31 July 2010 Good Evening

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Cumbria Training Partnership

Where did the idea for this project come from?

The need for this project was established whilst discussing general training requirements with members of our Partnership organisations (learning disability sector service providers).  They said that, because of the introduction of In Control/Self Directed Support/Direct Payments, staff at a variety of levels in their organisation, were being required to work differently involving new skills and understanding. 

Discussions with Adult Social Services staff identified that they also felt that there was a need for training above the general awareness raising level that was presently available.

Further dialogue with the Workforce Development Office of Care Sector Alliance Cumbria (CSAC) provided information that there was also a need within the Older Adults Sector for similar training.

We then became aware (through CSAC) that Skills for Care had a NtoW Fund, we prepared a proposal which was successful.

Examples of project plan

An outline Project Delivery Plan, including timescales and responsibilities, was developed and presented to the Project Steering Group for discussion and approval  in April '08 – see attached.

The Steering Group is in place with membership drawn from Adult Social Services, CSAC, Cumbria Care, Community Integrated Care (CIC) and Carlisle Mencap.  Other organisations will be invited onto the group as the need is identified.

Service Users and parents/carers will, in the first instance, be included through Carlisle Mencap who have been involved in self directed support for over a year now.  Two young women who live together in their own home will be our initial focus.

Several Service User groups of also been identified should additional input be required.

Initial funding for the development of a training package is via the NtoW Fund.  After completion of the project, which includes piloting the package with 25 Service Provider Staff, the training will be made available to all interested parties via CTP's Training Portfolio.  

CTP has a 3-year contract funded via the Learning Disability Pooled Fund, administered by Adult Social Services which enables subsidised training to be made available to organisations within the learning disability sector.  External funding is drawn in that enhancing our core funding and enables training to be delivered to  staff supporting other vulnerable groups.

CTP, project lead,  is the umbrella training organisation for learning disability service providers in Cumbria.  The company was established in 2001, by a group of service providers in response to the requirements of the Valuing People white paper.

Marie Corry, Learning and Development Co-ordinator, CTP has been seconded to the role of Project Development Worker.  A new CRB check was carried out prior to Marie assuming this role.  Marie has been employed by CTP since 2003 in a full time, permanent capacity.  As such, Marie has a job description and is supported through regular supervision with the General Manager as part of the company's Performance Management procedures.

Marie is being in the development work by Sheila Gregory, Chief Executive Officer, Carlisle Mencap.

CTP hold quarterly Partnership Meetings and provide a  members Newsletter 3 times a year.  These meetings and newsletters will be used to keep everyone informed of activities and progress.  CTP Board members are drawn from past and present senior/executive managers from organisations within the partnership.

The General Manager represents LD Service Providers on the CSAC Implementation Group.  This will provide a platform for including providers of services for Older Adults with developments.

Service provider contracts with the local authority are requiring this change thus the initial identification of need.  CTP's purpose is to provide training as the need arises and to pre-empt the need by keeping abreast of requirements by interpreting future trends and demands.

CTP staff have extensive experience in the development and delivery of training.  We are a City and Guilds centre with a clean bill of health at our last External Verification visit in May.  Time permitting, we will explore the accreditation of the materials designed although this was not initially build into the project specification.

Strategic and operational policies and procedures are the backbone of the work carried out by CTP.  We have  Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity Policies and Public Liability Insurance.   CTP functions as a company limited by guarantee with charitable status.

Review and evaluation

The Steering Group will monitor and review the progress made and the quality of the material developed.

Participants in the training (25 people) will provide feedback through a customer satisfaction questionnaire.  Changes to the training materials and method of delivery will be made as a result of experience during, and feedback from the pilot sessions.

A final self evaluation will be carried out by contacting those involved in the project with the overall analysis included in the end of project report.

The project as originally envisaged did not progress as hoped as there was little interest in the courses for PAs. The main problem being the problems of service users not being able to release Pas for training and or paying for the cost of replacement staff.

The problems lead to an examination of the original aims and objectives and further consultation with partners.

As a result a revised course was developed aimed at middle managers in provider organisations.

This course proved very successful.

For full details of the project please see the "Final project report" in the useful documents section.

Contacts

Joan Forster
General Manager
CTP
Moss Bay House
40 Peart Road
Workington
Cumbria.
CA14 3YT

Email: joanforster117@btinternet.com

Tel: 01661 842350

or

Jeanne Park
Senior Office Administrator

Email: jeannectp@btconnect.com

Tel: 01900 64135