Innovation

Virtual Induction and Training With lockdown happening almost overnight, all of us have had to adapt quickly to working from home and rethinking how we continue to deliver services to our learners.

Rosalyn Lovatt, Regional Manager at our Hadfield Road Centre and Garod Griffiths, Peripatetic Tutor have shown how innovative we can be and how quickly we can adapt when times call for it. Concerned that some Traineeship learners would not be able to access training during the lock down, or would have to wait until face-to-face learning resumed, Rosalyn and Garod created a Virtual Induction programme to ensure learners remained engaged and motivated.

"Our learners have gotten on board with online learning and adapted really well"

They compiled a four-week induction timetable of various topics which could be taught online to all Traineeship learners. These topics include: Week 1 - About ACT and getting to know everyone Week 2 - Wellbeing Week 3 - Employability Week 4 - Self awareness

The Virtual Induction programme delivers onehour training sessions to Traineeship learners, four mornings a week, using a virtual classroom, presentations, videos and discussions for the day’s topic. The learners are also sent home study to carry out at their own pace, linked to the day’s topic via Nearpod which they can complete ready for the next session. Home study includes a variety of activities from open ended questions, quizzes, memory games, multi choice polls, word search suggestions and even some physical activities. There were recent links to Joe Wicks workout videos to encourage exercise and movement!

Using platforms, such as Whereby or Nearpod, for the virtual classroom has ensured that all leaners are able to access the programme. Not all learners have tablets or laptops, so it is essential that no one is disadvantaged and that the classroom could be accessed by a mobile phone. On the final week of the programme, our ACT Tutors are invited into the virtual classroom to meet the learners and answer any questions they may have about transitioning onto their specific routes. Our ALS staff are also involved in the process and work to support all learners and identify any specific needs they may have.

To date, there are five groups running in the virtual centre, with two recently completing their training and moving on to their chosen routes

and centres. In total the virtual training centre has started 26 learners since lockdown began and the programme has received excellent feedback from the learners to date.

Speaking about the success of the Virtual Induction programme, Rosalyn Lovatt, commented:

“We are really pleased with the learners' engagement in the training as this set up is completely new to everyone. Our learners have gotten on board with online learning and adapted really well. Initially many of the learners were really nervous being on camera and did not want to speak, but as time progressed their confidence has grown massively. It has been nice to hear conversations between the learners continuing as if they were in a face-to-face environment together. I would like to give a massive thank you to Garod Griffiths, Tim Middleton and Karen Evans who have all been working hard to deliver the Virtual Induction sessions. Thanks also to Claire Baker and a variety of the ALS team who sit in on the classes to offer support and safeguarding for the learners.”

Garod Griffiths added, “We hope the programme continues to go from strength to strength! When I designed the Nearpod curriculum for each of the 16 lessons of the Virtual Induction programme, we always kept in mind the need for it to be as relevant to the learner’s journey as possible, and really wanted it to be consistent in this approach for each day of its delivery. The sessions needed to be tailor made and as engaging and stimulating as possible to increase motivation and hopefully to inspire each learner to achieve and succeed. We have achieved 100% attendance and 100% completion rate for all the 16 home study activities, with some really positive feedback being reported by the learners before joining their routes. It is a great result!”

A massive well done to everyone involved in the creation, delivery and running of the Virtual Induction Programme. Here is some of the fantastic feedback to date from learners.

“It is so easy to access the work”

“Topics were fresh, never boring and the homework was good”

“This really helps keep me in a routine”

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