York Learning Vision and Values for IAG

York Learning aims to provide high quality, information, advice and guidance services which promote the value of learning to learners of our services, prospective learners and employers or other organisations representing current or prospective learners.

The IAG services support our values in that their staffs are passionate about education & enabling our learners to reach their potential. The IAG staff, seek to develop the self-esteem and self-confidence of learners. We share with the rest of York Learning our belief that every individual should be treated with courtesy and fairness and we respect the rights and beliefs of each other, regardless of gender, marital status, age, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or position within the organisation.

We value new ideas and approaches and seek new opportunities and solutions to meeting the IAG needs and demands of our learners, employers and the local community whilst supporting national and regional education and economic strategies. We seek to encourage and celebrate creativity and to be supportive of innovation, learning from all that we do. We believe that our staff and learners should work in an environment of friendliness, with a clear sense of purpose to achieve our mission and realise our vision.

Learner Entitlement

York Learning is committed to create an IAG experience for the learners that is:

• Outstanding and delivered in an excellent environment
• Aspirational, designed to inspire and motivate
• Personalised to suit the learner
• Planned to guide learners on to the right courses and to support and stretch them
• Developing self-confidence
• Coaching them to be successful and progress on to their next steps

All clients of York Learning, i.e. learners, prospective learners and other stakeholders, are entitled to a service that is:

1. Accessible and Visible
   Access to IAG should be free from direct or indirect discrimination. Services should be recognised and trusted by clients, have convenient range of entry points from which clients may be signposted or referred to the services they need, and be open at times and in places which suit clients’ needs. So, in addition to the IAG team based at West Offices, IAG is provided at 1-1 learner inductions, in class, on York Learning website, at sessions within Aspire i-Gen, Rougier House, in the workplace and within our marketing material and is available free of charge to any individual on request.
2. Professional and Knowledgeable
   IAG frontline staff should have the skills and knowledge to identify the client’s needs quickly and effectively. They should have the skills and knowledge either to address the client’s needs, to signpost or to refer them to suitable alternative provision.
   The learning and development needs of York Learning IAG services is identified during the business planning and staff appraisal processes, alongside national priorities. The identified needs include professional and subject updating via long and short external courses, meetings, conferences, leadership and management, employability skills and other developmental activities.
3. Impartial
   Clients have the right to information, advice and guidance that is impartial, unbiased and realistic. Where appropriate, referrals will be made to external agencies.
4. Integrated
   Links between IAG services should be clear from the clients’ perspective, regardless of the programme or location of their study. Where necessary, clients will be supported in their transition between services.
5. Aware of, and responsive to Diversity
   The range of IAG services should reflect the diversity of clients’ needs and reflect both clients’ present and future needs.
6. Enabling
   Enquirers, learners, parents, employers, staff and partners should be able to make informed choices about ways in which York Learning can meet their individual training and development needs. IAG services should encourage and support clients to become lifelong learners by enabling them to access and use information to plan their careers, supporting clients to explore the implications of both learning and work in their future career plans.
7. Patient, Friendly and Welcoming
   IAG services should encourage clients to engage successfully with the service.

Clients are made aware of our IAG services through our website, Learning 4 Everyone brochure and other various marketing materials and our learner handbook.

Learners and stakeholders are aware of our services through various local events, such as  the twice yearly York Learning city wide Job Fair for employers and learners to engage and two smaller target fairs are held in super output areas of York supporting the hardest to reach learners.  Apprenticeship events at Schools and fairs, preparation courses and open evenings to guide learners on what courses entail where appropriate.

IAG Delivery

This policy applies to all enquiring, enrolled and past learners at York Learning and is offered/delivered at a level appropriate to the learner and the course.   For the purposes of this policy the term Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) is used as an umbrella term to denote a range of guidance activities and processes.

The following definitions have been used:

Information – Information is data on opportunities conveyed through different media, both mediated and unmediated including face-to-face contact, written/printed matter, telephone help lines, ICT software, and websites.

Advice – this involves:

• helping a learner understand and interpret information
• providing information and answers to questions and clarifying misunderstandings
• understanding their circumstances, abilities and targets
• advising on options or how to follow a given course of action
• identifying needs – signposting and referring learners who may need more in-depth guidance and support.
• Advisory work is usually provided on a one-to-one basis but may also be in groups.

Guidance – aims to support learners to:

• better understand themselves and their needs
• confront barriers to understanding, learning and progression
• resolve issues and conflicts
• develop new perspectives and solutions to problems
• be able to better manage their lives and make plans to achieve their potential.

Guidance may also involve advocacy on behalf of some learners and referral for specialist guidance and support. This involves more in-depth one-to-one work by guidance trained staff.

York Learning curriculum includes several elements that relate to IAG including, soft skills development relating to work-readiness, C.V. writing, preparation for interviews and safeguarding. There is also significant IAG taking place within the ILP process.

In line with the IAG defined above, York Learning provides assistance relating to:

• the range of support available in class.
• fees and other financial charges associated with a course of study
• financial assistance available to support those in education and training
• course entry criteria, qualifications, accreditation and modes of study
• equipment, clothing and materials which the learner must provide impartial careers advice and guidance
• personal goals, aspirations and motivation while on course
• guidance to its current learners to discuss progression

York Learning works collaboratively with a range of providers within the learning community in York to enhance its curriculum offer to learners. York Learning is committed to developing quality IAG provision in agreement with its partners, to ensure that the best range of progression opportunities are available and that consistency of delivery ensures all learners receive impartial, high quality IAG.

Information on courses is provided by IAG staff, curriculum teams (tutors, support, administrators, receptionist), enrolment teams, centre co-ordinator managers and administrators and exams team.  Where  York Learning does not have the information, the IAG staff will seek the information on behalf of the individual, or provide the individual with the name and contact details of the organisation, who will have the information being requested.

Advice and Guidance is provided by trained competence staff and potential and current learners can see an advisor face-to-face, via the telephone or within written format.   The advice and guidance is confidential and promotes and supports equality of opportunity wherever possible to enable learners and potential learners to make informed choices as to the most appropriate route for their personal and career development.

Our Aims and Objectives

To provide programmes and support that:

• Target disadvantaged and vulnerable groups and individuals
• Get people into work and supports them whilst in work
• Contribute to positive health and well being
• Help individuals to achieve their potential
• Give  people a first step back into learning

Assessment Review and Evaluation

To ensure a high quality of IAG service, York Learning will evaluate its provision to ensure that:

• the information, advice and guidance services are delivered in accordance with our published information and this IAG Policy.
• any learner or potential learner with an identified disability will be provided with appropriate support to enable access to IAG services.

York Learning continues to have the MATRIX standard kite mark for IAG and we review and evaluate our service to achieve the 3 year re-accreditation. Impact data for IAG is collected in a number of ways including learner feedback, retention and achievement data and destination data.  This information feeds into York Learning’s self-assessment process throughout the academic year and is found in a number of SARs.