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4413 Educators providing Leadership courses delivered Online

Safelives

safelives

Bristol

Our Chief Executive, Suzanne Jacob OBE, leads the below senior leadership team (SLT) and overall operational management of SafeLives. The SLT is assisted by a team of dedicated professionals with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Suzanne Jacob OBE, CEO Having worked at SafeLives for three years – including two years as Deputy CEO – Suzanne became Chief Executive in December 2017. Immediately before joining SafeLives, Suzanne spent several months working in Delhi for Breakthrough India, an organisation which campaigns against violence and discrimination against women and girls. Prior to this, Suzanne spent nearly a decade with the UK Home Office. Here, she worked extensively on national security matters, established the National Crime Agency as a significant new part of UK law enforcement, and acted as Private Secretary to the Minister responsible for crime and policing. Suzanne worked for several years on security for the London 2012 Olympics, and was awarded an OBE in 2013 for her work on intelligence collection and analysis, and enforcement activity. Suzanne volunteered for seven years on the Victim Support helpline, providing first response for victims of all crime types. She became a Trustee of Crimestoppers UK in April 2021. Jo Silver, Director of Quality and Innovation Jo is responsible for designing and piloting exciting new and effective interventions to end domestic abuse. Jo provides expert advice on activities, policy messages and practice, she works with national and local commissioners, funders, policy makers and partners to make this happen. Jo rejoined us in January 2014, having spent two years as senior consultant at the NSPCC in Cardiff. Jo was Caada's (SafeLives' former name) director of professional development between 2006 and 2012. She also worked for the police for ten years in the public protection unit and at the Women's Safety Unit in Cardiff. Jo Gordon, Chief Operating Officer Jo is responsible for effective and efficient internal management of the organisation, making sure that SafeLives lives by its values of being human, rigorous and brave. Jo took up the role of Chief Operating Officer in July 2018. Prior to this, Jo was Head of Learning and Accreditation at SafeLives having joined in 2005 as a freelance trainer. Jo started her career as a youth and community worker. She worked for ten years at North Devon Women’s Aid prior to SafeLives and is committed to tackling the issue of domestic abuse. Jo is also a volunteer at her local homeless shelter. Liz Thompson, Director of External Relations Liz is responsible for our external relations activity, working with colleagues to forge and maintain great relationships with the wide array of people who are vital to our work; find new opportunities to develop and replicate what we do; and secure the support and income we need to help people and their families live safely and well. She joined in 2019, following a decade leading communications for the Royal Shakespeare Company. She started her career in the commercial sector at public relations agency, Burson-Marsteller, and her previous experience includes external relations, fundraising and management roles in the public sector, at the Environment Agency and Countryside Commission, and at the charity Turning Point. She also trained as a volunteer substance misuse counsellor at Addaction, and worked at their first needle exchange in Bethnal Green.

