New Opportunities for Care Home Staff in Multi – Site E – Learning Project

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The provision of better training for people working within care homes took a significant step forward, thanks to the work of the Open College Network Oxford, Thames and Chiltern Ltd (OCNOTC).

OCNOTC are no stranger to growth and development this summer. The British sunshine has shone down as they have expanded and spread their wings to improve and increase the breadth of their service on offer. They currently offer accrediting and training services in London and the South East, but are set to expand their remit to incorporate other regions as well. They are not forgetting the responsibilities that this growth entails, and their initiative to offer training for care home staff demonstrates an awareness of the different issues at stake in training and education today.

Getting Bigger”¦and Better?

It would appear that the often parodied comment regarding size proving significant is true for OCNOTC. It has been announced recently that they are planning to break away from the National OCN network, widening their portfolio at the same time. Their new look coverage will include all of Greater London, the South East, the South West, the East Midlands and Eastern Regions.

The initiative involving care home training provision is the result of the OCNOTC’s successful bid placed for a project supported by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and receiving European Social Fund (ESF) funding. The project will see them setting up e ““ learning centres in care homes in and around Milton Keynes. They will be covering areas adjacent to Milton Keynes as well, such as Oxford and Buckinghamshire.

OCNOTC will be working together with other partner organisations to finalise 13 sites to be used for engaging with 30 care sector employees. The aim of establishing the e ““ learning centres and engaging with the employees is to provide the relevant training and knowledge base for the sector, something that the Executive Director of OCNOTC Katherine Gillard is confident will be achieved. Speaking of the expanded provision of the OCNOTC, she said: “I am confident that our new services and products will help to meet provider and learner needs which will enable us all to respond and make a contribution to the local, regional and national skills agenda.”

Jethro Marsh

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