developing accredited training for volunteers - Volunteer Now

DEVELOPING ACCREDITED TRAINING FOR VOLUNTEERS Training provides volunteers with a structured opportunity to learn. Accreditation adds value to this learning by formally recognising what the learner knows or can do as a result of the training. The learner’s knowledge and/or ability need to be tested against an agreed benchmark or standard in order to get the recognition of accreditation. This process of testing is known as assessment and is carried out by an assessor. Once the standards have been met, formal recognition is given by an awarding body that may provide the learner with a certificate to prove their achievement. This paper aims to explore a structured approach to developing accredited training for volunteers by introducing: • • • •

a model of good practice for the delivery of accredited training how to plan accredited training for volunteers different types of accreditation suitable for volunteers a range of approaches to assessment

A model of good practice The training cycle is the basic model of good practice for the design and delivery of any training. The training cycle involves four stages: identification of learners training needs; design of the training; delivery of the training; and evaluation of the training. The accredited training cycle only differs from the original training cycle in that the process of assessment is added. IDENTIFY NEED

EVALUATE TRAINING

ASSESS & ACCREDIT LEARNER

DESIGN TRAINING

DELIVER TRAINING

Planning accredited training for volunteers Accreditation is not just about ‘bolting on’ some assessment, deciding to implement accredited training will bring in extra considerations at all stages of the training cycle. Proper planning is Page 1 of 16

© Volunteer Now, January 2010

the key to successful implementation of any training programme, but accreditation has some extra considerations. Three key questions need to be addressed: 1

Why accredit volunteers’ achievements? Accredited training can bring about benefits to the volunteer, the organisation and the service user. Being clear about the desired benefits helps to identify which kind of accreditation is most likely to bring about these results. Benefits to volunteers

♦ Increased motivation and confidence in their role. ♦ Raised awareness of the importance of their role. ♦ Feel more valued through the organisation’s investment in them. ♦ Greater satisfaction in their volunteering. ♦ Improved employment/ promotion prospects. ♦ Possible first step into further education/ training.

Benefits to the organisation Benefits to the service users ♦ Recognition internally and ♦ Improved quality of externally of the standard activities/services. of skills/knowledge that ♦ Increased range of volunteers bring to their services available. work. ♦ Reassurance of quality of ♦ Increased recruitment. volunteers’ work. ♦ Increased retention. ♦ Better relationships with happier volunteers. ♦ Emphasised importance of volunteers’ role in the organisation. ♦ Fewer incidences of ‘trouble shooting’. ♦ Enhanced reputation as an investor in volunteers. ♦ Potential increased investment by funders. ♦ Increased effectiveness of volunteers.

Not every kind of accredited training brings all the benefits listed in the table, and not every one of the benefits will be equally important to an organisation and its volunteers. Volunteers should be asked what they want or expect from accreditation, as successful accredited training cannot be implemented without their commitment. Working out what the organisation hopes to benefit from accredited training for its volunteers helps determine how much the organisation is prepared to invest in the process The pursuit and development of accredited training for volunteers should have management support and be compatible with the aims/vision of the organisation. This results in a greater chance of sustainability for the training and ongoing development of the organisation and its volunteers 2

What is going to be accredited? It is possible to accredit volunteer’s skills, knowledge, attitudes and/or understanding, but it is important to be realistic and focus on the key areas of the volunteer’s role. For Page 2 of 16


example, if volunteers are providing advice and guidance on housing rights, are their skills in giving advice and information accredited, or their knowledge of housing rights? Or if volunteers are leading environmental conservation teams, are their abilities in conservation accredited, or their skills as a leader? Being able to state explicitly what will be accredited helps determine both the most suitable type of accreditation and the most appropriate method of assessment. 3

How will volunteers’ achievements be accredited? Having concluded what is to be accredited there are a number of choices to consider in deciding which accreditation route is best for the organisation and its volunteers. The first option is to source an existing accredited training programme, delivered by a training provider such as a college, university, institute of further and higher education, or another independent organisation. The second option is to design and deliver internal or ‘in-house’ training and seek accreditation for it through an awarding body.

