Projects
Details of LONDON O3-funded projects.
Putting IT to work in the care sector
The ‘Putting IT to work in the care sector’ project brings together training providers and institutional partners in order to develop and promote the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) as a way of up-skilling care employees and SMEs. The purpose of the project is to provide an integrated programme of training and tailored support to improve the use of ICT within London’s care sector as a tool for workforce development as well as to increase business efficiency. The College of Technology (London) leads the sector focused partnership which is taking the project forward and includes the NHS North Central London Strategic Health Authority, Social Works Limited and Skills for Care (formerly Topss), the Sector Skills Council for the care sector.
London’s care sector, one of the FRESA (Framework for Regional Skills and Employment Action) priority sectors, is largely made up of SMEs and micro enterprises. Both SMEs and employees lack adequate ICT training and infrastructure to meet the needs of the London economy as well as to provide Londoners with an adequate level of service. The care sector is, in general, characterised by poor pay, low skills levels, low retention rates and a lack of progression/promotion pathways.
‘Putting ICT to work in the care sector’ delivers ICT training to SMEs, their managers and employees across London. Each SME enrolled undergoes an ICT Needs Assessment which helps managers to identify skills shortages and understand the impact of improving their knowledge of ICT on business efficiency as well as staff motivation, retention and progression. The SME development plan incorporates the results of the Needs Analysis, staff development plans and action plan with targets. Individual learning is linked to opportunities for progression and will focus on the delivery of European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) and the new NVQ for ICT users, ITQ (Information Technology Qualification). SMEs are encouraged to work towards the Investors in People (IiP) kitemark.
Parallel to training provision, the ‘Putting ICT to work in the care sector’ Web site provides information, advice and good practice for social care SMEs and their employees. It promotes success stories highlighting the benefits of embedding ICT training and workforce development within SME management in the care sector. The project will produce a report for Skills for Care which will focus on using ICT for workforce development in the care sector. The project will form the basis for a model for the development of a training policy framework for London to be used beyond the life of the project. The project’s findings will be also used by Skills for Care to develop a Workforce Development Toolkit for Social Care.
The project constitutes, therefore, a key opportunity for agencies and providers across London to work together to support skills development and address skills shortages in the care sector at a regional level. The project will help the social care workforce to provide a quality, modernised service that meets the national minimum standards. ICT training is perceived as a tool for workforce development which will lead to higher recruitment and retention rates. ICT is also seen as a crucial management tool to help managers to meet the requirements of the Care Standard Act (2000) as well as enhance communication and exchange amongst SMEs in the sector.
This project forms part of an integrated, London-wide approach towards workforce development and SME engagement led by Skills for Care and encompasses 20 ESF-funded projects in the care sector in the capital. The College of Technology (London) has worked together with Skills for Care and other ESF providers towards joint marketing activities, including a SME recruitment event. This approach has also allowed for cross-referral and helped to avoid duplication of support activities within London. Additionally, the project aligns with the priorities set out by two London’s FRESA Flagship initiatives: the NHS Pan-London Skills Escalator and ICT for Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises.
Project delivery
The project will be delivered between January 2005 and December 2006 and its planned outputs/outcomes include:
- 210 care sector employees undergoing ICT training (equivalent to NVQ Level 2)
- 60 care sector employees progressing towards ECDL or ITQs at Level 3
- 147 care sector employees achieving ECDL units
- 40 care SMEs managers undergoing ‘ICT for Managers’ training (equivalent to Level 4)
- ICT audits and needs assessment for 40 care SMEs
- Web site and database for care learners, employees and SMEs
- 15 care SMEs to begin progression towards Investors in People kitemark
- 1 Report and action plan focusing on ICT in the care sector.
ESF Matters: Making a difference to people’s lives
The project’s beneficiaries
SMEs and micro enterprises in the care sector along with their employees are the project’s target group. As Skills for Care’s research highlights that a large proportion of employees in the care sector are female and from black or minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds, the project pays specific attention to implementing and monitoring equality and diversity.
An Equality and Diversity policy as well as grievance procedure are part of the induction pack for beneficiaries. As College of Technology (London) is ‘Positive about Disabled People’, it is well-equipped to meet the needs of disabled beneficiaries, including fully accessible training venues. Beneficiaries will also receive support in the form of travel expenses and a number of them will take part in a focus group which feeds into the project.
The project has already recruited 60 SMEs onto the programme since it started earlier in 2005 exceeding its initial targets. The following section shows how the project is helping two London care homes by providing ICT training to managers and nurses.
Beneficiaries’ stories
Lancam care home
Lancam is a small care home with 35 employees in Barnet. Mandy Abbott, one of the managers, explains that the project will help to meet the care home’s computer literacy needs in a number of ways from “enabling staff to put care plans on the computer, to carry out research and check medicines records online and to email GPs and hospitals”.
Mandy says that there is a lot of information about computer courses but no funding: “This is a small care home with a small training budget and we would not be able to get ICT training without this project.” For the majority of the eight nurses and care staff enrolled on the programme, this is the first time they have received IT training of any kind.
Stamford care home
Stamford care home is located in Edmonton. 16 of the nurses here as well as managers and administrative staff are receiving free ICT training through the ‘Putting IT to work in the care sector’ project. Gladys, deputy manager at Stanford, feels that “they are very fortunate to have the College to provide training and they are very keen to do the training.” The training takes place on-site but beneficiaries also work at home thanks to a disk and two publications with exercises. This helps them prepare to take modules towards the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL).
Most of the nurses “have been trained before the computer age so they have never received any IT training,” Gladys explains. This is the case for nurse Jouze who has no ICT experience and is looking forward to starting on the course. Nurse Roslyn has recently started her training and she feels that the “training is interesting and the book with exercises to do from home helpful. The training will help me when the system changes and most records will be in electronic forms.” One of the major obstacles is the lack of IT resources at the care home. Trainers bring in their laptops to deliver the course and the College of Technology is looking into providing Stanford with computer equipment that hospitals no longer use.
Funding
The project has been granted £330,968 of European Social Funding under Objective 3 (Specification 4.2e). The funding has come through the Pan-London co-financing round which is managed by ECOTEC Research & Consulting on behalf of the five Learning and Skills Council in London.
Further information
For further information about European Social Funding and the LSC Pan-London ESF Objective 3 Programme, please visit:
To find out more about the LSC Pan-London ESF O3 Programme, please contact the LONDON O3 Team within ECOTEC (020 7089 1976;
Nigel Hall at the College of Technology London please phone 020 8980 7888 or e-mail . Further information about the College of Technology London is available on the CTL Web site.
Learning and Skills Council
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is responsible for funding and planning education and training for over 16-year-olds in England (excluding higher education). For any media enquiries about the LSC please contact Vicky Taylor on 020 7904 0789 or .
