Learn Devon Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) Strategy
Overview
This strategy will outline how Learn Devon will plan, deliver and evaluate the provision of educational advice and information to adults over the age of 16.
What is IAG?
Information means the provision of information on learning, training and work, without any discussion about the relative merits of the options through:
- printed materials such as leaflets and posters;
- audio-visual materials via the internet, Learn Devon website and social media channels;
- verbal information on a face-to-face basis through local centres or via telephone or live online events
- verbal and audio-visual information via online learning platforms
Advice requires more interaction with the service user, usually on a one-to-one basis. It may require explanation of some of the information provided, how to access and use information, and a recognition of when more in-depth services may be required by the user.
Guidance requires a trained advisor. Learn Devon does not provide a guidance service.
What is the purpose of information and advice provision?
To ensure that adults are supported to make informed decisions which enable them to engage in appropriate learning programmes, complete the intended learning outcomes and achieve personal learning goals.
Advice and information will be impartial and will signpost individuals to wider guidance services, such as careers guidance and other education and training providers who are better placed to meet their needs.
Our foundation for planning and delivery of IAG:
| Act with integrity, placing people and communities at the heart of what we do | Passionate about improving lives through learning |
| Inspire and empower people to reach their potential | Use innovative solutions |
Principles of Coherent IAG Service Delivery
- Accessible and Visible – IAG services should be recognised and trusted by clients, have convenient entry points from which clients may be signposted or referred to the services they need, and be open at time and in places which suits clients’ needs;
- Professional and Knowledgeable – IAG frontline staff should have the skills and knowledge to identify quickly and effectively the client’s needs. They should have the skills and knowledge either to address the client’s needs or to signpost or to refer them to suitable alternative provision;
- Effective Connections – Links between IAG services should be clear from the client’s perspective. Where necessary, clients should be supported in their transition between services;
- Availability, Quality and Delivery – IAG services should be targeted at the needs of the clients, and be informed by social and economic priorities at local, regional and national levels;
- Diversity – The range of IAG services should reflect the diversity of clients’ needs;
- Impartial – IAG services should support clients to make informed decision about learning and work based on the client’s needs and circumstances;
- Responsive – IAG services should reflect clients’ present and future needs;
- Friendly and Welcoming – IAG services should encourage clients to engage successfully with the service;
- Enabling – IAG services should encourage and support clients to become lifelong learners by enabling them to access and use information to plan their careers, supporting clients to explore the implication for both learning and work in their future career plans;
- Awareness – Adults should be aware of the IAG services that are relevant to them, and have well informed expectation of those services.
Learn Devon’s Disability and Inclusion Principles
Our IAG service will always be learner centred and will address equality and promote diversity. Information and advice giving will take account of the requirements of individuals who use alternative forms of communication and Learn Devon will use a range of methods to help adults be better informed about learning opportunities.
The key aims of our strategy are:
- To provide all learners and potential learners, with clear information and advice to make informed choices about their learning within and beyond the service.
- To ensure that the provision of information and advice is in line with Learn Devon’s Disability and Inclusion Principles.
- To enable staff to support learners in achieving agreed learning outcomes and personal learning goals.
- To help learners plan their future learning to support their personal and work aspirations.
- To provide signposting and referral to careers guidance services.
