AAC Learning and Development Fund
Guidance Notes
Applicant’s Details
Please provide NES with all the necessary contact details so we can consider your application. AAC Partnerships are developing at a local level across the country. Each partnership is multiagency and involves health, local authority (education and social care) and in some cases voluntary organisations. You should state the “Partnership Area” in which you are working and ensure the relevant AAC Lead (see Appendix 2) has been informed of your application.
Section A
Question 1.1
NES recognises the value of collective learning as well as an opportunity for individuals to engage in quality learning experiences. Therefore, this fund can be used to support individual or team applications. Please indicate if your application is for a team or for an individual
Question 1.2
IPAACKS can be accessed here: http://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/education-and-training/by-discipline/allied-health-professions/augmentative-and-alternative-communication-(aac).aspx
The Self Assessment section should be completed before you start your application to the Learning and Development Fund.
Question 1.3
The AAC Learning and Development Fund is a flexible scheme to be used to support the best way of learning and development that suits your needs. Education and learning can take many forms and is not restricted to attending a course. Your development activities may be work based and may involve your time in undertaking tasks that link to priority areas including identifying the learning needs of others. This section must relate to the learning activities the applicant(s) will be undertaking.
Question 1.4
If the identified learning opportunity requires funds to be available to an HEI, College or other external training/service providers, NES will pay course fees direct to the provider and this information will speed up the process for successful applications.
Question 1.5
All courses should have learning outcomes. You should be able to get this information from the course provider.
If the learning opportunity you want to undertake is not a course, you must still have a clear understanding of what you will gain i.e. you must have learning outcomes. Please state these in terms of what you will gain from participating in the learning opportunity.
Being clear about your intended learning outcomes is important to ensure you gain value from your experience. Your learning outcomes should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Think about what you will be able to do as a result of your learning. Make sure you link your learning outcomes to your work and show how your learning will have an impact in your workplace e.g. applying research skills to improve the evidence base of your interventions.
You may be applying to undertake some work-based learning that is for the benefit of others e.g. support workers, parents. If so, please consider what your learning outcomes will be in developing this and do not provide the learning outcomes that the support workers / parents will achieve.
Question 1.6
Checking or assessing that you have achieved your learning outcome is an important part of the learning process. If you are planning to undertake a formal qualification it is likely the assessment will also be formal, e.g. submit papers, case studies etc. However, your learning outcomes should also connect to the service you provide and you should include also include work based learning outcomes.
Question 1.7
Please confirm that the learning opportunity has been identified and agreed through your KSF and PDP. Your Line Manager will be asked to supply further details.
For applications from out with NHS Scotland, please confirm that your learning opportunity is supported through the personal/professional development scheme used in your organisation.
All Partnership areas have an AAC Lead who is designated to lead on “A Right to Speak” at a local level. Please see Appendix 2 for a list of the AAC Leads.
Question 1.8
Your learning and the intended outcomes of your learning should not just be about personal gain but have an impact on the services you provide. The recommendations made in A Right to Speak are about making long term, sustainable improvements in services for people who use AAC. Please describe how participating in this learning opportunity will help you to ensure that the vision of A Right to Speak is developed, implemented and maintained in the future.
For guidance and further information around the Scottish Government’s A Right to Speak report, linked to AAC-specific funding, please go to:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/06/8416/downloads
In addition, please describe how the learning you would like to undertake would enable you to deliver on additional Scottish Government policy / policies that relevant to your sector.
Question 1.9
NES is committed to education and workforce development which enhances the ability of staff to deliver safe, effective, person-centred care to the diverse population of Scotland. One of the considerations in funding awards is the opportunity to:
· Improve access to services;
· Support development of person-centred services which take account of diverse needs and experiences;
· Reduce inequalities.
In this section you should consider how your application can support these objectives.
You may wish to consider how your learning will enable you to:
· Increase your awareness of issues relevant to a particular population;
· Contribute to improving the evidence base on the experiences and outcomes for particular populations;
· Identify and implement service improvements to enhance access, improve experience or improve outcomes;
· Involve and engage diverse populations in the service.
Issues you may wish to consider include:
· What inequalities exist in access to services, health or social outcomes, etc?
· How can this application improve your understanding of potential barriers and approaches to address these inequalities?
· How can equality and diversity be reflected in your learning outcomes?
· What opportunities are there for involving diverse patients and carers in your learning activities and in assessment of your learning, or in identifying and implementing service improvements?
Question 1.10
Please specify the funding you require. Depending on the volume of applications received NES may be able to fund all of your requirements or make a contribution.
AAC Learning and Development funding is exclusively in respect of educational activities.
NES must comply fully with all audit requirements and as such please do not include general headings such as sundries, stationery or IT equipment. For applications where travel and accommodation costs are applicable, the Review Panel will determine the level of funding granted and all payments will be in line with the NES Travel and Subsistence Policy (See Appendix 1).
Where costs involve course fees at a college, HEI or external training organisation, NES will pay these directly to the provider via a contract/purchase order. However, you MUST also apply to the college, HEI or external training organisation for a place on the course.
NES by agreeing to fund your application does NOT guarantee you are accepted by the college or HEI to gain a place as this is an academic decision taken by them.
If the funding is for work-based learning and your Health Board or organisation needs to be paid there will need to be an appropriate budget code where funding can be allocated from NES via an invoice and purchase order or via a service level agreement.
