Training & Development Policy

POLICY STATEMENT

Bournemouth Council for Voluntary Service recognises that the staff and volunteers and trustees with their commitment, skills, knowledge and abilities are its most valuable resource. The organisation is committed to providing opportunities for training and development in the belief that increasing skills and knowledge will produce confident, highly qualified staff working as an effective and efficient team which will assist the organisation in achieving its aims and objectives.

Training priorities will be linked to the Business Plan and agreed between project managers and the Chief Executive. Training and development should be a conscious and integrated aspect of the work of all BCVS staff, volunteers and Trustees.

Individual training and development needs will be identified through an annual performance appraisal, on going supervision meetings and requests from employees. Needs identified will be met through a variety of activities depending on the nature and extent of the requirements, and will be recorded in supervision and appraisal records.

The primary responsibility for training and developing each employee rests with his/her line Manager. Staff, however, are also expected to take responsibility for their own self-development.

As part of the organisation’s continuing commitment to training and development, employees are asked to provide feedback on the value and effectiveness of the training and development they undertake. This information will be used to assess and improve the training process.

‘Training’ does not only mean attendance on formal courses. It can also mean attendance at conferences, workshops, seminars, shadowing a colleague, or distance learning.

It is recognised that training will not automatically lead to promotion or increased remuneration of staff. The intention is that it will develop skills and knowledge and lead to changed attitudes and increased motivation.

1. THE TRAINING BUDGET
   
   Training budgets will form part of the core funding and will be managed by project managers. The criteria used to determine the budget should include:-
   
   The current financial situation of the organisation
   
   
   • The requirements of the Business Plan
   • The current and future work programme(s)
   • The outcomes of staff supervision and appraisals in terms of training needs identified
   • Records of training requested and agreed/denied
   • The limits set by funders
2. HOW TRAINING NEEDS ARE IDENTIFIED
   
   2.1 RECRUITMENT AND INDUCTION

   BCVS’s recruitment and selection procedures allow for the successful applicant’s strengths and weaknesses to be identified in terms of the key areas of their work. The line manager should give appropriate feedback to the new staff member concerned and assist in identifying relevant training opportunities to address any weak points.

   All new members of staff should have induction as a part of their probationary period. It is the responsibility of the line manager, in liaison with the Chief Executive to arrange an induction programme that:

   • Ensures an understanding of BCVS key Policies
   • Explains the structure and functions of the CVS
   • Explains the work of the Project concerned
   • Ensures knowledge of the work of other CVS projects and the possibilities for collaborative work and support
   • Introduces the new person to colleagues

   The 6-month probationary review is an opportunity to review progress and development needs.

   2.2 SUPERVISION
   
   Formal supervision sessions are a forum in which training needs can be identified and learning options discussed and agreed.

   2.3 STAFF APPRAISALS
   
   The purpose of the annual appraisal is to clarify objectives, identify changes in the nature of the work done and probable new directions. It also aims to review the strengths and weaknesses of the individual staff member with a view to planning actions to assist development. These might include changes in work practice, identification of training needs, and consideration of long term future plans.

   Line managers have responsibility for ensuring that appraisals are conducted at the appropriate times.

   2.4 COMPLAINTS
   
   In the context of the identification of training needs, complaints are a positive way of highlighting areas of improvement. Complaints will be dealt with in accordance with the BCVS complaints procedure and where this identifies training needs these will be dealt with by line managers.

   2.5 Changes in the work of the organisation
   
   BCVS is not a static organisation but an organic one. Consequently new areas of work identified in work programmes may necessitate training in order to meet targets.

3. Information about training opportunities
   
   Information about training may be circulated to BCVS staff, volunteers and members of the Board in a number of ways including:
   
   
   • Staff meetings
   • Supervision sessions
   • The Voluntary Sector Training Consortium
   • BCVS Newsletterv
   • Staff Notice Boards
4. ORGANISING TRAINING
   
   There may be ongoing training needs that BCVS believes to be essential for all staff and/or volunteers or certain groups of staff and/or volunteers, or one off needs identified in response to a particular issue.