Our objectives and target activity
| Area | Delivery | Actions | Roles/Responsibilities & timescales |
| Programme Planning | Staff awareness of new programmes and changes to programmes to enable provision of accurate IAG | Teams kept up to date | Area Co-ordinators to communicate each change to all teams via email LSCOs to actively keep abreast of developments by regularly meeting with ACOs |
| Initial IAG is through the CiS on our website. Learners and potential learners to receive clear, accurate, up to date, and impartial information before committing to a course. | Course Information sheets to be kept up to date with correct information. They should show the prior knowledge/skills required, level of commitment needed and progression opportunities. | CCOs and Tutors to review yearly, or every time the course changes CCOs to check CiS quality relating to curriculum standards | |
| Initial Contact | Both telephone and social media interactions to be professional, accurate and timely with the provision of initial information and advice | Staff to provide sufficient detailed course information and advice (as required) to enable learners to make decisions. | CSOs as first point of contact with all learner facing staff have responsibility |
| Staff available to offer information and support with enrolments and onward progression, ensuring learners are appropriately supported from first contact | Opportunities for disclosure/identification of learning support and/or learner needs are maximised before course commencement. Information about the support available and routes of progression is given to learner. | SCSOs and CSOs and LSCOs to work closely together to identify and/or explore support needs. CSOs flag LS needs with LSCOs | |
| Information, Advice and Literature | Effective, clear, and positive induction experience | Learners to receive Welcome Letter, information pack and handbook in format best suited to their needs | Automated send out via emailSouth Centre team send out to those without email addresses |
| Learners can access clear, accurate, up-to-date, accessible, impartial information, advice, and guidance about progression opportunities. | Learn Devon staff will provide progression information and advice. Formal advice and guidance will be offered through referral to appropriate services. | All learner facing staff | |
| Accurate information and signposting to external agencies where Learn Devon cannot assist. Formal guidance will be through referral to appropriate practitioners for specialist or alternative help. | Staff to be provided with up-to-date information about other providers/offers to be able to signpost to external agencies as necessary (should Learn Devon be unable to provide a service). | All learner facing staff | |
| Accurate information of formal guidance services to be available on Learn Devon website. | Website to be updated and list of services to be created | BST and LSCO Team Leader | |
| Assistance and additional learning support | Information and advice about learning support is easy to access for learners and potential learners | Information on learning support is available inpaper and digital formats as well as on the Learn Devon website. All learner facing staff should feel confident about being able to provide information on support available. | All staff Information on LS to be reviewed and updated by LS Team Leader and LSCO team. |
| Future progression | Progression is part of every course | Options for future learning and next steps are written into every course and offer a clear progression route to learners | CCOs, ACOs and tutors |
| Future learning is identified | Tutors or LSCO provides Information about future learning options available at Learn Devon and passes details to ACO if no course exists at Learn Devon. | All staff | |
| No course is available at Learn Devon | IAG given about other courses and alternative providers and recorded in ILP | All delivery staff | |
| Adults with learning difficulties and disabilities | Provide individuals, carers and organisations with clear information addressing expectations and responsibilities | Conversations in learning centres or over telephone, email/posting of information | Centre staff, with LSCO to deliver information provided by CCOs |
| Provision of IAG and support for low level learners | LSCOs can offer IAG to Level 1 learners on an individual basis as well as practical support with enrolment and joining a group/class | LSCOs | |
| IAG and inclusion for ALDD learners | The learning difficulty or disability should not automatically pre-determine the course/level a learner is enrolled on to; following principles of inclusion, staff should support the learner to make the best decision for themselves. | All learner facing staff | |
| Ongoing contact with learners | LSCOs to remain in regular contact with ALDD learners to ensure needs are addressed promptly and any issues resolved. | LSCOs working with LSAs and Tutors | |
| Regular review of support and progress | If an LSA is placed with a learner, the LSCO will hold regular meetings with LSA and course tutor to review effectiveness of support and any unaddressed needs. | LSCOs, LSAs and Tutors | |
| Learner voice and feedback | Learners are provided with a range of opportunities to feedback on the service provided by Learn Devon and, where possible, are provided with information about how Learn Devon has used their feedback to improve their situation or service delivery. | Learner Voice Strategy is up to date and our performance in delivering this is reviewed periodically. | BST and SMT |
| Meeting the standards | To ensure that all staff are aware of and are supported in meeting the standard of information, advice and guidance required to meet the Matrix standard; Education Inspection Framework (OFSTED) DCC customer service standard and national IAG board principles. | OFSTED BriefingsTeam MeetingsSupervisions/AppraisalsInformation made available via staff newsletterBreakdown of expectations across roles | SMT and all supervising staff |
| Staff have access to up-to-date information to support the delivery of an effective IAG service together with information to enable signposting to further guidance | Information is reviewed and sent out twice a year | LSCO Team | |
| Using matrix action plan to learn from and develop IAG strategy further | IAG to remain part of regular strategic review | SMT |
Updated September 2023