Advantages

Disadvantages

Accessing existing accredited training ♦ Training programmes have usually been ‘tried and tested’. ♦ Quick and easy to access as no development time is involved. ♦ Access to specialist skills or knowledge that may not be available in the staff team of the organisation. ♦ Quick and easy to access. ♦ Cost effective for a small number of volunteers. ♦ Can be expensive. ♦ Little/no control over the content and/or quality of training, e.g. volunteers may find some areas irrelevant, hard to compile assessment evidence for, or difficult to apply to their role. ♦ Delivery times, location and/or methods may not suit the volunteers.

Designing an ‘in-house’ accredited programme ♦ Can tailor the programme to the organisation’s particular context/systems. ♦ Programme can be tested and then adapted. ♦ Design and delivery can take account of volunteer’s practical needs and preferences. ♦ May be cheaper for a large number of volunteers.

♦ Development and delivery can be time consuming. ♦ Development may be regularly postponed if it is not considered a priority by management. ♦ The subject ‘experts’ in the organisation might not have skills as trainers and/or assessors.

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Choosing an accreditation system There are two options when developing an in-house accredited training programme for volunteers. Both options involve testing a learner’s knowledge, ability or understanding against an agreed standard. A standard of assessment is the benchmark against which the assessor makes a judgement about whether or not the learner has achieved and demonstrated a particular level of knowledge, ability or understanding.

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1

Apply existing assessment standards In this situation the organisation may already have a training course which has been delivered to volunteers. As a result, all that is required is a way to assess the volunteers learning. An assessment framework outlines standards which volunteers can be assessed against based on the training they have already received. If volunteers have yet to be trained, the assessment standards can help design the training course because they establish what a learner must be able to do after completing a process of learning. The organisation can still use examples and scenarios which are tailored and of particular relevance to its volunteers. The important aspect to remember is that the content of the training must cover the skills/knowledge requirements specified in the assessment standards. An example is the use of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ). (Please see Example 1 overleaf)

2

Develop assessment standards In this situation the organisation takes responsibility for developing the training content and the assessment standards which the learners must achieve. The training programme is then recognised or ‘validated‘ by an awarding body, i.e. the awarding body gives external credibility so that learner’s achievements are recognised as valid outside the organisation. The awarding body will have a standard process for developing and recognising assessment standards and the development of an accredited training programme. An example is the use of the Open College Network Northern Ireland (OCNNI) accreditation process. (Please see Example 2 overleaf)

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Example 1:

Applying Existing Assessment Standards e.g. National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs)

What is it?

An NVQ is a pre-set assessment framework which is based around nationally recognised standards of competence for a particular job role. There are nationally agreed standards which can be applied to most voluntary roles, e.g. child care, management, advice and guidance, conservation work, administration, the arts etc. Awards are offered at one or more levels in any given job role, the levels relate to the degree of responsibility attached to the role. So level 1 would be for someone working under constant supervision, up to level 5 which would be for those working at a strategic management level. Each qualification is divided into units. Candidates can complete a whole qualification (maybe 12 units or more) or choose only a few of the units applicable to them and their voluntary role.

How does it work?

With NVQs, organisations can largely decide how to train the volunteers (candidates). However there is a strict system for assessment which specifies not only the standards that candidates have to meet, but also who is allowed to be an assessor and what methods they can use when assessing candidates. There are also specific quality assurance systems (known as ‘verification’), which require both internal review of assessment decisions and external review of the quality assurance process itself.

How can an NVQ be delivered?