Learning Improvement Service

learning improvement service

Bromley Common

Who and what is the Learning Improvement Service? The Learning Improvement Service was set up by Phil Hatton (read about Phil here), an ex-Ofsted HMI and National Adviser. Through his extensive experience in leading inspections, surveys, good practice, advisory work and improvement consultancy, Phil has a unique and wide understanding of best practice in the Further Education sector, particularly in colleges and in work-based learning. He is utilising his knowledge to help colleges and other providers of training improve the learning experience they give to their learners. The LIS only wants to work with those who have a real will to improve their provision, by establishing where you are now and where you would like to be in the future. We do not intend to just help to ‘patch you up’ to get you through an inspection, but to help you make sustainable improvements. We use only the best people, who know what they are doing, because they have done it themselves. Below is a brief summary of the main ways that we can support you (however, please contact us if you require something else not listed below): Consultancy support to improve key aspects of your provision - consultancy support to cover key aspects of quality improvement systems such as self-assessment reporting, position statements, improvement planning, observation of teaching, learning and assessment, sharing of good practice, course reviews and evaluation, the user voice and being prepared for short or full Ofsted Inspections. Phil can also help you to improve English and maths and ensure that your safeguarding is exemplary. Providing a ‘critical friend’ service to check and validate self-assessment, observations of teaching and other key quality processes such as course reviews – confirmation that you are moving in the right direction – we’ll work with you to confirm you are doing the right things in the right way, responding specifically to your needs, keeping you on target to improve your provision. This is one of the key areas of our work particularly from September through to February. Phil will also provide you with support by email or phone if needed prior to and during inspections. Safeguarding, Prevent and British Values Reviews – Phil has developed real expertise in what the best practice of the sector is and can work with you over two days to check out every aspect and leave you with a position statement of where you are and what you can do to be outstanding. Phil can also provide bespoke training and materials to raise awareness of staff, governors and learners Apprenticeships and subcontracting – Phil knows all there is to know about these two areas and has helped transform some of the biggest college and worst performing providers in terms of their success rates. The ideal scenario is a five day visit to check and sample how you do things, suggest improvements and provide you with the resources needed, finishing with a half-day staff development that is bespoke to your improvement needs. Please contact Phil as long in advance as possible to get time allocated for this Internal inspection or review of areas requiring improvement - a tried and tested way to improve an area is to first gain an informed view of exactly where that area is in terms of strengths and weaknesses, using an expert with extensive inspection experience. Unlike an Ofsted inspection, all feedback to staff and managers observed in an area is given constructively to help improve practice for the benefit of learners (while also giving you robust evidence for your OTLA system, SAR and QIP). An internal review could be for an area of learning or for a cross-college aspect such as safeguarding, equality and diversity, or course reviews. All consultants undertaking this work are personally known to Phil Hatton as to their ability to do so. The LIS will only conduct such work when they have the right person to do it (often Phil himself). You will receive a report that focusses on ways of improving the area reviewed, based on the best practice of the sector that is proven to work (not just telling you what has been seen, which is the usual practice of most consultancy companies). Helping individual institutions in the sector achieve good or outstanding teaching, learning and assessment through establishing robust observation of teaching, learning and assessment (OTLA) systems – depending on where your system is we can its validate current robustness by conducting observations (joint ones are best value as they train your staff) and scrutinising the gradings and paperwork historically awarded. If more work is required, we’ll equip you with the tools (training, paperwork and systems) to establish an OTLA system that delivers accurate and well recorded findings by your observers. Your observation system will help keep a focus on promoting improvement, identifying and promoting the sharing and adaptation of good practice by teachers (a reoccurring weakness in Ofsted inspections in the past year). We will provide you with the training, paperwork and systems to move your staff forward, encouraging their collaboration in the development and sharing of resources, so your staff will deliver learning in true teams. We will support you with either graded or ungraded systems. An approach of conducting joint ‘learning walkthroughs’ of 20 to 25 minutes duration is providing many institutions with an overview of their provision and enables the judgements of college observers to be tested out for their accuracy and breadth. Sharing exemplary practice and systems in self-assessment with you, leading to quality improvement planning that moves you forward – we’ll support you in developing your capacity to self-assess all of your work honestly and robustly so that your staff ‘own’ the resultant self-assessment reports and improvement plans, understanding their part in moving you forward. Few are really good at self-assessment, we can make sure that you are and that self-assessment moves you forward. Several colleges and providers have received very positive feedback about their SARs in 2016 following support and the use of LIS templates, particularly the use of a two page Executive Summary SAR that helps focus improvement actions. If you have a 50 page SAR it will not be an effective improvement tool. Helping you to produce position statements – if you think you are likely to be inspected it is important to be able to say where you are ‘now’ as self-assessment looks back on the past year - we’ll support you in writing effective position statements for key areas that tell you and others exactly where you are for that area. They are a great way to demonstrate to inspectors that you know your provision and have helped a number of LIS clients move from a grade 4 inadequate to a grade 2 good. Phil has also helped a number of colleges achieve grade 1s for their leadership and management. An exemplar position statement can be seen here but is not as good as what you will finish up with (samples can be shared)!! Conducting a confidential ‘health check’ of your organisation by one or more of the top and most experienced recent HMIs (and previously lead inspectors with the FEFC, TSC and ALI) – if it is sometime since your last inspection or there have been significant changes in management or what you offer, a ‘health check’ could be invaluable. We’ll examine your leadership, management, performance and quality improvement against and beyond the requirements of the September 2015 Common Inspection Framework in a way that can only be achieved by being carried out by the right people. Depending on institutional size and complexity, this totally confidential and focused ‘health check’ will ensure you know your provision inside out and have no surprises should you be inspected. It will help you to decide and prioritise how to move your provision on.