Question 1.11
NES funding is driven by the financial year and therefore all funds allocated must be utilised by the end of March 2015. In addition the learning opportunity must be completed by the end of March 2015.
Question 1.12
If you are accessing additional sources of funding please provide details of these.
Question 1.13
If your application is successful, you will be expected to submit a report to NES and a template will be provided for this.
Section B
Question 2.1 & 2.2
Please confirm that you are in agreement about the learning that the applicant would like to undertake.
If the applicant works in the NHS, please provide an extract from their PDP or an extract from their completed IPAACKS Self Assessment.
For applicants who are not NHS employees, please provide an extract from the relevant professional development scheme or an extract from their completed IPAACKS Self Assessment.
Question 2.3
Please describe how the learning activities will benefit your service / organisation as a whole. Think about the vision and strategic aims articulated in “A Right to Speak” – how will this learning opportunity help the applicant contribute towards the realisation of these?
Question 2.4
How will the applicant be supported to apply and use the knowledge and skills they develop in the workplace. What will change in the workplace as a result of the applicants newly acquired knowledge and skills?
Question 2.5 and 2.6
Please provide assurance that the applicant will be given support in terms of time to complete all aspects of their learning opportunity. In addition, please provide assurance that the applicant will be supported in terms of accessing resources essential to completion of their learning experience.
Question 2.7
How will this learning opportunity enable the applicant to contribute to improvements in AAC services? What do you anticipate the impact to be on your service?
Question 2.8
Public authorities have a duty in law to eliminate discrimination and harassment, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations across the protected characteristics of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race (and ethnic and national origin), religion or belief, and sexual orientation.
In addition, NES has committed to increasing access to learning and development as one of its equality outcomes. As such, NES requires that awards of development funding take account of the need to ensure fair access to learning and support.
In the section we would like you to briefly describe the selection processes in place to ensure equity of access to this funding opportunity. In your response you may want to reflect on some of the following:
· What steps do you take to ensure all staff receive notification of the opportunity in an accessible format?
· What steps do you take to monitor access to learning and development by staff from different equality groups?
· Are any equality groups currently under-represented in learning and development – and, if so, what steps have you taken to enhance access for these groups?
· What barriers might staff experience in accessing this learning opportunity, and how have you addressed those barriers?
· What support do you offer to encourage applications from diverse staff?
· What selection process is in place, and how do you ensure equity and objectivity in this selection?
Question 2.9
NES recognises that providing funding is not the only factor that contributes to applicants being able to complete their learning activities. By asking you to enter into an agreement we are asking that you commit to supporting all aspects of the applicant’s learning to ensure that they have a positive experience.
Question 2.10 and 2.11
Mentor support is an essential component of HNC courses. Please indicate that mentor support will be provided and name the individual assigned to take on this role. Also confirm that the appointed mentor will be given the necessary time and resources to participate in mentor support provided by the College.
APPENDIX 1
TRAVEL & SUBSISTENCE POLICY
Overview
The overall purpose of the policy is to ensure that the appropriate standards for the public sector, and in particular the NHS in Scotland are met. This includes ensuring that all public money is spent appropriately, and that there are robust and properly authorised audit trails available for all expenditure.
The provisions of this policy are designed to ensure that best value for money is achieved. The policy identifies the most appropriate arrangements for travel and other subsistence costs. However, it is recognised that there will be cases when best value for money is achieved by making alternative arrangements. The key to achieving best value for money and maintaining public scrutiny is to ensure that individual cases are properly reviewed and considered in accordance with the needs of the organisation, and that any exceptions to the policy are properly documented, giving details of the circumstances involved.
The policy aims to ensure that the terms and conditions for the payment of expenses are in line with Agenda for Change, the NHS Education for Scotland (NES) Standing Financial Instructions, and other good practice, and are clearly documented.
The implementation of this policy will be monitored by NES’s Director of Finance and Performance Management and the Finance Department, as part of the routine financial monitoring of the organisation, to ensure that value for money is being achieved
Authorisation
It is the responsibility of those claiming and those who authorise the payment of expenses to ensure that each claim is genuine and meets the conditions laid down in this policy.
If claims are not to be paid or if the amount to be reimbursed is reduced, it is the responsibility of the office where authorisation is carried out to advise the individual who has lodged the claim of their decision. Where some payment remains due, copies of the letter sent to the individual or other explanatory notes should be attached to the claim before forwarding it to the finance department.
All expenses should be coded to the appropriate budget and authorised before being passed to the finance department.
Travel Booking Criteria
Applicants to the AHP Careers Fellowship Scheme are responsible for ensuring that travel ticket bookings are made at the earliest possible opportunity so that NES is able to take advantage of corporate and early-bird discounts. Reservations and bookings, where possible, should be arranged taking account of NHS National Contracts.
1.1 Rail Travel
All those covered by this policy must use standard class rail travel and will be issued with standard class tickets.
All journeys must be undertaken at the cheapest rates, arranging tickets as early as possible in order to be able to obtain the cheapest rates available. Cheap day-return tickets should also be purchased where appropriate.
1.2 Airfares
There should be no travel by air within mainland Scotland except in exceptional circumstances.
In all circumstances economy class tickets should be purchased. All flights should be undertaken at the cheapest rate available (including low cost carriers). Open tickets and flexi-passes should not be purchased unless the circumstances show this to be the most economical option in the particular circumstances.