Skills for Growth

Skills for Growth

Learner Handbook

Welcome to Skills for Growth!

We will provide you with the right support to help you complete your programme, to progress and start your career!

Our courses are designed to meet the needs of each individual and support you in developing the skills and values you need to sustain full time employment and progress within your chosen career.

We expect you to demonstrate your commitment to learning and progressing at all times. It is expected that you will have mutual respect, tolerance, excellent attendance and timekeeping and that you conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times.

You can expect a team of staff who are here to support, encourage, guide, coach and educate you during your time with Skills for Growth. We are dedicated to giving you the best and safest learning experience possible in every part of your journey with us.

Skills for Growth have a six core values which our staff demonstrate and which we want to instil in our learners. These are:

·  Quality, that you receive an individual and high quality learning experience with us.

·  Success, for you to succeed and progress as a result of your learning with us.

·  Resilience, to develop with you the skill, attitude and behaviour required to secure and sustain employment and progress after you have achieved your programme.

·  Well-being, your welfare is very important to us and we have support network you can access if you need to.

·  Equality, we celebrate and promote equality, diversity and challenge discrimination.

·  Integrity, we are honest in our work with you, your employers and how we use public funding.

This Handbook provides you with information on staff, facilities and expectations which will support your learning; as well as guidance on the various procedures that are in place to ensure the smooth running of your programme.

In addition, you need to note that your programme is funded through the Skills Funding Agency/Education Funding Agency and the European Social Fund. You can view a short video on ESF – what it does, how it helps and benefits available or Education – through this link http://ec/europa.eu/esf/home.jsp

Please use the learner handbook as a reference throughout your time with Skills for Growth.

Finally, we hope you enjoy your experience with us!

What Skills for Growth will do for you:

·  Provide you with an induction into your programme and the staff who will be working with you.

·  Provide structured and meaningful training in a safe and positive environment free from bias and discrimination, treating learners with mutual respect, tolerance and fairness.

·  To agree with you and your employer a meaningful, individualised Learning Plan which will contain meaningful and appropriate targets for you to strive to throughout your programme of learning.

·  Will review your progress every 6-8 weeks and set long and short term targets according to your Learning Plan, your programme and other development needs

·  Provide you with constructive and individual feedback on your progress so you always know where you are at and what you need to do next.

·  To have high expectations and to take pride in your achievements and progression.

·  To support, motivate, encourage and guide you to help you successfully complete your course.

·  To model professionalism, values and behaviour you need to develop in order to improve your employability skills and to be successful.

·  Provide safe learning environments which are appropriately equipped and accessible.

·  To run monthly exam weeks which will have the focus of functional skills, to provide the support and encouragement needed to enable you to successfully complete this aspect of your course.

·  Support you by providing access to information resources and career guidance on the career options available to you in the future.

·  Give you, whenever possible, reasonable notice of changes to your teaching arrangements.

·  Give you the right to access plenty of opportunities to feedback on your learning experiences so we can make changes where needed.

·  To give you the space and confidence to discuss difficulties or concerns you might have

·  Provide you with information and opportunity to appeal against assessment outcomes if you feel they are unfair or biased.

·  We ensure that all of our staff have DBS checks and are trained in Radicalisation, Extremist and safeguarding awareness.

·  We have a dedicated safeguarding team who are in place to ensure your safety at times of concern

What Skills for Growth expects of you:

Attendance & Punctuality

Skills for Growth require you to have high standards of attendance at all planned sessions to ensure you will achieve, succeed and progress. We expect you to demonstrate the key employability skill of exceptionally high attendance.

You should:

·  Attend work and training sessions as agreed

·  Advise your employer of sickness or absence, and your SfG Tutor or Coach when appropriate

·  Agree annual leave with your employer and advise your SfG Assessor or Coach

·  Contact SfG immediately if your employment ceases or changes

·  Learners need to provide evidence for absence to be authorised

·  If off sick for longer than 7 days, fit to return to work evidence is required

Lateness or unauthorised absence will result in a text message/email being sent to yourself, your next of kin and your employer.

Poor attendance will result in disciplinary procedures taking place and your employer being informed.

Medical Appointments

·  Should be made outside of training hours so as to not affect your work or learning experience.

Sickness or Injury

·  You must inform SfG and your employer by 9:00am if you are unable to attend our training centre due to sickness.

Keeping yourself healthy

·  Whether you are working or attending with us full time – it will feel different!

·  Remember to look after yourself – this means sleeping and eating well and not doing anything to excess since this can have an effect on your performance and wellbeing

·  If you need help or advice on any health aspect or concerns you might have please speak with your tutor who will be able to signpost you to one of our many contacts

·  Follow the links below for further information, advice and guidance

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/healthy-eating/Pages/Healthyeating.aspx

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/Alcoholhome.aspx

http://www.talktofrank.com/

Pregnancy

·  You must inform SfG as soon as you know that you are pregnant, so that we can carry out a risk assessment to ensure your wellbeing in the training centre and update your Individual Learning Plan.

Annual Leave

·  Holidays should not be booked before obtaining permission from your employer and SfG tutor.

Family Emergency or Bereavement

·  All requests for leave on training days must be approved through your Tutor and Employer

Health and Safety at SfG and Work

·  You must act with all reasonable care with regard to the health and safety of yourself and others

·  Not intentionally or recklessly interfere with, or misuse anything provided in the interests of health and safety

·  Know what you have to do to operate in a healthy and safe way.

