Eurocarers
European association working for carers
Learning for Living
Summary
Learning for Living is an Internet-based course on everyday caring functions for carers run by City & Guilds (http://www.cityandguilds.com/), the leading provider of vocational qualifications in the UK. The course leads to a nationally recognised (level2) formal qualification called ‘Certificate in Personal Development and Learning for Unpaid Carers’.
The course was funded by affiliate organisations such as local authorities and colleges. Launched in 2004, by 2009 approximately 700 carers had engaged in the course.
The modules were delivered via a range of online tests and quizzes involving typing in appropriate answers and completing drop-down multiple-choice questions. There were also useful DVD-style video and audio recordings to help carers with the course. Tutors were additionally available via email to provide instruction and feedback. There was also a helpline linked to the course for technical assistance.
The project ended in 2009 and, as it is not running at the moment, the official website http://www.learning-for-living.co.uk/, does not work. All information were retrieved from the City & Guilds website. The effects of the service have never been evaluated.
Description
refers to the target users, kind of service provided, ICTs typologies and devices used
This service aims at providing personal, social, psychological tools to informal carers for coping with different care-related issues, through a virtual platform where carers can find any type of helpful content.
The main motivation that delivered this initiative matches with the mission and the vision of the main provider City & Guilds: this company develops vocational qualifications across a variety of sectors, helping individuals in developing their talents and abilities for future career progressions. This service born from the willingness to provide informal carers with the skills they need to face care duties.
Care Recipients
Informal carers
Paid assistants
Formal carers
Not available
Independent Living
Information and learning for carers
Personal Support and Social Integration for carer
Care coordination
Carers were given a username and password to log on to the online resources, where they found four modules:
• Moving forward: involves help on returning to study, coping with complexity in life and planning for the future.
• Taking care: involves keeping healthy and enjoying life.
• Living with others: involves understanding relationships and coping with loss.
• Managing as a carer: involves money management, safety matters and understanding care services.
Besides the online modules the course offered: DVDs with video and audio recordings; tutors for instruction and feedback via email and a helpline for technical assistance.
Personal computers with internet connection is the only required device.
Operational Information
refers to the type of funding, budget, sustainability and organisations involved
Local Authorities
Not applicable
Not applicable
The project was funded through public resources from local authorities and run by City & Guilds and, as the project ended in 2009, we can not talk about sustainability. However, it is worth to be mentioned the fact that, after the project phase, City & Guilds has now a dedicated course for qualifying health and social care assistants and many contents of Learning for Living are currently part of issues covered by the vocational qualification system in UK.
Not available
Authorities
Private Care Sector
Health and Social Care Systems
Third Sector
Private Companies
Not available
Informal Carers
Health Professionals
Social Care Professionals
Privately-Hired Care Assistants (inc. Migrant Care Workers)
Volunteers
Social and health professionals are involved as teachers.
Not involved
700 users
The organisations recruit carers to the course and offer a face-to-face introductory session to help carers who may lack appropriate IT skills.
Evaluation
refers to the impact of the service on end-users, care organisations and authorities
Not available
Not available
Not available
Strengths
- The service reserves a particular attention to the migrant care workers, even if there are not dedicated modules.
- Many different types of items (see the services provided section) are dealt with in the modules.
- The system was user friendly and did not require particular devices or installation.
Weaknesses
-
The service is not running at the moment.
-
The website is not available.
-
The lack of impact assessment and information on the reason that lead to the project end.
Opportunities:
-
The main opportunity lies in the fact that City & Guilds provides a course for qualifying social and health care workers as part of its contents package and, in this way, Learning for living continues to live.
As mentioned, Learning for Living became part of City & Guilds that works at international level and provides courses for working carers. In particular, it has two significant projects related to ICT and care. The first, called the Certificate in Supporting the Users of Assistive Technology, is an accredited course for care workers to learn how to assign appropriate telecare packages to clients in needs of them.
The second project is an online facility called Smart Screen (www.smartscreen.co.uk). This allows City & Guilds tutors and learners alike to access a range of resources relating to their courses. Smart Screen offers a range of user-friendly downloadable documents, video and audio recordings, quizzes and tests, etc. There are also forums for tutors to discuss issues relating to courses and all learners have online access to their tutors via email. Formal assessments can be submitted and/or completed online via Smart Screen, too. Tutors and learners working on social care qualification have full access to the system.
More Information
includes contacts, publications and accompanying documents
Publications :
Yeandle S. and Fry G., The potential of ICT in supporting domiciliary Care in England, JRC, European Commission, IPTS, 2010
City and Guilds
T: 0044 0844 543 0000
F: 0044 0207 294 2413
E: centresupport@cityandguilds.com