This is the first newsletter from the Advice Skills Academy project. The newsletter will be sent out monthly, with updates on learning that’s available, links to blogs, articles and collections of learning, and any key diary dates that are happening in each month.
Advice Skills Academy website is Now Live
The Advice Skills Academy website is now live. It’s a source of information on over 450 learning opportunities, bitesize learning that you can read quickly or dip in and out of, and dates of upcoming Advice Skills Academy training.
The Advice Skills Academy has been set up to help co-ordinate the approach to planning learning, and to develop a calendar of learning opportunities for Citizens Advice services in the Liverpool City Region. The project will provide opportunities for people to improve skills, knowledge and progression; to improve management and leadership progression capacity within services, as well as developing the skills of those who deliver learning activities within services.
With a wide range of competencies relating to roles within Citizens Advice services, guides on how to plan your learning, as well as templates for capturing your learning goals, the website has everything you need to start planning your learning.
70:20:10 is a model of learning that is based on how people actually learn:
- 70% of learning is experiential – it happens through daily tasks, challenges and practice.
- 20% of learning is social – from other people in work (maybe your manager, but may also be a mentor, or a co-worker).
- 10% of learning is formal – from going on courses and reading.
The 70:20:10 model of learning isn’t just another training fad – research suggests it is the most effective approach to learning for workplaces to use, to get the best results from learning and development resources.
Watch this short video for a really inspiring explanation of 70:20:10
Source: Fuse Universal.
Advice Skills Academy Training
Advice Skills Academy is in the process of arranging training for advisers, managers and trustees – we’ll update people with dates as we get them, or you can visit the website for dates and details.
A one day session for people to think about and identify their learning and development goals. Using self-assessment tools, and reflecting on where they are, where they would like to get to, and what is important to them, the session will be really helpful while people are starting to think about their learning plans within Citizens Advices. One session to be delivered in November, and one delivered again in the new year (January/February 2018)
A two day course for those looking to develop skills in training development and delivery. This course was delivered in May of this year, and is being repeated. The session is run over two consecutive weeks, one day per week. Delivery in either February or March 2018.
A one day session aimed at advisers, this session will help them cope with stressful and demanding workloads, using tools and techniques for managing time, dealing with targets and competing priorities. One session to be delivered in December, and one delivered again in February or March 2018.
Aimed at advisers who will be starting to advise on UC as the full roll out continues – a one day session which is not an introduction to UC, but a session covering the problem areas, what these are for clients and how to deal with them. One session to be delivered in late November or December, and one in January or February 2018. There will be more sessions on UC organised, as the full roll out continues next year.
A one day session aimed at those who are new to management or leadership roles, or those who are interested in moving into a management or leadership role, this session will explore what leadership is and what management is; what the difference is between leadership and management; what makes an effective leader; what makes an effective manager; and what frameworks and practical tools there are for leadership and management roles. Delivery in either February or March 2018.
A one day session aimed at Trustees, existing or new managers, and those who are managing projects, this session will consider what risk is and why we need to consider it; what different kinds of risk are common to charities and to Citizens Advice organisations; how to assess risks; how to identify ways of mitigating risk; and how to respond to unforeseen / emerging risks and issues. Delivery in either February or March 2018.
A one day session aimed at Trustees and senior managers, the session should help them understand what scenario planning is; the benefits of using scenario planning rather than more traditional strategic planning processes; how to undertake scenario planning, including tools and techniques that can be used after the session; and to explore when and how decisions get made using scenario planning. Delivery in either February or March 2018.
A one day session aimed at managers, project managers, or those considering a management role, this session will identify what strategy is, and what thinking strategically means. Using some practical tools and techniques, the session should help participants understand how to start thinking strategically; why thinking strategically is so important; and ways to help make time for strategic thinking. Delivery either December 2017 or January 2018.
Trustees Week - 13th to 17th November 2017
Trustees are the people who are in charge of a charity. They are volunteers who play a vital role, giving up their time to make important decisions about the work of a charity. Trustees Week is an annual event to celebrate and showcase the work that trustees do, and to encourage more people to get involved as trustees.
