Interlink Training...

Training Provision
The first aim in Interlink’s Strategic Plan is to ‘enhance the development and effectiveness of the voluntary sector, in Rhondda Cynon Taff and surrounding areas, through the provision of effective support services’.  Two of our objectives within this aim are to:

• Increase confidence, skills and capacity through the provision of formal and informal learning and training opportunities.
  
  
• Promote and support improved performance and governance through support, training and advice.

We offer a range of training opportunities and signpost to other training provision, external to Interlink, where appropriate.

To help us deliver our training we work with our partner organisations - click here for more information

Informal learning and training opportunities
As part of our development service, Interlink’s officers are available to offer informal training and support sessions to member groups e.g. on trustee roles and responsibilities, on developing constitutions, policies and procedures or on funding and commissioning.  Depending on the requirements of each group, the development officer will design a bespoke session to meet their needs. This is an Interlink core function and is therefore a free service.  

Formal training programmes
Interlink offers formal training courses, including half-day, full-day, two-day and ‘taster’ sessions.  We send out training needs analyses to members and are happy to receive feedback and training requests at any time.  We design six-monthly programmes, which run from April to September and from October to March, each financial year.  Courses can vary from programme to programme in order to deliver the training our members say they need.

Training course fees are subsidised for Interlink members (and for members of other county voluntary councils) and are higher for the statutory/private sectors and for non-CVC members.  The fees enable us to expand our training provision and bring in specialist training, such as First Aid courses, which we purchase from external providers.

Our training programme and booking form, including the fee structure and cancellation policy, can be found on our website.

Basic Skills Employer’s Pledge
Interlink is signed up to the Basic Skills Employer’s Pledge and we are working to an agreed action plan.  Our basic skills training is predominantly for Interlink’s trustees, staff and volunteers, though if we have spare places on basic skills sessions we will open these up, free of charge, to member groups.  It is our intention to offer a positive and supportive service to all our client groups, which includes the ability to recognise, support, advise and signpost individuals with basic skills needs to the appropriate provision.

Agored Cymru (formerly OCN) accreditation
The Open College Network in Wales has changed its name to Agored Cymru.  Interlink is an accredited provider and we are registered to deliver a range of training units within:

• Health and social care
• Child development and wellbeing
• Information Communication Technology
• Publishing and information services
• Teaching and lecturing / direct learning support / foundations for learning for life
• Preparation for work
• Accounting and finance
• Administration and business management
  

We currently offer Agored Cymru accreditation for our Routes To Recovery and Training The Trainer courses.

Courses for Communities
As part of a support infrastructure to the voluntary sector which includes the Wales Council for Voluntary Action and our neighbouring county voluntary councils (CVCs), we are able to offer courses from a standard training framework called Courses for Communities.  All the courses within this framework will be available within a region, so if Interlink doesn’t offer the Courses for Communities training you need, it will be available from our sister CVCs in Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend, Cardiff or the Vale of Glamorgan. 
See the Courses for Communities website - http://www.coursesforcommunities.org.uk/

Social Care Workforce Development Partnership (SCWDP)
The voluntary sector is represented on the Social Care Workforce Development Partnership (SCWDP) which offers a range of training opportunities through its annual training programme.  The training is principally offered to independent sector organisations from which the Local Authority commissions social care services, though spare training places are offered out to the wider sector.  Additional places on other social services’ training courses are also made available to the voluntary sector and we will signpost members to this provision when it becomes known to us.

Training from other agencies
As a CVC we are regularly notified of training provided by voluntary sector and other training providers.  We will continue to signpost members to this training via our website, our weekly e-bulletins and via our newsletter (The Link).