Information, Advice & Guidance Policy

 

Author:Fiona Himsworth/Lee Davey, last updated by Grainne Hillery
Date of Publication:September 2020
RevisedAugust 2026
Next date of reviewAugust 2027

 

IAG Purpose – Aims and Objectives

York Learning aims to provide high quality, information, advice and guidance services which promote the value of learning to current and prospective learners, members of the public, employers and partner organisations.  

We encourage life-long learning, with learners progressing through courses and curriculums, building transferable skills for further learning and qualifications, and moving into sustainable, meaningful employment, boosting the local economy and enriching the local labour market.

York Learning’s IAG team is passionate about education and enabling our learners to reach their potential. We believe that every individual should be treated with courtesy and fairness and we respect the rights and beliefs of others in accordance with our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

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 provided throughout the learner journey. The following definitions have been used:

Information:

Information on opportunities shared through media including:

  • face to face contact and/or virtual media (Teams)
  • our webpage on York Leaning’s website
  • Videos, social media, our dedicated PADLET
  • flyers, brochures and other printed materials
  • telephone help lines

Advice:

  • support to understand and interpret information
  • further information and answers to questions, clarifying misunderstandings
  • considering circumstances, barriers, abilities, targets and goals
  • advising on options or how to follow a given course of action
  • signposting and referring for more in-depth, specialist guidance and support
  • provided on a one-to-one basis and in small group settings

Guidance:

Working with the learner, supporting them 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
  • take ownership of their plans, planning realistic targets and taking steps to achieve their potential
  • explore skills and qualifications needed in the current and future jobs market and how to achieve these skills and qualifications
  • understand their own transferable skills and how these might be employed in further learning and/or work.

Learner Entitlement

We are committed to creating an IAG experience for the learner at each stage of their learner journey which is:

  • delivered in a suitable, accessible environment
  • respectful of the diversity of learners’ present and future needs
  • aspirational, designed to inspire, motivate and develop self-confidence
  • personalised to suit individual needs
  • planned to support, stretch and guide onto suitable courses
  • linking current learning to transferable skills
  • contributing to positive health and wellbeing
  • informing which skills and qualifications are relevant to current and future jobs markets
  • informing how to develop own skill set for use in current and future jobs market
  • support to achieve, and progress on to next steps to achieve potential in learning and/or work/volunteering

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.  

Learners have the right to information, advice and guidance that is impartial, unbiased, practical, and realistic. Where appropriate, we make referrals to external agencies for further support or services.

Professional and Knowledgeable Staff; Current, Relevant Information

IAG frontline specialists and our wider team have the skills and knowledge to identify a learner’s needs quickly and effectively. They will be able either to work with the learner to address their needs, or to signpost or refer them to suitable alternative provision.

We work to ensure all resources are current, relevant to learner’s needs and updated as necessary.

The learning and development needs of York Learning IAG services are identified during the business planning, quality cycle, and staff PDR processes, alongside local and 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.

We provide IAG related CPD and support to our specialist team, front-line staff, assessors and tutors to identify transferable skills linked to their curriculum and to inform learners of available learning and work progression routes. All front-line staff should have or be working towards L2 IAG.

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 encourage and celebrate creativity and are supportive of innovation, particularly in our wider internal and community reach. We believe that our staff and learners should work in a truly supportive environment, with a clear sense of purpose to achieve our mission and realise our aims.

The Model

  1. Accessible and Visible

Access to IAG is free from direct or indirect discrimination. Services are recognised and trusted by participants, have convenient range of entry points from which participants may be signposted or referred to the services they need, and are accessible at times (within reason) and in places which suit participants’ needs. In addition to the IAG team based at West Offices, IAG is provided at 1-1 learner inductions, in class, and accessible via York Learning website, on our dedicated Padlet, in the workplace (where fund projects apply), and within our marketing material. It is available free of charge to any individual on request, though our enrolment team at point of access, and through 1-1 IAGs, small group workshops and *funded projects (*eligibility rules apply)

Referrals and Self-referrals

Learners and stakeholders are made aware of our IAG services through our website, via out enrolment team, via tutors while on their course, via Learning for Everyone brochure, through various marketing materials, our Padlet, and our learner handbook. We also visit key classes throughout the year to deliver bespoke IAG and inform of the service. We host various local events, e.g. York Learning jobs fairs held in central York and super output areas of York, supporting the hardest to reach learners. We also support apprenticeship events, and other ad hoc community events, to provide prospective learners with relevant course information and learning and IAG support options.