- There are approximately 194,000 charities in the UK (165,000 charities in England and Wales, 24,000 in Scotland, 5,000 registered in Northern Ireland).
- And just over 1 million trustees (of which some 850,000 are in England and Wales, 180,000 in Scotland and 30,000 in Northern Ireland)
- From NCVO and CCNI research, we know just under half the UK’s trustees are women
- The average trustee in England and Wales is 59 years old, and 55 in Northern Ireland.
- There are many young trustees too with some 86,000 trustee positions held by 16-34 year olds (of which 2,611 in Northern Ireland).
(Source Trustees Week website)
For more information on Trustees Week, and information on training resources, and links to trustee opportunities visit the Trustees Week website:
If you’re a Citizens Advice Trustee and you’re looking for learning opportunities, why not have a look at the Advice Skills Academy learning directory, or visit the NCVO or Directory of Social Change (DSC) website for a range of training.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women – 25th November
25th November each year is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The day, established by the United Nations, aims to highlight the issue of gender based violence as a human rights violation. It’s estimated that 1 in 3 women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
The UN General Secretary, Ban Ki Moon, describes violence against women and girls as “a human rights violation, public health pandemic and serious obstacle to sustainable development. It imposes large-scale costs on families, communities and economies. The world cannot afford to pay this price.”
The United Nations identifies that:
- Violence against women is a human rights violation.
- Violence against women is a consequence of discrimination against women, in law and also in practice, and of persisting inequalities between men and women.
- Violence against women impacts on, and impedes, progress in many areas, including poverty eradication, combating HIV/AIDS, and peace and security.
- Violence against women and girls is not inevitable. Prevention is possible and essential.
- Violence against women continues to be a global pandemic.
(Source United Nations website http://www.un.org/en/events/endviolenceday/)
Agencies across the UK, and locally in the Liverpool City Region are working hard to support women affected by domestic violence, which is just one form of domestic abuse against women. In the UK there is an estimated 1.9 million people affected by domestic abuse, with 1.3 million female victims (6% of the population) and 600,000 males (4% of the population). Some other shocking statistics are:
- Seven women a month are killed by a current or former partner in England and Wales
- 130,000 children live in homes where there is high-risk domestic abuse
- 62% of children living with domestic abuse are directly harmed by the perpetrator of the abuse, in addition to the harm caused by witnessing the abuse of others
(source Safe Lives)
For more information on domestic abuse, and for support services for people affected by domestic abuse see:
Halton Domestic Abuse Family Service https://www.catch-22.org.uk/services/halton-domestic-abuse-family-service-dafs/
Helena Extra (St Helens) http://www.sthelensgateway.info/organisations/helena-extra-domestic-violence-services
The First Step – domestic violence support in Knowsley http://www.thefirststep.org.uk/
Liverpool Domestic Abuse Services http://liverpooldomesticabuseservice.org.uk/
Sefton Women’s and Children’s Aid http://www.swaca.com/
Savera UK – for support on domestic abuse, FGM, honour based violence, and forced marriage http://www.saverauk.co.uk/
South Liverpool Domestic Abuse Services http://www.sl-domesticabuseservices.org.uk/
National
Safe Lives (formerly CAADA) http://www.safelives.org.uk/
Women’s Aid https://www.womensaid.org.uk/
Support for men http://www.mensadviceline.org.uk/
Movember
November is Movember – focusing on men’s health. Now a globally recognised month, Movember encourages men to grow a moustache, and men and women to get active, and raise money for projects tackling men’s health and wellbeing.
Movember is co-ordinated by The Movember Foundation, who are a world-wide charity working to tackle men’s health issues, such as prostrate cancer, testicular cancer, and suicide. In the 13 years the Foundation has been operating, they’ve funded more than 1,200 men’s health projects around the world, and are aiming to reduce the number of men dying prematurely by 25% by 2030.
For more information on ways to get moving, to raise funds or make donations, or get involved in Movember events visit