·  You must report any health and safety issues and concerns to your employer or tutor

·  You must co-operate on health and safety matters

English, Maths and ICT

These form part of every programme that we deliver as they are skills that everyone needs wherever they work and in all parts of our lives.

·  We will use your initial assessment and further diagnostic testing to ensure that you are given the right support and training needed to support you

·  Will provide you with a log on to our BKSB on line skills builder

·  Your tutor will track your progress on BKSB

·  If you hold qualifications that exempt you from functional skills – you need to provide copy certificates within 12 weeks of you commencing programme.

·  You will receive separate delivery for each of the functional skills you have to take.

·  You will also have functional skills integrated into the vocational aspect of delivery

·  If you hold any statements which allow you access to additional support it is important that you bring this in within 12 weeks on programme. Without this evidence we are unable to seek approval from the Awarding Body in order to access the support you are entitled to.

·  You will be booked onto the relevant exams during exam week – this will be notified to you at least 10 days -2 weeks before and will be done once you have made the progress necessary to make you test ready.

·  Special arrangements for ad hoc exams will be made on a case by case basis.

·  Results for the tests will be communicated by your tutor within 48 hours of receipt.

Learner Support

If you feel that you need support in relation to your learning or something that is affecting your learning, employment or work experience, please speak with your tutor or Team Manager.

Your learning, safety and welfare is very important to us while you are on programme and we have links with various organisations and support agencies that we can link you with.

If you fall pregnant whilst on your training programme it is important that you let your tutor know as soon as possible so we can organise a risk assessment to be carried out to ensure that you are working safely whilst on SFG or your employer premises.

If you have an issue relating to your employment – it is important that your first point of reference is your employment contract and ACAS or Citizens Advice Bureau if you have a concern or an employment related question. See links to their websites below. It is essential that you check your concern out with these organisations since they have the most up to date legal information that you need in relation to Employment Law. Please remember SfG are NOT Employment Law specialists.

http://www.acas.org.uk

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

We can give you support with any part of learning on your programme. We also have a team of counsellors who work with us who you may be able to access if you are in need of counselling support and are awaiting your appointment through your GP. Please speak with your tutor or another member of staff if you have concerns.

Behaviour at SFG

·  Keep a positive and professional attitude at all times

·  Speak appropriate English (no swearing)

·  Be considerate and behave responsibly

·  Dress smartly and appropriately

·  Be respectful and tolerant to everyone

·  To listen when others are talking and not over talk

·  If you have a problem – talk about it to your tutor – don’t give up – most things can be dealt with – don’t walk away without talking about it

·  Do not use your phone during training sessions at any time - have your mobile phone switched off or on silent

·  If you are expecting an urgent call – speak with your tutor

·  Make appointments outside of training hours (where possible) All your appointments will need to verified by your tutor/employer.

·  Treat the training centre and resources with respect

If you are on our Traineeship Programme – you will also need to be aware of and commit to the following principles of work and learning;

Commitment:

You demonstrate dedication to the programme, attend all sessions on time and strive for progression to be your number one goal.

Dress code:

Skills for Growth’s aim is to promote a professional learning environment that reflects the expectations of the workplace. We will do this by modelling professional behaviour and supporting you to develop an understanding of how to present yourself in a professional manner. This will equip you to create a positive impression that ensures you have every opportunity to achieve and succeed.

We expect you to attend Skills for Growth and to come prepared for training by following our dress code of smart business dress. Business dress varies from one organisation to the next. Our expectation is that you will attend in presentable, clean clothing that is not revealing or offensive and that creates a professional impression.

Appropriate for Centre / NOT appropriate for Centre
·  Smart trousers or chinos, skirt or dress of a modest length
·  Blouse, shirt or smart top. Please ensure that your shoulders are covered.
·  Shoes should be smart, appropriate and safe to wear in your working environment. Formal shoes, loafers and boots can be worn.
·  Suit or smart jackets. Jackets may be removed in warm conditions.
·  Jumper or cardigan
·  Collared shirts/Polo shirts
·  Most jewellery is considered acceptable
·  Maintain a high level of personal freshness / ·  All trainers or converse style shoes are unacceptable as are flip-flops
·  Casual style boots (i.e. Ugg boots)
·  Tops that expose the abdomen are unacceptable as are strapless, backless or revealing tops.
·  Jeans or denim clothing (shirts, dresses, skirts etc.)
·  Tracksuit bottoms.
·  Hoodies or sweatshirts.
·  Clothing that features large logos, slogans, images or badges are unacceptable. This does not extend to manufactures’ names or small logos that are displayed discreetly.
·  Hats or baseball caps are not to be worn in the Centre
·  Outdoor clothing such as coats, scarfs hats and gloves should be removed during lessons.
·  Students may be required to remove items of jewellery if an excessive amount is worn or if it is considered to be a health and safety risk.
·  MP3s, iPods, mobile phones and head phones are not permitted to be worn in the Centre unless for work related tasks.

·  Resilience:

You demonstrate the ability to overcome and recover from difficult situations in order to experience success in the workplace.

·  Participation

You always take pride in your work and take every opportunity to demonstrate professional conduct.

·  Respect:

You have excellent self-control and always try to make others feel comfortable and appreciated