Leah Forsyth MHFA Instructor

leah forsyth mhfa instructor

As the leading Apprenticeship Training Provider in the UK we are proud to play a key role in Apprenticeship Training across the Electronic Fire & Security sector across the North West and beyond: through a range of mixed delivery methods we have a reach like no other across the whole of England. Our links with individuals, employers and stakeholders are at the very heart of what we do. We aim to strengthen and develop these relationships and the services we offer over the coming five years. The period ahead will have its challenges, but we are starting out from a strong position – positive student feedback, excellent results and a brand new curriculum, combined with our skilled and highly motivated staff and the development of our new training centre into a truly 21st century centre of excellence. We look forward to building on these strengths. Skills for Security is a Grade 2, Good, Ofsted national provider, with a Technical Training Centre in Warrington. We hold direct claims status with two Awarding bodies and a direct contract with the ESFA. We are a part of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) and a not-for-profit organisation. As the leading Apprenticeship Training Provider in the UK we are proud to play a key role in Apprenticeship Training across the Electronic Fire & Security sector across the North West and beyond: through a range of mixed delivery methods we have a reach like no other across the whole of England. Our links with individuals, employers and stakeholders are at the very heart of what we do. We aim to strengthen and develop these relationships and the services we offer. A nationally renowned centre of excellence for High-Quality Learning, Teaching and Employer Engagement. We work with apprentices, stakeholders and employers to ensure training is designed and delivered to be fit for purpose. Competitions Continuing to be highly successful in competitions & awards locally, regionally and on national platforms through Engineers of Tomorrow and WorldSkills. Continuous Development A strong focus on listening to employer & apprentice voices, ensuring the ongoing and continuous development of the curriculum. Our Centres We are now able to offer fire and security apprenticeship training in across England; Warrington, Birmingham, Oxford, Southport and Watford (opening mid 2022). We also have facilities in Glasgow to cater to our learners in Scotland. These innovative partnerships were developed based on the feedback we received from many of our employers earlier in the year, where it was highlighted that there was a definite need for more training providers across the whole of England. The purpose of these partnerships was to make training more accessible, flexible and affordable for our employers. What we offer Our learning programmes are exclusively tailored for apprentices in the security industry, specifically a niche part of the industry - fire and security emergency alarm systems. We have excellent networks as a specialist provider for Security. We pride ourselves on the excellent quality service which we deliver and hold our products and services in very high regard. Skills for Security work with employers to set National Occupational Standards, improve security skills and professionalism by providing access to training, apprenticeships and security qualifications for people employed in security roles across the UK. We are the preferred apprenticeship training provider in England for the security industry We have over 450 apprentices enrolled throughout England We have a purpose built and fully equipped technical teaching workshop at our Technical Training Centre in Warrington with satellite centres in Southport & Birmingham We are Industry leaders in e-learning accredited training We have fully Qualified Electronic Fire & Security trainers We also offer team leadership and customer service apprenticeships and we also deliver CPD accredited technical training.

