Information Bank

Developing a Learning Culture: Contents

Background
Why develop learning plans? Regulations
Why develop learning plans? Reports
Why develop learning plans? Legislation
Building from where you are now...
Supporting training & learning with Supervision
Recording and Monitoring Training & Learning
Barriers to Training & Learning for Staff
Barriers to Training & Learning for Organisations
Motivation and Incentives for Staff to Take up Training & Learning
Motivation and Incentives for Organisations to Offer Training & Learning
Encouraging Training and Learning
Finding out about relevant qualifications, courses and opportunities
More ideas for developing a learning culture
Things to consider
Reports, Resources & References

1. Background

In National Strategy For The Development Of The Social Service Workforce In Scotland. A Plan for Action 2005 - 2010 the Scottish Executive emphasise the importance of each organisation developing a learning culture to encourage lifelong learning. The following illustration is used:

(National Strategy for the Development of the Social Service Workforce in Scotland. A Plan for Action2005 – 2010, p23)

2. Why develop learning plans? Regulations

Scottish Social Services Council Registration Requirements
Scottish Social Services Council Post Registration Training and Learning rules
Codes of Practice - Scottish Social Services Council
National Care Standards

3. Why develop learning plans?

Scottish Government -. Changing Lives Report on the 21st Century Social Work Review

“ Social work services must develop a learning culture that commits all individuals and organisations to lifelong learning and development. This requires:

full implementation of the National Strategy for the Development of the Social Service Workforce in Scotland: A Plan for Action 2005-2010;

further investment in lifelong learning across the social service workforce;

social service workers to maintain a personal portfolio as an up to date record of their skills and competence;

social service workers to have access to regular, quality professional support, challenge and consultation;”

4. Why develop learning plans? Legislation

For example the Health and Safety Act. Depending on the type of service other training and regular refreshers may be required such as

First aid

Moving and handling

Fire safety

Administration of medication

Environmental health

Risk management

5. Building from where you are now...

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) self assessment resource pack “Learning Organisations” may be useful for assessing progress towards the key characteristics of learning organisations. The pack lists these as:

“Organisational structure
Organisational culture
Information Systems
Human resources practices
Leadership”

Are staff sharing their skills within the organisation? This could be done through staff feedback at team meetings, shadowing, mentoring systems etc.

A Training Needs Analysis (TNA) can be conducted to identify organisation and staff training needs. (Coming soon from Community Care Providers’ Forum Development Worker)

The organisation’s service users’ evaluations, complaints systems, staff appraisals and external reviews may help identify needs for learning and training.

Is there already a strategic or business plan? Does this include training goals?

What training budgets and resources are available? Is the principle of full cost recovery being used for contract and grant applications?

Does training and learning include Board members, managers, supervisors, front line staff, office staff, volunteers?

6. Supporting training & learning with Supervision

Supervision can be used to support learning and training by:

Helping staff identify training and learning needs and goals
Identifying barriers to learning and ways forward
Acknowledging training and learning success
Reflecting on learning and identifying opportunities to put it into practice
Reminding staff to record training and learning
Monitoring training and learning portfolios

Things to consider:

Is there a supervision policy? Do staff have supervision agreements/contract?
Are supervision notes kept? Can these be used to evidence learning?

What is the purpose of supervision? On The Informed Frontline Worker card SCIE explain the purpose of supervision is: “

ensuring quality of work
looking at the overall workload, in order to get the right balance between the various aspects: direct case-work; other forms of intervention (e.g. group work); inter-agency liaison; meetings and training etc.
sharing and defining particular problems, and when necessary admitting to mistakes (which can then be rectified)
getting feedback on performance and gaining insight into oneself
making it a protected time, free of interruptions, to reflect on practice
a place to make decisions
the recording and monitoring of decisions and agreements
an opportunity to consider all forms of knowledge, including research findings, local knowledge and service user/carer views, and demonstrate how this is being used
a time to explore and examine tacit/implicit knowledge so that it can be articulated and described (why we do what we do)
the encouragement of learning and continuous professional development, and the recognition of training needs
accountability.”

7. Recording and Monitoring Training & Learning

How can training and learning be recorded?