Depending on the topic of the NVQ, there may be anything from a few to a dozen awarding bodies that award the qualification. Organisations wanting to deliver NVQs have to get approval from an awarding body to operate as an assessment centre for the particular NVQ it wants to offer. In order to achieve approved assessment centre status, an organisation must have a suitable number of qualified and experienced staff involved in the assessment process and be able to demonstrate that it has suitable administrative and quality assurance systems. Smaller organisations can attach themselves to a larger organisation that already has approval to be an assessment centre. By doing this it can train and maybe assess its volunteers (in line with the systems of the assessment centre) and staff from the assessment centre can carry out the quality assurance.

Advantages of NVQs ♦ Based on nationally recognised standards, they help bring about improvements in the quality of service. ♦ Widely recognised and in some types of work, is the qualification of choice for most employers. ♦ Wide range of qualifications to choose from. ♦ Strict assessment and quality assurance systems, but flexibility regarding the type of training delivered, the timescale for

Disadvantages of NVQs ♦ Can be expensive. Registration, certification, costs of standards, quality assurance etc can be around £100 per unit. Administration costs also must be accounted for in the organisation. ♦ The NVQ process can be quite bureaucratic and is not an easy place to start if an organisation is new to accreditation. ♦ Further training may be required as not all training needs may be met through the set standards.

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completion and how much of the ♦ Little control over course content. qualification a candidate wants to complete. ♦ Course may only be delivered at particular ♦ Assessment standards, criteria and times of the year. methods are predetermined.

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Example 2:

Developing Assessment Standards with an Awarding Body e.g. Open College Network Northern Ireland (OCNNI)

What is it?

OCNNI provide accreditation in a framework of credits, which are awarded for meeting the learning outcomes of recognised programmes. The assessment standards which volunteers must show they can achieve are referred to as learning outcomes. A set of related learning outcomes are structured in units. One unit should take a minimum of approximately 30 hours for a learner to achieve. NIOCN accreditation is available from entry level to level 3. The level denotes the degree of complexity, the range and the independence of learning.

How does it work?

In order for a training programme to obtain recognition by OCNNI an organisation must follow an approval process. This involves completing a proposal outlining what the organisation wants to get accredited, then meetings with a Development Officer who provides advice, support and training. The organisation then prepares a submission document which outlines areas such as the programme content, the target group, arrangements for assessment and quality assurance etc. Organisations design their own training and determine assessment standards and methods in line with approval from OCNNI. Quality assurance is also important and the OCNNI system (known as ‘moderation’) requires internal review of assessment decisions and external review of the quality assurance process itself. The submission is then considered by a panel who may suggest improvements to the programme. Once the panel approve the submission, learners can be registered on the programme and training can begin. The programme is then evaluated and reviewed annually.

Advantages of OCNNI

Disadvantages of OCNNI

♦ One to one support available from a Development Officer. ♦ The training can be tailored specifically for volunteers’ needs and the organisation’s aims/mission. ♦ Volunteers are accredited in the exact skills/knowledge required. ♦ Increased skills of staff and volunteers involved in programme development. ♦ Training can be delivered in a location and to a schedule that suits the organisation and the volunteers. ♦ More cost effective for a larger number of volunteers. Maximum fee per learner is £25, a one off development and validation fee for

♦ Can be a large commitment of development and assessment time. ♦ Administration costs can mount up as all course materials must be developed by the organisation. ♦ OCNNI is not widely recognised across sectors, although this is changing.