   Examples might include Health and Safety, Confidentiality, Equal Opportunities or Information and Technology skills.

   Project Managers will be responsible for organising in-house training, in consultation with the Chief Executive (and where necessary, the Board).

   The project manager will be responsible for identifying a suitable trainer, liaising with the trainer, arranging the administration of the event and ensuring evaluation with advice and assistance from the Advisor to Voluntary Organisations. In certain cases, the training may also include members of the Board – or indeed be organised specifically for Board members. In such cases, this should be agreed at the Board meeting.

5. ACCESS TO TRAINING FOR INDIVIDUALS
   
   Access to training for individual staff and volunteers should be agreed by the line manager and authorised by the Chief Executive. Training will include conferences, seminars and workshops as well as formal courses, as all are learning opportunities.
   
   
   • In considering access to all types of training account will be taken of:
   • Budgets and the cost of training
   • Relevance of the training to the duties of the postholder
   • Appraisal and supervision records
   • Appropriateness of courses or other training opportunities
   • Time and workload implications

   In addition, the manager will consider how much training the individual has had already and whether there are equal opportunities considerations (see Equal Opportunities Policy).

6. ATTENDANCE ON TRAINING COURSES RUN BY BCVS
   
   There is no charge for attending courses run by BCVS provided there is space on the course, the course is breaking even financially and no paying customers want a place. However, there are still considerable costs involved in staff attending such courses in paid time, and therefore managers will need to apply the considerations set out at (5) above.

   The Chief Executive may set an upper limit on how many BCVS staff attend any one course, as this could bias the event towards the concerns of one organisation.

   Members of the Board of BCVS may attend an internal training course when space is available, but should first contact the Chief Executive who will monitor usage by trustees so that any concerns or issues arising from this can be brought to the attention of the Board.

7. OUTCOMES FROM TRAINING
   
   In cases where staff attend external courses or conferences or BCVS core courses, objectives will have been set by the relevant project. The Line Manager has responsibility for ensuring that appropriate feedback or debriefing occurs after staff have attended a training event, and is disseminated through staff meetings or internal memo where appropriate. Using supervision sessions, the line manager has responsibility for assessing whether the training has been implemented in the workplace.

   Objectives for in-house training should be agreed by the trainer and relevant project manager. All in-house training should be evaluated and the project manager should give feedback to the Chief Executive regarding the extent to which objectives have been met.

   A central record of training received by staff should be held within each project by project managers.

8. SUPPORT FOR COURSES/STUDY LEAVE
   
   BCVS recognises that some courses, especially those leading to formal qualifications, require a longer commitment of time, and wishes to be able to assist staff to undertake relevant courses of study. Such a commitment however, has to be balanced against the limited staff and financial resources.

   Where a course is of value in terms either of benefit to BCVS or for the ongoing personal development of the individual all or some proportion of the financial cost and time involved may be supported. In reaching a decision account will be taken of the considerations as at 5, the benefit to BCVS and the length of service of the individual. BCVS will not provide financial support or time for courses with no direct benefit to the organisation during an employee’s first year of service but will give consideration to allowing some flexibility in working hours in order to enable staff to pursue such training where this does not conflict with operational requirements. Such flexibility must not impede the organisation in achieving its objectives.

   ‘Direct benefit’ might include increasing the knowledge and skills of the individual leading to an improvement in performance or an expanded role within agreed BCVS objectives.

   ‘Indirect benefit’ includes increased motivation of the individual, promotion of BCVS as a responsible employer, assisting in the achievement of career aspirations beyond the scope of the current post or role and other non-post specific learning and development.

   Whenever BCVS provides support of any kind to an employee in order for them to attend a training or development event ‘proof of attendance’ may be requested. No employee will be required to attend or participate in any event for which the costs and time commitment are not met in full by the organisation. Where an agreement is reached whereby only a proportion of costs and time will be covered then the employee is free to choose whether or not they participate and no criticism, either express or implied, will follow as a result of them declining the opportunity provided this decision is made before any costs have been incurred by the organisation.

Date:

Signed:

Chair of BCVS Board Chief Executive BCVS

Date policy agreed: October 2005

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