Effective e-learning: it’s all in the blend - 16 February 2005
Take a large measure of experience in e-learning, pour in some expertise in the support and training of voluntary organisations in Suffolk, a liberal amount of enthusiasm, and good communication and place it all into a Virtual Learning Environment. Add funding from the Suffolk Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and the European Social Fund (ESF) and deliver carefully to a large group of committed students new to e-learning. The results are a highly successful Essential Trustee Skills online course.
The Suffolk Institute of Technology (SIT) and the Suffolk Association of Voluntary Organisations (SAVO) are celebrating the success of the Essential Trustee Skills E-learning Programme which has been developed through close collaboration between the two organisations, with financial support from the LSC and ESF. This online course is unique in the UK. Trustees and other volunteers from across the county have been working hard on their online programme in order to develop their skills in effective trusteeship and gain a nationally recognised qualification.
A celebration was recently held at the newly launched Suffolk Institute of Technology in Upper High Street Ipswich, giving the students and representatives from SAVO and the SIT the opportunity to share experiences and to receive certificates as a mark of their achievement.
In recent years the role of trustee has required increased responsibilities and the course was developed in response to requests from many in the voluntary and community sector for effective training to support their activities. SAVO and the SIT have cooperated frequently in projects to develop skills and knowledge for those working in the voluntary sector and the Centre for Innovation in Voluntary and Community Services (CIVICS) project has been established to continue the work of this collaborative partnership. It is hoped that the Essential Trustee Skills Online Programme will be one of many reasons to celebrate the success of the SIT/SAVO partnership.
Robin Hodgkinson, SAVO’s Training Manager who wrote the course materials and acted as course tutor, was delighted with the response. “The first intake of students came from a wide variety of organisations – some had regional, county or very local remits and the
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course appeared to suit not only trustees but managers, administrators and project leaders who worked with trustees. Each student was able to use the assignments to develop their ideas on ways of improving how their organisations were governed and managed and to download some of the specimen forms, policies and questionnaires to share with others within their group. We are very grateful for the support and funding from the LSC and ESF to allow us to develop this exciting form of learning.”
Many of the Essential Trustee Skills learners expressed their satisfaction with the course and the support they received from the SAVO tutor, and the Learning Advisors and technical team of the SIT. “I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in this training; the tutors were so encouraging and supportive. If just one trustee of a charity participates and passes on the knowledge available and gained on the course, it would be a breakthrough in employment and fundraising responsibilities alone.”
Clare Avery , Associate Dean of the SIT, said, “The ESF funding has enabled us to work closely with SAVO to develop this unique course which has been very well received by the students. The feedback shows that whilst the course enabled them to learn about the skills of trusteeship, but simultaneously to improve their IT skills and that is just another benefit of e-learning.” She continued: “We have welcomed the opportunity to make interactive, social e-learning more widely available in Suffolk and demonstrate what is possible.”
The course is now available nationally and enrolments are currently being taken. If you want to find out more about this breakthrough in training for the voluntary sector log on to www sit.ac.uk or call Robin Hodgkinson at SAVO on 01437 273273.
ENDS
NOTES FOR EDITORS
Photo Caption: Students of the Essential Trustee Skills Online Course celebrate with staff of SAVO and the SIT
For further information please contact:
Clare Avery, Associate Dean of the SIT
Tel: 01473 296679
Email: Clare.Avery@create.suffolk.ac.uk
or visit
Issued by Promotions
16 February 2005
Students of the Essential Trustee Skills Online Course celebrate with staff of SAVO and the SIT