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organisations is £550 plus and annual fee of £50-£100 for NIOCN membership. (Please note that these charges are effective from September 2004). Assessing Volunteers Assessment is the means by which a learner’s skills, knowledge, attitudes and/or understanding are measured against the standards of achievement. The standards are the set range of achievements at a certain level, which the learner must prove they can attain. Volunteers’ achievements must always be judged against the standards, as these are the guidelines that ensure all learners are judged fairly, consistently and equally. A wide variety of assessment methods can be used, e.g. discussion, games, observation, quiz, role play, questioning, simulation, action plans, projects, learning journals, portfolios, case studies, presentations, worksheets, practical tasks. It is best to try and assess using naturally occurring evidence, i.e. something that the volunteers will be doing anyway, as this avoids excess work for the volunteer and the assessor. For example, use exercises and worksheets completed during the training for assessment purposes. The choice of assessment method used will depend on whether skills, knowledge, attitudes or understanding are being assessed. Examples: ♦ A volunteer who provides information on holistic therapies for the treatment of cancer could have their skills at disseminating information assessed through role play or a case study, and their knowledge of holistic therapies assessed using a quiz or a research project. ♦ A volunteer who, as a result of your training, will be able to diffuse an argument could have their attitudes assessed through a learning journal or discussion and their skills assessed through role play. ♦ A volunteer who is responsible for organising events could be assessed using a flowchart, or observation of their diary. The assessment method used must help the assessor to judge whether the learner has met the standard required. The assessor must ensure that the evidence presented by the learner is: ♦ Valid – the evidence presented must be relevant and appropriate to the standard being assessed, i.e. has the learner answered the question and not just talked intelligently (or otherwise) about something else? ♦ Authentic – is the evidence presented the learner’s own work? It is important that credit is only given to individuals who can meet the standard or it loses its value and credibility. ♦ Current – the evidence presented should be up to date. ♦ Sufficient – In competence based assessment there is no such thing as a 50% pass mark. No matter how well a candidate meets the majority of the criteria it is essential that all the criteria are met at the level expected in order to achieve credit.

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Implementing an Assessment Strategy An assessment strategy is a useful tool to summarise arrangements for assessing against the standards. It should include the methods of assessment, who the assessor is, and the evidence required. Having a strategy enables the assessor to be thoroughly prepared, by helping to ensure fairness and consistency of assessment.

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An example assessment strategy may contain the following information: Standard 1.1 1.2 2.1 2.2

Assessment Method Short questions Quiz Discussion Case study

Evidence Exercise sheet 1 Flowchart 1 Tape 1 Exercise sheet 2

Assessor Tutor Tutor Tutor/Self Tutor

Basic principles of assessment When planning assessment, a number of principles should guide your decision making. Assessment should: ♦ Be open and transparent – learners should be informed of why and how they are being assessed. ♦ Be fit for purpose – the assessment strategy must be suitable for the learners and the level of learning expected. ♦ Include feedback – learners should receive clear and regular feedback on their performance and progress. Effort should be made to always include some positive feedback. ♦ Be reliable and consistent – assessment methods must ensure that reliable and consistent judgements are made by different assessors on different occasions and over time. ♦ Be inclusive – assessment must be based on the learner’s needs. It must be designed to allow all learners to demonstrate their achievement regardless of the individual, social or economic circumstances. ♦ Be valid and authentic – assessment method and evidence provided must be capable of demonstrating the achievement of the standards and include assurance that the evidence produced for assessment is the learner’s own work. ♦ Be supportive – many adult learners have not taken part in any form of learning or assessment since their school days, and frequently their memories of formal learning are not very positive. Therefore ensure that support and encouragement are built into a training programme in order to keep motivation and enthusiasm high, and to minimise the threat that assessment can pose to some learners ♦ One vital aspect of a fair assessment system is that it is open to question and challenge, therefore an appeals procedure should be in place. For example, if a learner is unhappy with an assessment decision that has been made, they have the right to challenge it, or Page 11 of 16


‘appeal’ it. All learners must be made aware of this procedure and how it can be instigated if necessary. An appeals procedure should include the following: • •

who to contact in the first instance regarding an appeal, e.g. the assessor; who to contact if agreement cannot be reached by completing the above;

•

a time scale for each stage of the procedure.

Appeals should be made or confirmed in writing, and minutes should be made of any meetings held to discuss the appeal. This ensures that an accurate record of decisions made is available to all involved in the process. Confidentiality should be observed in all cases. The awarding body representative should be notified of any cases for appeal so that the learning resulting from the experience can be applied to future delivery of the training programme. Summary of key points ♦

Assessment involves measuring learners’ achievements against standards. Accreditation goes one step further by giving formal recognition when all the standards are met.