Oldfield School

oldfield school

Bath

We provide an exceptional education in an environment that challenges all students and fosters ambition. Our students have respect for themselves, each other and their school and are well-prepared to face the world as compassionate, confident and resilient young people. Nature of the school and location Oldfield School is a successful, high attaining 11-18 mixed comprehensive with 1250 students located in the historic city of Bath. The school campus is on the outskirts of the north-west of the city and we benefit from a large, semi-rural setting with excellent transport links for students and staff. The school has an attractive, open and dispersed site. A notable feature is the location of teaching rooms and our Sixth Form in Penn House, an 18th century Georgian manor house. Our school has an excellent reputation locally and in the wider community for academic excellence and the quality of pastoral care and support. The school has with a comprehensive intake which reflects the diversity of the local community. The most recent Ofsted inspection was in January 2020, when the school was judged to be good in all areas. A feature of the inspection report was the inclusive nature of the school and the sense of community felt by staff and students. Inspectors commented that staff were overwhelmingly positive about the support that they receive from leaders and on how friendly and welcoming the school is for staff. Oldfield is a school where staff development is an essential feature. The teaching and support staff at the school are an excellent team who work well together to provide opportunities for students to achieve or exceed their potential. The needs of our students are paramount and this is recognised by all staff, who have a common view that only the best is good enough. We have a commitment to sharing good practice in developing leaders, teachers and support staff. The school has a successful and popular Sixth Form of 190 students. We offer a wide range of A Level courses and opportunities for our sixth form students and all faculties offer A Level courses. A Level classes are relatively small, which provides a personalised learning experience for our students. Curriculum The curriculum for Key Stage 3 follows the National Curriculum. Students study either Spanish or French throughout Key Stage 3 with the more able studying both languages. A wide range of courses additional to the core subjects are offered at Key Stage 4. Students are encouraged to study humanities and languages and the great majority do so. There is setting in ability groups in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 where appropriate. Almost all Key Stage 4 examination entries are GCSEs, Year 10 and 11 students typically study 9/10 GCSEs. Subjects are organised in six learning areas with the Leaders of Learning line-managed by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT). Pastoral Care Students remain in the same tutor group throughout their school career. The Heads of Year are responsible for the pastoral care of around 200-224 students from Years 7 to 11. The pastoral leaders are supported and line managed by a member of the SLT. We also have a House system to encourage a sense of community. The four houses are led by a Head of House and there are regular inter-house competitions and fund raising events. Resources and Accommodation The provision of high quality resources is a priority for the school. There are specialist teaching rooms for all subjects and most teachers have their own teaching room. ICT facilities are excellent with specialist ICT teaching rooms as well as comprehensive ICT facilities in many general teaching rooms. The school is very well maintained, ensuring that learning spaces of the highest possible standard are a priority. Oldfield School is a fantastic place to work. Students are keen and helpful and staff are enthusiastic and dedicated to bringing about the highest quality learning outcomes for our students.

Alder Grange School

alder grange school

Lancs.

Our school is a unique and special place. There is a real sense of family and community within the school. Alder Grange is a school where everybody is inspired to be the best they can, where excellence is nurtured by everybody and a community in which everybody cares. Our desire is to successfully develop the whole child. We place considerable emphasis on developing the foundations of personal achievement; their emotional and physical health and well-being, their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development, creativity and individuality. Our intention is to help our young people grow to become outstanding, independent, resilient and effective citizens in an uncertain, global 21st Century world. We strive to deliver a personalised curriculum alongside a rich offer of extra-curricular activities, enrichments and life skills for all our students. Naturally, academic progress and attainment are also extremely important to us, and you will find our results reflect this. This is due to a total commitment to excellent teaching and learning by a highly skilled and dedicated staff, constantly reflecting upon and developing their own practice. Many members of staff are former pupils. Our school is inclusive in nature and values young people of all abilities from year 7 to year 13. We encourage them to care for one another and the school, to work as a team and to take on leadership roles. There is also a genuine care for and partnership with the young people in our care and their families. Our current priorities in school include a focus on wellbeing, particularly mental health for both staff and pupils. The development of a curriculum intent that ensures all pupils are able to develop their knowledge and passions is taking place within all subject areas in school. During the seven years our pupils are with us they are given the skills and access to opportunities needed to make the next steps in to their adult lives. As a school we are never quite satisfied and build ongoing self-evaluation in to the school calendar to allow us to constantly review and reflect on our practice in order to improve. Alder Grangers are rightly proud of their school and our often repeated phrase, ‘once an Alder Granger always an Alder Granger,’ reflects the strength of feeling our young people have for their school. I have been a member of staff at Alder Grange since 1998 and I feel immensely proud and privileged to be Headteacher. I love the school and am passionate about ensuring it continues to go from strength to strength. You would be welcome to visit and see our wonderful school in action at any time.