SSSC Proforma for registered Social Service Workers
Training request and reflection forms
Staff learning portfolios including individual training plans, course certificates, notes, minutes, supervision notes, assignment, research reports, evaluations.
Organisation training database

How can staff be reminded to record training and learning and how can this be monitored?

Regular time in supervision to review portfolios
Printouts from database to check and update
Forms sent to staff to update every few months

8. Barriers to Training & Learning for Staff

Negative past training experiences: fear of failure, boredom
Lack of confidence
Seen as punishment for poor practice
Literacy concerns
Personal cost of training or additional expenses
Personal time and energy especially for part time staff
Concern about time off and the impact on the service user
Lack of information about the goals of the training
Goals of training do not fit with employees own goals
Lack of training support from managers
Lack of commitment to field of work. Considering retiring, or career change in near future
Don’t see the point of training when they’ve been doing the job for years

9. Barriers to Training & Learning for Organisations

Funding for training, travel, accommodation, staff cover, materials
Timing and location of training could incur further financial costs in travel/accommodation for staff involved
Lack of / cost of educational resources
Difficulties arranging rosters
Lack of infrastructure or staff to introduce and manage training plans
Concerns about losing trained staff to other employers
Lack of knowledge about appropriate training
Lack of appropriate training / trainers
Poor staff attendance on some courses
Balance staff needs with available resources.
High number of staff requiring training.
Time to provide support to staff

10. Motivation and Incentives for Staff to Take up Training & Learning

Enjoyment of learning
Feel valued and appreciated by being offered training
Want to acquire new skills
Increased confidence and self esteem
Feel empowered
See how training benefits colleagues
Knowledge about SSSC registration requirements
Salary increase at annual review
Salary increase after a specified number of training hours
Improved career development opportunities
Workplace paying for training
Workplace releasing staff to train
Good training experiences in the past

11. Motivation and Incentives for Organisations to Offer Training & Learning

Improved staff performance, confidence increases productivity and more competitiveness.
Improved quality of service delivery
Improved staff retention, save time and money spent recruiting.
Offer promotion to staff within organisation rather than losing staff and / or recruiting new staff
Retain an edge over competitors.
Improved staff morale, staff feel valued
Raise profile of organisation, improved recruitment.
Increases confidence of service users
Promotes networking and team working
Uses staff to their full ability
Comply with regulations and legislation

12. Encouraging Training and Learning

How is training and learning recognised? Encouragement and recognition is vital. Different types of rewards motivate different people:

Financial – bonuses, pay increases
Increased responsibility
Gifts / cards
Public recognition – ceremonies, website, intranet, newsletters, press releases
Praise by managers
Praise by colleagues who are skilled in the same field

13. Finding out about relevant qualifications, courses and opportunities

To find out about what qualification are acceptable or relevant:
SSSC Helpline & registration criteria to identify relevant training
SSSC Skill Sets to identify relevant SVQ units
SQA Helpline & website lists individual SVQ units

To find out where to train:
Local universities and FE colleges
Internet searches
Talk to other organisations that do similar work
LearnDirect Scotland for Business Helpline and online database

14. More ideas for developing a learning culture

Keep an organisational database of training that staff have completed.
Hold annual award lunches to recognise new qualifications, invite CEO and board members
When managers are released for training, give aspiring managers the opportunity to fill in.
Get staff to report back on training at team meetings
Get staff to run training sessions on areas of expertise or new learning
Encourage reflection on training immediately after the event, revisit 3 months later
Once staff have passed SVQs buddy them with people who are starting to study

15. Things to consider

Will staff need additional support around literacy issues before beginning training?
How can barriers to staff beginning training be overcome?
Will staff contribute to the cost of their training?
Will the employer contribution to training costs be conditional on success or remaining with the organisation?
If staff leave during training or soon after completion will they be required to pay back some of the training costs? (To make provision for this please seek legal advice.)
Will part time staff have to pay some of the training costs or spend more of their own time studying?
Will staff study and prepare for assessments at work or in their own time?
Will staff receive salary increases or additional responsibilities after completing qualifications?
If staff fail or take longer to achieve their qualifications who will pays for the additional fees and time?
Do staff have a personal training budget and a number of release days for Continuing Professional Development?

16. Reports, Resources & References

Further information from the Scottish Social Services Council Workforce Solutions website - http://workforcesolutions.sssc.uk.com/

updated 11 July 2011