14-19 Learning Pathways: Personal Support

Within the 14-19 Learning Pathways agenda personal support should be available to young people as required, to ensure access to services or people to support them in developing solutions to the personal, social, emotional and physical problems which are, or may become, obstacles to them remaining within education, realizing their potential and/or gaining employment.

Such obstacles might include health problems, bullying, relationships, sexual health, bereavement, nutrition, substance misuse, caring responsibilities, family stress, homelessness, emotional and mental well-being, anger management, disengagement, behaviour and attendance issues. Personal support should also provide assistance in developing the learner’s skills in accessing, retrieving and using information effectively and in making realistic and well informed decisions. In general terms personal support covers issues that relate to a learner’s personal development.

Agored Cymru is at the forefront of current practice and can provide expert advice and guidance across a number of areas such as Personal and Social Education (PSE) and the Respecting Others agenda (bullying). Agored Cymru offers learning providers a wide variety of learning opportunities including:

• Alcohol Awareness;
• Healthy Eating;
• Health and Safety;
• Anger Management.

In addition Agored Cymru is working in partnership with the WAG Pupil Participation Project to accredit the naturally occurring learning that happens through engagement with young people’s decision-making bodies such as school councils, youth fora, eco committees, peer mentoring and education programmes.  Three units have been developed across four levels with accompanying assessment materials and these are being tested in six Rhondda Cynon Taff LEA schools. Following the results from this pilot, these units will be released for use by all Recognised Centres.

Agored Cymru is also committed to supporting the development of adults providing personal support to young people. It has developed a range of youth support worker qualifications at level 2 and 3 which are based around the Welsh youth work agenda and a large suite of credit rated units for use in the health and social care sectors. Units also exist to support those volunteering in Youth Justice and/or Youth and Community Work. The units can be used to provide quality assurance for continuing professional development, to provide focussed training for new or redesigned roles and can form part of a qualification or be used as a stand alone credit rated unit.
Schools, colleges, training providers or others that wish to deliver this NQF qualification need to be Agored Cymru recognised centres. If you would like to find out more about working with Agored Cymru please complete a new business enquiry form - available on the website here. If you would prefer to ask about units and qualifications available, or have an informal chat before completing the form please ring 02920 747866 or 01248 670011 and ask for a member of the Business Development team.

Agored Cymru will provide ongoing support and advice on the use of Agored Cymru and NOCN credit and qualifications including the requirements for assessment.

If you would like to discuss the strategic elements of the 14-19 education agenda for your organisation, please contact Dafydd Baker, Curriculum Development Manager (Learning Pathways)