Advance Change Ltd

advance change ltd

Actus the company was founded by Lucinda Carney, a Chartered Psychologist and former Head of Learning & Development at Siemens and at Pfizer before that. After years of experiencing first-hand the challenges of making Performance Management meaningful, she decided to set up Actus (then Advance Change) offering software that would overcome these challenges, supported by training and organisational development services to provide a comprehensive solution for culture change. Our ethos Since its inception, Actus has been one of the pioneers of performance management software in the UK. Our ultimate goal is to help build a better workplace for people and this goes beyond offering simple appraisal software. We are a small yet mighty (and very friendly!) team based in Redbourn, Hertfordshire and our software and services are highly comprehensive. We believe that to embed lasting, positive change, an organisation needs more than a very simple ‘off the shelf’ software that acts as a ‘tick box’ exercise. They need a system that will evolve with their needs as they grow and one that can be supported with the right training and consultancy options should they require them. What we offer Our Performance, Learning and Talent Suite is aimed at managing all your performance management needs in one place. That means one system and one source of truth. The beauty of Actus is that it eradicates the need for multiple complex HR systems, allowing the system to evolve with your organisations needs. To support you on your journey, we also offer a range of training and consultancy services to embed best practice. These include open and in-house training programmes to support remote/hybrid working and change initiatives, bespoke consultancy services, and a wide-range of free value-add thought leadership resources to support you on your journey. If you are interested in our products and services please get in touch below. Why we are different Our fully-comprehensive software eradicates the need for multiple complex HR systems, by providing customers with one fully-integrated solution that can be configured to their changing needs. We work in partnership with our customers. If you choose Actus you can directly influence the product roadmap. Our Performance Management Software offers more inclusive features than our competitor systems. In this rapidly changing environment, managers need all the help they can get to effectively motivate and manage people wherever they are located. We are passionate about helping people to build a better workplace, which is why we offer aligned training and consultancy services to support positive culture change in any organisation. We are constantly expanding and sharing knowledge with customers and the wider HR community through a wide range of initiatives including our free HR resources, popular monthly webinars and the top-ranking business podcast – The HR Uprising Podcast. Our Software Support Team is based at our UK-based Head Office, so if you have a problem or query you can call or email the helpdesk and receive a timely response from a real person. We have a strong history of integrating with other HR systems and working with clients to develop bespoke functionality. Awards and Accolades We are honoured to have achieved a number of industry awards, accolades and accreditations. They are a clear indication of our commitment to offering the very best to our customers and underpin our vision to be the UK Market Leader for Performance and Talent Management Software and Services. As a business, we are very proud of our achievements and recognition by our peers, customers and industry experts of our successes and the excellence of our products and services. We have chosen to align ourselves with the relevant quality benchmarks to ensure we are always using the best practice approaches to fulfil our promise to deliver the highest quality product and services to our customers. Association with all relevant business and industry bodies helps us to maintain our awareness of the latest thinking in HR, technology, what’s happening in the UK economic landscape and most importantly what issues our customers and prospects are facing that we can help resolve.

