Adult Education In Gloucestershire: Information Advice and Guidance (IAG)

1. Statement

Adult Education in Gloucestershire (AEiG) is committed to providing Information, Advice and Guidance to all individuals to allow them to make informed choices about learning, training, volunteering, and careers. We use Seetec/Standguide who service the National Careers Service to provide free, impartial careers advice and create a tailored individual action plan for learners. We also signpost to other provisions such as Gloucestershire Skills & Employment Hub who can also support with action planning and next steps.

In order for our individuals to achieve their chosen pathway, Adult Education in Gloucestershire (AEiG) recognises that individuals need to be on the right course, at the right time and with the appropriate support.

2. Aim

AEiG aims to equip learners and those potential learners with the tools and information to make informed choices about their current learning and intended destinations.

This means that our service will be:

• Accessible and Visible
• Professional and Knowledgeable
• Impartial
• Responsive to your needs
• Friendly and welcoming
• All potential learners should be able to select courses that are suitable for them, if they are eligible
• All learners should understand their potential next steps from the current course they are studying and must be provided with future careers options if requested/required
• All learners should be encouraged to reflect on and recognise their own progress whether it be within work, a volunteering role, or achieving independence and determining their own destination
• Accessibility and Visibility – we aim to provide recognised and trusted IAG services which are publicised, signposted, and made available to all learners at times and venues which suit their needs
• Professional and Knowledgeable – our staff can quickly and effectively identify learners and if necessary, signpost or refer them to suitable alternative services
• Effective connections – where learners are signposted to suitable alternative services, we aim to support them in that transition
• Availability, Quality and Delivery – our IAG services are targeted to the needs of our learners
• Diversity – we recognise the individuality of our learners and provide a range of services to reflect this
• Impartial – our IAG services aim to support leaners to make informed choices, on programmes and progression routes, based on their needs, interests and circumstances
• Responsive – our IAG services aim to reflect the present and future needs of our leaners and the local labour market demands
• Enabling – our IAG services aim to engage and support learners in becoming lifelong learners, allowing them to explore and plan their end destination through access to and use of information
• Awareness – we aim to make clients aware of the relevant IAG services available to them and to have informed expectation of those services

This will be achieved by:

• Promoting an accessible service to all potential and existing learners through pre-course recruitment, on course and end of course information and advise
• Identifying the individuals needs and aspirations in relation to their learning, training, and work both paid and unpaid
• Providing a service which is differentiated to respond to individual needs, and which is underpinned by the principles of the quality opportunity
• Exploring options which will assist the learner to identify and achieve their personal goals and aspirations
• Ensuring that all information, advice, and guidance is clear, accurate, current, and impartial
• Employing well qualified, trained, and well-informed staff trained to provide information and advice to learners
• Signposting learners to additional and/or alternative sources of information, advice and guidance and careers advice via the National Careers Service
• Raising awareness and training for staff to enable them to promote the National Careers Service and other support services that contribute to the provision of information and advice
• Collecting and collating data on participation, referrals, progression, destinations, and learner satisfaction to inform monitoring and evaluation of the service and support continuous improvement
• Analysing the impact of information, advice and guidance on learner progress and achievement through learner feedback either via survey or focus group

Roles and Responsibilities

• The overall strategic management of information, advice and guidance provided to learners is the responsibility of the Head of Service within Adult Education
• The delivery of information, advice and guidance to learners is the responsibility of frontline staff, Trainers, and Assessors
• All staff will actively promote the provision of information, advice and guidance and undertake necessary training including qualifications where relevant, according to their role
• Trainers and Assessors will embed progression and destinations into their teaching, learning and assessment

Careers information, advice and guidance include:

• Pre-course information and advice
• On course and progression information, advice, and guidance
• Exit guidance to ensure positive destinations

Learner Entitlement

• All learners and prospective learners are entitled to accurate course information and advice on progression routes. Adult Education Team provide Impartial information, advice, and guidance to assist with course choice, career planning and transition into further study or employment.
• At induction all leaners are entitled to receive information about additional support services that we offer.
• All learners are entitled to progression information and guidance from qualified coaches / tutors.

Roles and Responsibilities

Learners

• To provide as much relevant information as you can
• To make contact promptly if there are any question or concerns about your course
• To make contact if you are unable to attend your course
• To work towards agreed aims / any SMART targets set by your tutor
• To be actively involved in and take ownership of your progression plan
• To work with tutors and fellow learners, respecting the views of others.

Adult Education in Gloucestershire

Will ensure:

• Relevant staff are aware of this policy
• There are sufficient qualified, experience staff /tutors
• All staff / tutors have access to training, support and resources which are appropriate to their role
• There are strategic curriculum plans (Intent, Implementation, and Impact) which support the IAG agenda
• Linking with a curriculum area to plan and develop tailored courses for learners
• We provide sufficient course information and advice to enable prospective leaners to make the right course choices
• Provide information regarding progression, signpost learners to alternative provision / organisations etc
• Monitor and record progression and destination (intended and actual)

Confidentiality

In order to provide the best possible service, we do keep a record of our learner’s details and log of their progression routes. This record can only be accessed by authorised staff who may need to see this information for data proposes. Adult Education in Gloucestershire complies with the requirements of the GDPR regulations 2018 / Data Protection Act 1998.

Equal Opportunities

Adult Education in Gloucestershire welcomes enquiries from all people regardless of their age, race, colour, gender, and sexual orientation, religious or political beliefs, disability, marital status, or background. We are committed to the aim that everybody is given equal opportunity to access our IAG services and training resources.

Feedback: Compliments, Comments and Complaints

To help us continuously improve our service and address learners’ needs we want to hear from our customers, if so desired, this can be done anonymously.

If customers would like to comment on or compliment the service, or make a complaint, they may refer to the complaints and appeals procedure.

Our complaints procedure explains clearly how complaints should be made and how these and any unresolved issues are dealt with. All complaints are dealt with in the strictest confidence.

Monitoring

Adult Education in Gloucestershire will quality assure the details within this policy through completion of monthly staff 1:1s, observation of teaching and learning and progress reviews. External scrutiny will be encouraged through assessments such as the Matrix accreditation.

The Matrix Quality Standard Award

Adult Education in Gloucestershire has achieved the Matrix Standard Award for IAG. The Matrix Standard is the national quality standard for any organisation that delivers information, advice and/or guidance on learning.

Adult Education in Gloucestershire Information, Advice and Guidance Procedure (DOCX, 187.8 KB)