!

We are currently working to re-launch our sponsorship scheme for the Degree in Social Work. We anticipate a launch of this initiative in September 2014.

If you want any information on any aspect of social work training and education, please call me on 0161 236 0829 or email elaine.johnston-jones@creativesupport.co.uk. I look forward to hearing from you!

www.creativesupport.co.uk/training-page