River Network

river network

Derbyshire

One of the UK’s most loved and popular evangelists, Terry has been described as a tonic: humorous, high energy, yet still vulnerable and relational. Using the strong gift of encouragement placed in him, Terry shares the full Gospel message that has so radically changed him: a miraculous testimony of healing and total redemption from brokenness, severe drug addiction & crime. This transformation has seen him become a graduate of and speaker at two bible colleges, further rising to become a CEO within the Christian charity and media sector, influencing and helping thousands worldwide. Terry is a creative communicator with an instant appeal that transcends all cultures, people groups & denominations. His much-appreciated art of motivational faith, coupled with deep insight, helps people to discover (or rediscover) their God-given purpose and spiritual vitality! His manner is at once humorous, friendly & and deeply impacting – and opens the door to life, salvation and healing, in a demonstration of the incredible power of the Spirit. He is also an Ambassador for Compassion UK. JILL Terry’s wife and partner in life, Jill, is a source of strength and inspiration to all Terry is and has accomplished, and she often sings when accompanying Terry on speaking engagements. They come as a great team! Jill loves chocolate, music, and fashion – working as a stylist for some of the world’s leading brands, dressing the housewife to the celebrity! She is also an accomplished worship leader, singer, song-writer and author. Alongside Terry’s testimony of complete transformation, Jill has her own, different testimony. Having watched her parents’ heartache as her older brother suffered tragically under the effects of extreme bullying from a young age, and the dependency that this created in him, Jill determined early in life to be completely independent – a burden to no one and reliant on nobody. This led to unrealistic perfectionistic tendencies and incredible pressure during her twenties. It was not until Jill was in her thirties that she was able to make the paradigm shift to be free of the intensity of perfectionism, leaning into the wisdom of Psalm 138: Psalm 138:8 (AMPC) 8 The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, endure forever—forsake not the works of Your own hands. What a relief it is to realise that it is the Lord who perfects, not us!!! We can only truly please God by having faith in Him, not by how perfect we try to be. Jesus finished all, accomplished all, at the cross, so that now, as the writer of Hebrews declared, we can “fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favour to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].” (Hebrews 4:16Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)) Both Terry & Jill are ordained by RMI and hold RMI Ministerial Association. In 2018 both Terry & Jill received Honorary PhD Doctorates in Christian Ministry from Excel Christian University for over 20 years of Ministry, Leadership, Service & authoring many books & musical publications. One of the UK’s most loved and popular evangelists, Terry has been described as a tonic: humorous, high energy, yet still vulnerable and relational. Using the strong gift of encouragement placed in him, Terry shares the full Gospel message that has so radically changed him: a miraculous testimony of healing and total redemption from brokenness, severe drug addiction & crime. This transformation has seen him become a graduate of and speaker at two bible colleges, further rising to become a CEO within the Christian charity and media sector, influencing and helping thousands worldwide. Terry is a creative communicator with an instant appeal that transcends all cultures, people groups & denominations. His much-appreciated art of motivational faith, coupled with deep insight, helps people to discover (or rediscover) their God-given purpose and spiritual vitality! His manner is at once humorous, friendly & and deeply impacting – and opens the door to life, salvation and healing, in a demonstration of the incredible power of the Spirit. He is also an Ambassador for Compassion UK.

Digital West Midlands

digital west midlands

London

We are pleased to share that WMCA have now launched the West Midlands Digital Roadmap, which was unveiled recently at WM Venturefest. Please see the official press release below: WMCA unveils plan for region’s digital future The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has launched its plan to give the region a digital reboot, with an aim to tackle digital exclusion, reach net zero and support a post-Covid recovery. The WMCA Digital Roadmap was presented at Venturefest West Midlands, one of the region’s top business events for digital entrepreneurs. This year’s keynote speaker was Ben Francis, the West Midlands-based founder of billion-dollar sportswear brand Gymshark. The plan outlines five missions to digitise the region, including becoming the UK’s best digitally connected region and increasing access to digital opportunities by tackling digital exclusion. The plan will build on the successes of the region’s 5G testbed and its innovation in transport, and make the most unique regional opportunities like HS2, the Commonwealth Games, and Coventry City of Culture. The Digital Roadmap was launched at Venturefest by Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands. He said: “This Roadmap sets out an ambitious plan for the West Midlands – to become a technologically advanced, forward looking digital economy, where everybody has access to the internet and data is used to improve our public services. Imbedding the latest technology into our economy will also help us reach net zero, where innovation still has a huge role to play in reducing the burden on us to change the way we live our lives. “Growth has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, but despite the adversity, there is also opportunity. The pandemic has accelerated the switch to digital and highlighted the need for a better-connected economy. To bounce back, we must weave digital into the way we do business. This means more digital bootcamps to train us for the jobs of the future; more digital devices to connect our residents to opportunities; and more innovation to help us reduce our carbon footprint and save the planet.” The Roadmap has been developed over the last six months and has been approved by the WMCA Board. As well as aiming to make the West Midlands the most digitally connected region in the UK, the roadmap aims to address the issue of the ‘digital divide’. Since the start of the pandemic many firms have quickly adapted to their employees working from home and communicating online. However, lots of small business have struggled to adopt technology fast enough and some families have struggled with home schooling due to a lack of devices or unaffordable connections. The plan sets out to ensure the region remains number one in leadership on 5G, there will be an accelerated full fibre rollout, and 4G connectivity will be boosted. The roadmap highlights key sectors to support where the region is already globally competitive: Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) in Coventry; data-driven healthcare in Birmingham and Solihull, and the gaming industry’s ‘Silicon Spa’ in Warwickshire. Venturefest West Midlands was founded to provides entrepreneurs, investors and innovators to meet, engage and exchange ideas for co-operation and collaboration, particularly in the fields of science and emerging technologies. It is led by the WMCA along with local enterprise partnerships, universities and business organisations. Also speaking at the event was Kari Lawler who launched a start-up at the age of 14 and is also a member of the Young Combined Authority said: “Through my AI youth initiative, YOUTH4AI I have been able to communicate to young people the importance and possibilities of AI. “The West Midlands has a young population which will benefit from a decrease in the digital divide and an increase in digital connectivity.” Cllr Patrick Harley, WMCA portfolio lead for Culture and Digital and leader of Dudley Council said: “Digital connectivity is going to be vital to our economic recovery and harnessing digital innovation will enable economic growth for the next decade and beyond. “This roadmap will help us realise the potential of digital to transform our economy and build economic resilience, firmly putting the West Midlands on the map as the most digitally connected region.”

