Find details of all SkillsActive projects affecting Northern Ireland below, or view the following Northern Ireland projects:  

Outdoor sector: train the trainers

This project, funded by Department for Employment and Learning NI (DELNI), aims to enable the principles of the Outdoor Induction Award to be delivered in Northern Ireland

Findings from the 2009 pilot (which aimed to promote and evaluate the demand for the award) showed a high level of interest in the induction award and a recommendation to roll the programme across Northern Ireland once the modules were revised and full accreditation achieved. The 2010-2011 project aims to develop the capability of owners and managers in outdoor businesses to support the delivery of the award through workplace learning; the managers in the workplace will need to assess and help guide students as they develop induction skills. 

The 2010-2011 project will develop a set of ‘Train the Trainer’ resources and deliver ‘Train the Trainer’ workshops - keep an eye on this page for further updates.

Update October 2012: The first cohort of students completed their Level 2 Award in Introductory Work in the Outdoors (QCF) June 2012.

Introducing Playwork Qualifications to the Wider Children’s Workforce

This DELNI funded project for 2010-2011 is in collaboration between SkillsActive NI and Skills for Care and Development 

The project aimed to raise awareness within the wider children’s workforce of the value of using playwork qualifications to enhance current child care provision. 

You can download an introduction to playwork qualifications and careers in Northern Ireland here.

Three strands to the project will delivered:

• Forecasting information to employers and stakeholders on the likely demand for play services & childcare places over the next 5/10years
• A DVD resource that both increases employers and stakeholders awareness of the benefits of upskilling the wider children’s workforce in playwork & also clarifies the distinction between childcare and playwork.
• Wider access to Playwork transitional module (or QCF equivalent) by encouraging more employers to consider it as an up-skilling opportunity & at the same time to encourage more training providers to offer the course (i.e. create demand).

News

Playwork sector:                                     

Our Playwork qualifications have been given parity with Early Years qualifications through the new DHSSPS Minimum Standards for Childminding & Day Care for Children. This is a strategically important outcome for the sector as it recognises Playwork as a distinct and important profession. A quote from linked press release:

The news has been greeted with enthusiasm by employers in the sector too. Diane Koplewsky from the Sleepy Hollow Group, congratulated SkillsActive and PlayBoard for helping to elevate Playwork qualifications in Northern Ireland:

“I have seen the play and playwork landscape changing, with the popularity of after-school clubs and holiday playschemes and the beginning of a cultural change that will see acceptance of children playing in the heart of our communities. Linked to this is the growing acceptance amongst parents and stakeholders that children need to take risks to learn and grow.

Sector employers have embraced the move towards a professionally qualified workforce and there has been a change in perception of the Playwork sector and what it means to be a qualified playworker. These new Standards are evidence that Playworkers are an essential element of the children and young people's workforce in Northern Ireland and that Playwork is at last recognised."

Caravan sector:

There has been an extremely positive response from NI Caravan park employers to the DELNI subsidised training offer with a total of 31 caravan park employees signing up for the NVQ Certificate in Operational Services. SkillsActive negotiated a 75% subsidy with DELNI and the course will be delivered by Kingston Maurward College. Each learner will receive an activepassport to record learning outcomes. 

Past projects

Reports on previous projects are available:

• NI Learning Hub summary report June 2010
• Outdoor Introductory Award project report summary 2009