Skills Academy for Social Care launches membership offer

JOIN US! Skills Academy for Social Care launches membership offer

Everyone working to improve the delivery of adult social care is being invited to join the Academy’s Membership scheme that officially opens today. The Academy was created by employers to ensure that the sector has the skills it needs to provide excellent care. It has a specific focus on the critical areas of leadership, management and commissioning, while also endorsing excellent training. The development of a strong, mutually beneficial network through membership is a key plank of this work. It is intrinsic to its purpose, ethos and future development. Debbie Sorkin, Director of Engagement, National Skills Academy for Social Care said: “This is a challenging time for the sector and it is more important than ever that everyone involved in social care works together and pulls in the same direction. Our common goal is to provide care that really puts the needs of the individual at its heart and to develop a professional workforce that can attract and retain talented people. Joining our membership network is one small but significant way of helping to achieve that aim.” Members already signed up include employers, local authorities and training providers. Wade Tovey, Manager, Tees Valley Alliance who are an Academy member said: “We, and our many partners in the Tees Valley Alliance, can see real benefits of becoming members of the National Skills Academy for Social Care. We will be able to share best practice with other members across the country, attend many useful events, and at a discount too! Linda Dixon, Training Manager, All Care Agencies Ltd, also an Academy member added: “I believe the Skills Academy has the good of its members at heart and will also help to provide a more skilled and informed workforce, which means a better service for clients.” The first stage of the programme involved signing up over 100 founder members from across the broad spectrum of the sector. These small, medium and large organisations that are delivering private, residential, not-for-profit or domiciliary care, as well as training providers and local authorities have helped shape the membership package that is being offered today. It is now open to anyone working in social care across England and the many benefits include: • Learning how to improve skills and provide better care. • Saving money on training courses and events. • Getting the latest information about best practice. • Unique and invaluable networking opportunities. The membership offer is designed to save both time and money for those that sign up and the fee structure is designed to be affordable in order to provide real, cost-effective benefits during the difficult economic situation that many employers are currently facing. -Ends- Notes to Editors’ 1. For more information on the Academy’s membership offer click here: Membership scheme 2. Founder members of the Academy include: • United Response (national employer) • Care South (large regional employer) • Hendra House (small employer) • Bury Metropolitan Council • Scope (charity) • Burnley College (training provider) 3. The Academy is working with ECCA, NCA, NCF and VODG to develop a joint benefits offer for their members. 4. It is the first welfare-related Academy in the network of National Skills Academies which are employer-led centres of training excellence established by industry to create a world-class workforce by delivering the skills that employers need in each sector of the economy. 5. Its remit is also to promote and support excellent learning and training for the 1.6 million workers and 40,600 employers in social care with a particular emphasis on small and medium-sized employers. Demographic changes mean the social care workforce is expected to rise to 2.5 million by 2025. 6. The Academy is led by a Board of employer representatives from across the statutory, private and not-for-profit sectors within adult social care.