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In order to meet the aims of the council many teams are now being asked to work in different ways. This change of focus is referred to as agile working and we are tackling many projects with a focus on output over process, speeding up change and delivering on our commitments with much quicker timescales. The benefits are enhanced value for money for our residents and evolving services that meet our community’s needs. This often requires us to work in very different ways than we are used to and this online course is intended to provide you with an overview of what is required in adopting the council’s new ways of working.

This course will give you an opportunity to explore what agile working is and the differences in approaching tasks in this way, the factors that need to be in place to ensure new ways of working work for you, the organisation and our residents and some tools to support these approaches. It will also give you some practical examples of successful projects based on an agile approach and the lessons that have been learnt from this.

This interactive online learning introduces a variety of creative solution generation and decision-making techniques. You will develop the skills necessary to analyse a problem, generate creative solutions, and decide which solution most closely matches their needs. You will find out about problem solving styles and be able reflect on the typical approach you take and compare it with other styles. You'll gain knowledge about how defining the problem can be key and different tools you can use to do this, different creative approaches you can apply to the issues to generate solutions and alternative ideas and then evaluation processes so you reach decisions that achieve the outcomes you want.

This course is aimed at any internal staff who want to develop practical skills and approaches to problem solving, creative idea generation, and decision making tools where the solutions are not always obvious.

Three quarters of disabled people have left a shop or business because of poor disability awareness. The Equality Act 2010 states that service providers must ensure that they meet the requirements of equality law. This includes making sure staff are sufficiently trained to deal with and support customers or service users, along with the need to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people.



For South Gloucestershire Council employees, this training links to ‘Empowering Others’ and ‘Customer and Community Focussed’ whereby employees are aware of how to meet the diverse needs of our customers and take care to be inclusive. These are part of the Behaviours within the Council's Framework.



This course will help staff to develop their understanding of the difference between the Social and Medical models of Disability, give guidance on legislation and best practice and help employees to understand how to better support disabled staff and customers/service users. The session will include a built in action plan addressing current barriers to supporting disabled people.


This 1-day workshop will provide the skills to help meet these essential service requirements.

The Purpose for the support groups



We realise that fostering can be really difficult at times. Perhaps the only people who really understand it are other foster carers and so therefore we want to give you a place to meet up.

There will be biscuits and/or cake, coffee, tea, and an opportunity for an informal chat at all of the meetings.

Although these will be informal meetings, each session will have a brief agenda, attendance list, and agreed group rules. This is to help those who don’t know anyone and feel awkward about coming along to a new meeting, to feel that they won’t be left alone on the side-lines.

Sometimes there will be speakers and topics as requested by the group, this will hopefully make it as relevant to your fostering as you like.

These sessions should be recorded on your Personal Development Plan (PDP).
 

An introduction to EHAP as a tool to support children and families at an Early Help level.

Click here to join the meeting

An introduction to EHAP as a tool to support children and families at an Early Help level.

Click here to join the meeting

In stressful times it’s important to find different tools that can support you to manage your own wellbeing. There is an increasing body of evidence which shows the link between writing as a therapeutic practice and enhanced wellbeing. This course is intended to give you an overview of different methods and formats you can use to develop a journaling practice that works for you. You can work through it at your own pace or in small groups where you may wish to do this with colleagues.

This online course covers the different ways to journal, including with paper and pen or online methods and techniques which may be creative and expressive or fact based documentation. It also includes the benefits of savouring positive emotions through reminding, reinforcing and recording events. There will be exercises you can try for yourself and wellbeing tools. This course includes the five ways of wellbeing, which has a scientific basis and is endorsed by the NHS, it also includes the PERMA model from positive psychology and happiness habits both containing the elements which have been scientifically proven to boost levels of happiness.

Course: Promoting Positive Mental Health – a half day course to improve skills, confidence and knowledge.

Sign up and play your part in improving mental wellbeing in South Gloucestershire.

What will the half day mental health awareness course cover?
Course aims:

We all have mental health. This half day course aims to raise general awareness about mental health and provides some guidance for promoting wellbeing and responding supportively when a person experiences mental health difficulties.

There will be up to date information on local South Gloucestershire services.

Online courses are delivered via Zoom. Information about this online platform will be sent out with the Zoom link.

Course Duration: 3 hrs

Trainer: Suzanne Pearson

Trainer background: Suzanne is a mental health practitioner and community trainer and has been delivering the ‘Promoting Positive Mental Health’ 90 min session in South Glos. She is a qualified Mental Health First Aid (Adult and Youth) Instructor.

Who should attend: Members of the public, volunteers and any professional who comes into contact with the public.

The FREEDOM method personal development model® can help you build confidence and self-belief, as well as boost your wellbeing. It is an approach that can be used for achieving small or large goals, making your life easier and happier, providing clarity and purpose, gaining confidence in your decision making or even at its most advanced level for strategic planning. This is something you can use at a superficial or deep level, it’s up to you. Ultimately, you’ll reap the rewards of all of your efforts – the more you put in, the more you’ll get out of it. As part of this course you’ll learn tools and techniques to create change and to help you gain momentum and inspiration along the way.

This course will help your consider where you are now, your confidence levels, experiences and ideas you can use to create positive change in your career and bring this together through action planning. This has been written as a 100 day programme of change. This day would be the first day and it sets the scene for the changes you may decide to make over the next 100 days.

Feedback on the FREEDOM method is that it has led to promotions, further study, improvements in confidence, self-esteem and wellbeing. It has encouraged people to take on challenges they never thought possible. Come on this course if you are ready to make changes in your professional or personal life.

These 50 minute coaching sessions with coaches will assist council staff in coming up with strategies and action plans to maintain and build their wellbeing and resilience. Unlike counselling which provides a safe space to explore worries and concerns, these confidential coaching sessions will help staff come up with individual plans to help them build their resilience, understand what they can do to enhance their wellbeing and overcome current and future obstacles. There are activities and exercises that wellbeing coaches can also give people to work through in their own time if they would find it useful.

Please note these sessions will be delivered by skype or telephone.  Your coach will contact you to confirm the best method for you.