Foundation Degree and Other Training
Please click on the green play button below to listen to the audio version of the Foundation Degree and Other Training section of the Statutory Accounts.
The charity delivers a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care (Visual Impairment) in partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University. There are only two other comparable courses in the UK (the nearest in Birmingham), so the course ensures that professionals working with sight impaired people across Southern England are able to access training that will result in the best possible services for our visually impaired clients. The course consists of six specialist modules developed by KAB and six generic modules in health and social care. Students can study for a full FD or can choose to study university certificates in the specialist modules. The course is open to anyone working - on a paid or unpaid basis - with sight impaired people, and we have had applicants from across the South East. With most of our rehabilitation staff having undertaken some or all of this training, our staff, volunteers and service users are among the main beneficiaries of this work.
The FD is part funded by course fees. In 2009/10, KCC made a grant of £10,600 to help fund the training of our Kent-based rehab workers. We are delighted to say that our aim of having most of our workers trained has now been achieved and as such this funding was not repeated in 2010/11. Income was also further reduced by fewer students completing modules in 2010/11.
Part of the aim of the small restructure in the Summer of 2010 was to link the Foundation Degree and other training more closely with our rehab work. This aim has been very successfully achieved, and the stronger links between teams means that when our rehab managers identify a need to upskill our staff in certain areas, or to develop new professional practices, the FD can quickly respond and meet the learning needs of staff and students.
Despite the economic climate and the pressure on the training budgets of external organisations, the FD has continued to attract sufficient student numbers to be able to run two concurrent cohorts in 2010/11. The impact of the difficult economic climate has however meant that the number of external students fell slightly for the September 2010 intake compared with the previous year. Staff costs have increased following a decision to increase the allocation of dedicated admin support to this area, but line management support costs have reduced following the restructure in August 2010 which amalgamated the FD into the overall rehab structure.
A key aim for 2011/12 is to increase publicity and promotion of the FD to try and offset the effects of economic pressure on training budgets. We hope we will be helped by the fact that many organisations needing to tender for rehab provision will be required to prove that their staff are suitably qualified. We are also awaiting a University decision on future tuition fee levels, and another key aim for the year ahead will be to respond quickly and appropriately to the changes they propose. Finally, we plan to strengthen teaching on new technologies. There is a very strong trend of increasing demand from service users for support with technological aids and equipment, which in turn demands new core competencies from our staff.
a range of short training courses. During the year we were delighted that a third Open College Network (OCN) course in Understanding Dual Sensory Impairment was successfully accredited. We are now able to offer this course alongside our Understanding Visual Impairment and Understanding Hearing Impairment OCN accredited courses to both our own volunteers and staff, and to external students and organisations. The three courses now also form part of the core training for our Guide Communicators.
We also design and deliver bespoke short courses – for example on stroke and sight loss, or sight loss and learning disability. It is KAB’s aim to encourage the uptake of these courses because it increases awareness of sight loss amongst professionals and the general public and this in turn benefits our users. The charity charges for training, although we do occasionally provide free training where there is a considerable benefit to users.
In 2010/11 we continued our partnership with umbrella agency Training 4 Care to provide training. This partnership came to an end in March 2011, but happily has been replaced with a new partnership with Kent County Council who have commissioned 18 training dates so far in 2011/12 so we are pleased to say that this important awareness raising for health and social care professionals who support sight impaired people will continue.
Training income has fallen by £3,358 as a result of fewer external students however course numbers have increased as KAB has trained more of its own staff and volunteers. Costs have increased by £1,668 as a result of more admin time having been required for this area.
During the year a new exciting partnership has been formed with SAVI, our neighbouring Association in Surrey. Under a new partnership agreement SAVI are able to deliver accredited OCN training to their beneficiaries under KAB’s registration umbrella, with our FD Manager overseeing standards and OCN accreditation. In return KAB receives income based on student numbers. This partnership benefits sight impaired people across the south east, and increases understanding among volunteers and supporters.