For all referrals and self-referrals for an IAG 1-1 appointment or to enquire about our current employability project (Rise2Thrive Trailblazer till end March 2027 and Step Up, till end June 2027)) contact us at YorkLearningCareersAdvice@york.gov.uk or book at https://book.yorklearning.org.uk/page/findcourse

  1. Integrated

This academic year, we are introducing the Shape Your Future Brand; this comprises SYF Wellbeing pathway and SYF Work and Skills Pathway. The former offers a foundation wellbeing pathway whereby learners with the most barriers/hardest to reach learners are offered either a one-off community wellbeing workshop, or a longer wellbeing course (two options, in central York locations) The purpose of this foundation stage is that learners who are most disengaged from learning and who need to build confidence, self-belief in learning ability, and trust in formal education environments, are able to do so in a supportive, wellbeing-based environment, learning strategies to build self-esteem and manage mental wellbeing challenges, to better prepare to progress to more formal learning. IAG is integral to these workshops and short courses, with learners’ options explored and clarified in sessions, and help to access those options on completion.

Links between IAG services (in class IAG, point of access IAG via enrolment team, to more in-depth 1-1 or workshop IAG provision) should be clear from the participants’ perspective, regardless of the programme or location of their study. Where necessary, participants will be supported in their transition between services.

We seek to support individuals from disadvantaged communities, and those who have been out of learning or employment, or who are under-employed, through partnership work with other CYC teams, Job Centre Plus and a variety of voluntary and community organisations.

All partnership work is carried out in accordance with current GDPR guidelines.

  1. 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 participants to become lifelong learners by enabling them to access and use information to plan their careers and explore the implications of both learning and work in their future career plans. Learners should be able to understand how to bridge gaps in their skills, experience and qualifications so they are equipped to work in current and future jobs markets. IAG offer and implementation serves the strategy, aims and objectives of the York Learning, CYC’s city wide vision and plan.

  1. Wrap-around support

The York Learning IAG curriculum includes soft skills development relating to work-readiness: exploring work and learning options; job searching, CV writing,; preparation for interviews, understanding own transferable skills, wellbeing, workplace resilience and safeguarding, using innovative tech (VR and AI) to support job search, CV writing and interview prep, skills for current and future jobs markets, as well as signposting to functional skills including English, maths and IT/digital. Significant IAG takes place within ILP and RARPA processes through regular reviews and target setting. Transferable skills development is evident in ILPs and RARPA.

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.

Our teams provide assistance relating to:

  • IAG service info available in class
  • fees and other financial charges associated with a course of study
  • access to financial info available to support those in education and training
  • course entry criteria, qualifications, accreditation and modes of study
  • impartial careers advice and guidance
  • personal goals, wellbeing, safeguarding, recognising and tackling barriers, aspirations and motivation while on course
  • guidance to its current learners on progression routes and option
  • next steps for current and future jobs and volunteering, where work is the aspiration, and any further necessary learning/qualifications

We work collaboratively with a range of providers and voluntary organisations in and around York to enhance its curriculum offer to learners.

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

Where required, formal Advice and Guidance is provided by trained and experienced staff, and potential and current learners can access an advisor face-to-face in person or via video, via telephone call or text, or by email.  Advice and guidance is confidential and promotes and supports equality of opportunity to enable learners and potential learners to make informed choices as to the most appropriate route for their personal and career development. Learner safeguarding and wellbeing are paramount with any safeguarding concerns referred to the safeguarding team. We have developed a series of Careers Clinics, Employability Workshops, and Wellbeing workshops and courses (under Shape Your Future) to strengthen skills, wellbeing and resilience better equipping learners to progress in their learning journey, career, and/or voluntary work, including working with under-employed individuals. Information and booking details are available on our webpage and in Learning for Everyone brochure.

Assessment Review and Evaluation

To ensure a high quality of IAG service, through self-assessment and ongoing training and support for staff, York Learning evaluates 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 constantly review and evaluate our service to achieve the 3 year re-accreditation (upcoming inspection 2027). 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 IAG, Employability and Projects SAR (self assessment report) and YL’s overall self-assessment, and the yearly quality cycle.

York Learning evaluates and reviews policies annually, and as required, to ensure that they are up to date and relevant to the needs of our learners.