♦ It is good practice that the development of accredited training for volunteers should include the following five steps: identify volunteers training needs; design training; deliver training; assess and accredit learning; evaluate training. ♦ Accredited training must be supported by the volunteers and management for it to be successful and sustainable. There must be identifiable benefits for all parties involved. ♦ Be realistic about what is going to be accredited, e.g. volunteers skills/knowledge/attitudes/understanding. Focus on the key areas to enable the anticipated benefits of accreditation to be realised. ♦ Assessment judgements must be consistent for different candidates, different assessors and over time. They must also ensure that evidence presented by learners is valid, authentic, current and sufficient. ♦ It is good practice to implement a system of quality assurance which checks the accuracy and verifies the consistency of the assessor’s judgement. ♦ The methods of assessment being used must be capable of producing the right the right sort of evidence from learners.

amount of

♦ Naturally occurring evidence is best for assessment purposes in order to minimise repetition of work for the learner and the assessor. ♦ Developing an assessment strategy enables thorough planning and preparation for assessment of a training programme. Page 12 of 16


♦ The principles of assessment are that it should be open and transparent, fit for purpose, reliable and consistent, valid and authentic, supportive, and include feedback. ♦ A fair assessment system will include an appeals procedure which is open and accessible to all learners.

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Glossary of terms Term Assessment

Accreditation

Quality assurance

Standard(s)of assessment

Awarding body

Assessment framework Assessment centre Assessment strategy

Explanation A process of testing a learner’s knowledge, ability and/or understanding against an agreed standard. This process is carried out by a person known as an assessor. Formal recognition of a learner’s achievement when all standards have been accomplished. Recognition leads to the award of a certificate by an awarding body. A process which ensures that assessment of all learners is consistent, fair and reliable. This process can involve a number of different people, internal and external to the organisation. This process may also be known as moderation or verification. The benchmark(s) against which the assessor makes a judgement about whether or not a learner has demonstrated a particular level of knowledge, ability or understanding. Standards establish what the learner has to be able to do after completing a process of learning. Learners must achieve the standards in order to get accreditation. An organisation which approves the standards which the learner is aiming to achieve. Learners must be registered with the awarding body. The awarding body will provide the certificate once all standards are accomplished. Examples of awarding bodies include NI Open College Network, City and Guilds, OCR. An approved set of standards for assessment which have been determined by an awarding body. This might also outline what assessment methods must be used. An organisation which has been approved by an awarding body to carry out assessment and quality assurance for an NVQ. A summary or plan of how an assessment will be carried out for a particular accredited training programme.

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Useful contacts and further information More information on how to manage accredited training is available in the information paper: ‘Quality Assurance in Accredited Training for Volunteers’. This is available to download from Volunteer Now’s website at www.volunteernow.co.uk or by contacting the training team on 028 9023 2020. For more information on involving volunteers visit the Volunteer Now website at www.volunteernow.co.uk

For information on NVQs visit www.qca.org.uk For information on OCNNI visit www.ocnni.org.uk

Reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure information in this publication is accurate. However it is not intended to be legally comprehensive; it is designed to provide guidance in good faith without accepting liability. If relevant, we therefore recommend you take appropriate professional advice before taking any action on the matters covered herein. Charity (Inland Revenue) No. XT22896. Company Limited by Guarantee No. NI602399. Registered in Northern Ireland. Page 15 of 16

© Volunteer Now, January 2010 129 Ormeau Road Belfast BT7 1SH Tel: 028 9023 2020 Fax: 028 9023 7570 Email: [email protected] Web: www.volunteernow.co.uk

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© Volunteer Now, January 2010 129 Ormeau Road Belfast BT7 1SH Tel: 028 9023 2020 Fax: 028 9023 7570 Email: [email protected] Web: www.volunteernow.co.uk