Steer Training Academy

steer training academy

Steer Training Academy is a leading provider of specialised training solutions to individuals and employers within the Health and Social Care sector. Our innovative e-portfolio of accredited courses, ranging from entry level right through to leadership qualifications, provides today’s busy learners with opportunity and flexibility to learn at a pace that is right for them. With City and Guilds accredited Training Centres in Northern Ireland (NI) and Republic of Ireland we are well positioned deliver top quality practical skills training in a convenient manner for our learners. We believe in your potential and with continued support from our award-winning training team, we will enable you to gain your qualifications and advance in your career. OUR MISSION Steer Training Academy has been established by industry experts to offer flexible, innovative training that works around you. With an expansive e-portfolio of accredited courses available and an award-winning team to deliver any practical training required, our blended learning approach aims to streamline the training process within the Health and Social Care sector. OUR TEAM VICTORIA SMITTON Trainer/Assessor I have been working in the field of care for the last 16 years, I have worked in many roles including office based and manager based roles in the community where I completed my NVQ Level 4 Registered Mangers award and mentored new staff, as well as ongoing monitoring and supervision of practice. Within the last 3 years I have completed my QCF Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care, Level 4 Certificate in Assessing and Certificate in Teaching through University of ulster. I am currently completing my Internal Verifiers Award at Level 4 and involved in development and design of an e-learning platform to deliver a blended learning programme within the field of Health and Social Care. I am passionate about the quality of care being delivered and believe it is reflected in the quality of training and opportunities available to the staff. ARLENE MCCRUM Trainer/Assessor I have been working in the field of care for the last 28 years, I started my career as a care assistant working in a nursing home and then in the community providing care and support to individuals living in their own homes. I completed NVQ Level 3 in Health & Social Care, where it gave me the opportunity to develop in my career. Other areas of training I have completed are; BTEC Level 3 PTTLs, ILM Level 3 Management, Level 4 Certificate in Assessing, Certificate in teaching through University of Ulster. For me, I believe that having started at the bottom of the ladder and progressed to where I am today, gives me a better understanding of what is required to deliver the standard of care needed for those who receive it. Hopefully my journey will encourage others who may have the skills and zeal to progress in their career. KIMBERLEY NEILL MCCREADY Commercial Manager Having worked as a Training Specialist for a number of years, I fully understand the importance of good quality training and the difference this can make to an individual, an organisation and an industry as a whole. Whether it's enhancing a career or starting afresh, training and development is so important and it's something I am very passionate about. Learning is a continuous process and it's something I do everyday. OUR VALUES Learners are at the core of Steer Training and they receive the best standard in training. The organisation operates around these 5 principles: Excellence: With a commitment to excellence, we strive to offer the best training solutions to our learners Integrity: It's all about being open, honest and respectful towards our colleagues, our learners and other stakeholders always. Teamwork: We believe in the power of working together, supporting each other to achieve your goals Passion: We're passionate about our learners and the training & development opportunities we offer. We are continuously moving forward, improving and innovating Accountability: We promote reliability and personal responsibility throughout our organisation, our services and our stakeholders