An Accessible Quality Guidance Service

1. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service

2. An Accessible Quality Guidance Serviceice Tom Ryan (South Tipperary)Setting Up – Initial Considerations Post Set Up – Education & Integration Planning ProcessEmma Maher (City of Limerick)Outreach GuidanceTherese Griffin (County Clare)Outreach Information Service

3. Accessibility - Quality Framework An Accessible Quality Guidance Service Guidance Forum Report – Code of Principles Number 1 – Accessibility “Guidance services should be publicised and accessible to any eligible user. The target clientele, availability and other relevant arrangements need to be stated clearly in appropriate languages, formats and publications”

4. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service Accessibility - Increase Over Time Review Formal Planning Time Post Set - Up Set - Up

5. Set Up – Initial Considerations An Accessible Quality Guidance Service • Location of Service / Signage • Target Groups • Informing / Advertising • Approach – Friendliness/Atmosphere/Comfort • Disability Issues

6. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service Post Set Up – Education and Integration • Who are our Customers ? • Internal / External • Support Service – Need to Sell Idea • Explain Process of Guidance • Client Charter Idea

7. Planning Process An Accessible Quality Guidance Service • Limited Resources – Staff / Budget • Demand Is Increasing Over Time – Hopefully ! • Formal Planning Process Goals and performance targets Strategies for their completion Timescales Clear roles and responsibilities Reflection & evaluation • Advantages Reduce waiting lists / follow up time Fair to all Space for surprises Ability to know when to say yes / no

8. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service Outreaching the Adult Guidance Service CLVEC AEGS Outreach Focus Our mission is to connect with adults who might not normally access adult guidance services and to make these services available to them in their local communities in ways with which they are comfortable. The process involves: • Taking our core guidance activities out of the VEC into community-based/non-traditional settings. • Effective collaboration between the AEGS and local community stakeholders( including learners) • Partnership working both within and outside of CLVEC. • Facilitating In-reach i.e. learner access to the organisation and its programmes and services( feedback, brokerage, change)

9. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service How do you work towards an Accessible Quality Outreach Guidance Service?

10. THE OUTREACH PROCESS - A Case Study • COMMUNITY-BASED PLAYERS • CE Supervisors • Outreach Ad. Lit. Staff • Return to Education Staff • Community Tutors • Local Com. Ed. Organisers • Current Learners • Prospective Learners • DESIGNING the AEGS • RESPONSE • Content • Timescale • Delivery Mode • Feedback & Follow-up IDENTIFYING LEARNERS NEEDS . e.g.Concentration & Memory CONSULTATION 3 targeted Group Guidance Workshops with Learners in the Group. FEEDBACK MAINSTREAM PLAYERS Outreach AEGS Guidance Counsellor for that community Tutor

11. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service An Accessible Quality Guidance ServiceOutreaching Guidance ChecklistQuestionnaire

12. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service The Checklist • Mostly A = Your service is well on the way. Look at gaps and address these. • Mostly B = Thinking and work done but identify where are the deficiencies e.g. is your baseline information fragmented, are you doing, ‘ad hoc’ , is planning weak or incomplete. • Mostly C = Motivation and energy strong but really question are you ready to Outreach. Stop, take your time, do the ground work, get systems in place and plan. Otherwise you may be doomed for failure.

13. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service Top Tips from other ‘Outreachers’ • Physical facilities is the easy bit.. really listening/engaging, being open to change and willing to adapt… that’s the real challenge with Outreach. • Take it slowly –  get to know the area, the people, the issues. • Be patient, you can't push your agenda of guidance delivery, after all it is voluntary and complementary…"Slow Development is Good Development” • Think about ‘Outreach’ as ‘Inreach’. Viewing as Inreach places the emphasis on getting engagement from the local community project or family resource centre rather than a statutory organisation just parachuting in a service. We had a part-time information officer within the local community centre who was the eyes, ears and voice on the ground. This time the contact person is from within the local organisation. It is extremely difficult to generate activity without local community buy in.

14. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service • Have an integrated plan, which requires the managers/coordinators of the Outreach Centres to take responsibility for supporting guidance and helping to identify what groups to see as well as to actively refer target groups to the service. • Consider timetabling classes/group-work for the year with some groups e.g. VTOS • Negotiate access to appropriate facilities (room, IT access etc.) • Give diary/booking responsibility for 1:1 to someone in the outreach centre. • Visibility/Presence – Be systematic, regular and appropriately present to meet the needs and demands of different Outreach Venues.

15. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service • All communities are different- don’t pre-package, don’t have fixed ideas or be set in your ways. • Know your audiences and plan and respond accordingly. • Don’t try to be all things to all people - you will fail. • Need for National Forum/Exchange of ways of Outreaching by practitioners • Mind yourself, be supported and ask for training/up-skilling support. Outreaching is a whole other dimension and places additional, not often recognised demands on you as a guidance worker. and remember………………..

16. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service Ault Learner Support Weeks Guidance & Literacy Take a New Step Have a bit of fun and try a bit of novelty too along the Way!

17. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service Resources to check out • www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/outreach • www.niace.org.uk • www.nationalguidanceforum.ie • http://www.iccdpp.org

18. Clare Adult Guidance Service CAGS work in 5 different locations around the county. This have improved accessibility for many people, especially those living in rural areas. 255 students 1,561 students 433 students 518 students 3,481 students in total 714 students However providing an outreach service in 5 locations can present many challenges with regard to providing a high quality service in each region and giving each location appropriate time and resources.

19. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service Accessibility • Main Resource Room is located in the Adult Education Centre, Ennis - very busy centre with numerous courses taking place every day. • It is very important that Resource rooms are in a central location and be integrated into the Adult Education Centre. • Also have Mini Libraries in each of our 4 outreach centres. Again important to have appropriate locations for these libraries. Also to have a dedicated space for your library i.e. room, corner, shelf. • Our main aim would be to provide a quality service in the outreach centres equal to that of the service we provide in Ennis. Sometimes this can be quite challenging. • Outreach Resource Rooms are more localised and provides information specific to that area i.e. courses, support services etc.

20. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service Accessibility………… ......Challenges • 3,500 Students , 5 Locations, 1 Information Officer!! • Maintaining a comprehensive, up-to-date library at all times. • Encouraging staff / students to use the libraries. • Providing an appropriate library in each of the outreach centres. • How to mange information in the outreach centres.

21. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service Accessibility…….. ………Solutions • Main Resource Room includes study area, student computer, daily newspapers i.e. this encourages people to use the room. • Direct Telephone Number – no need for callers to have to go through the main reception switch board. • Dedicated Drop in Times – Available to meet people from the General Public. • Web site and e-mail. • Z Drive – shared information • Communication among team is essential – Related Activity Button on Database. Follow up on Info requests. GC first point of contact for information in outreach centres. • Information Sessions to community groups. • Mature Student Information Evenings. • Coffee mornings for various different programmes i.e. VTOS, ESOL

22. An Accessible Quality Guidance Service Quality • Information Factsheets • Learning Opportunities brochures • CAGS brochure • Employers Database / Careers Notice Board • Directory of Adult Learning Opportunities • Keeping up to date with latest information – Open days, mailing lists, involved in local learning networks etc. • Follow up on Information Requests – fast and efficient response times. • Regular Updating of Resource Rooms