Additional learning and development modules

The Midlands Consortium provides a broad range of skills based workshops, which are aimed at practitioners working with offenders or other Service users.  Modules from the PSO programme can also be delivered as individual modules.

These workshops are one-day events unless otherwise stated.

Court Presentation Skills

Aim: To equip participants with the appropriate knowledge and skills to be effective and confident court officers.

Objectives:
By the end of the training participants will be able to:

  • Identify the key personnel in court and their respective roles
  • Explain the key elements of court etiquette
  • Explain court terminology
  • Identify the role of the probation service officer in court and the expectations upon them
  • Outline the key steps in a court case
  • Use verbal and non-verbal communication skills to establish an effective court presence for the Probation Service
  • Understand when to seek advice and support from others
  • Formulate a learning action plan to develop themselves within their role
  • Apply principles of equality, valuing diversity and anti-discriminatory practice in the court setting.

Thinking Skills Programme (Coaching for Engagement)

Aim: To develop effective facilitation delivery skills.

Objectives:
This informative and interactive workshop combines 2 vital skills for effective programme tutors – coaching and engagement.  Participants will leave with:

  • A clear understanding of how to lead groups in line with coaching principles
  • Enhanced group facilitation skills
  • Strategies to ensure good offender engagement in the sessions.

Stepping Stones (Sentence Planning) (2 days)

Aim: Participants will leave with a working knowledge of 2 new tools:

  • About Me
  • Stepping Stones to Success

Objectives:

  • Designed to enhance offender engagement in a more meaningful and individualised sentence planning process
  • The rationale and context of the tools
  • Information gathering questions
  • Listening to encourage disclosure
  • Building motivation for change
  • Developing ‘My story of the world’
  • Recognising individual differences
  • Identifying obstacles to progress
  • Identifying core offender statements
  • Gap analysis
  • Breaking the work to be done into manageable chunks
  • Sequencing the work to be done
  • Reviewing progress
  • Planning subsequent stages
  • Application to Case studies.

Introduction to working with Sex Offending

Aim: To equip participants with the appropriate knowledge and increase understanding of sexual offending and it’s causes.

Objectives:
By the end of the training participants will be able to:

  • Demonstrate a beginning understanding of the basics of sexual offending and the characteristics of these offenders, including an awareness of trigger factors and risk indicators
  • Demonstrate an understanding of a range local policies and procedures and risk assessment tools and how they should be incorporated into working practises to manage and reduce risk
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the role of specific interventions and a range of good practice principles and techniques in managing or reducing risk in this work
  • Understand how workers can both positively and negatively contribute to the assessment and management of sex offenders and explain your own role and its boundaries within this process
  • Formulate a learning action plan to develop themselves within their role.

Working with Offenders and Learning Difficulties

Aim: To improve the understanding, skills and knowledge of probation staff regarding the needs and related issues of Offenders with Learning Difficulties.

Objectives:

  • Have knowledge of what defines a Learning Difficulty
  • Have an increased awareness of the diverse issues surrounding offenders with Learning Difficulties
  • Be able to identify offenders with potential Learning Difficulties
  • Be able to communicate effectively with offenders with Learning Difficulties
  • Have knowledge of resources for offenders with Learning Difficulties and referral issues.

Working with Suicide and Self-Harm

Aim: To provide participants with the relevant understanding of this area of work and skills in working with vulnerable people.

Objectives:

  • Explain the key myths and facts about suicide and self harm
  • Describe the links between emotional and situational risk factors and self harming or suicidal behavior
  • Identify potential warning signs of self harm and suicide
  • Outline a range of appropriate responses to self harm and suicidal behavior, which could involve probation staff or other agencies.

Fast Delivery Report Writing (2 days)

Aim: To equip Court staff to Undertake assessments and prepare presenting clear and professional reports for Courts.

Objectives:

  • Understand the key good practice principles in the planning, compilation and presentation of FDRs
  • Understand the information required for particular types of reports, including issues of risk and criminogenic need
  • Develop the interviewing skills to elicit this information.

Extremism and Radicalisation

Aim: To develop knowledge and understanding of this area of work and the role and function agencies involved.

Objectives:

  • Have an awareness of the historical context of extremism
  • Be aware of relevant legislation, statistics, government strategy & relevant agencies
  • Be informed about myths regarding Islam & Muslims
  • Be aware of theories of Radicalisation
  • Be able to identify own role and responsibilities.

Hate Crime

Aim: To provide participants with knowledge and skills for working with offenders who commit Hate Crimes.

Objectives:

  • Understand the legislative framework surrounding hate crime
  • Increased awareness of historic developments in working with hate crime, including an appreciation of key policy shaping documents
  • Consideration of own personal values and response to strands of diversity within hate crime
  • Awareness of underlying factors which may motivate someone to commit hate crimes and the interventions which link to these factors
  • Develop techniques for working with individuals convicted of hate crime.

Supervision and Coaching Skills (2 days)

Aim: For participants to understand and practice.

Objectives:

  • •
  • Setting up supervision – expectations and obligations
  • Principles of adult learning
  • Observation Skills and gathering evidence
  • Giving Empowering feedback
  • Valuing Diversity in the supervisory process
  • Developing action plans to develop performance
  • Understand the principles of coaching?
  • Understand how coaching links with great performance?
  • The GROW Model
  • Be aware of the model for corridor coaching
  • Acquire skills for motivating those who are struggling

Training and Presentation Skills

Aim: To develop skills for effective and engaging delivery.

Objectives:

  • Develop individual styles of delivery
  • Engaging the audience
  • How to create an environment conducive to learning
  • Methods of giving feedback
  • How to support different styles of adult learning
  • Understand the use of body language and non-verbal cues.

For further information please contact Michelle Walters, Learning and Development Manager, either by telephone (0121 730 3360/07932 449383) or via email: michelle.walters@ntlworld.com