British Water Ski & Wakeboard adopts activepassport
20/4/12
British Water Ski & Wakeboard is using SkillsActive’s activepassport to maintain an accurate record of the hours coaches’ give to the sport, provide an extra incentive for volunteers and – eventually – report on its Sport England targets.
British Water Ski & Wakeboard is the National Governing Body for water skiing and wakeboarding in Great Britain and, as such, is responsible for developing the sport throughout Britain from grassroots level to elite for its 10,000 + members.
National Development Officer Rachel Tallon says the NGB is a strong advocate of providing CPD for staff, but recording and verifying this can be a challenge. It was therefore quick to join the trial for SkillsActive’s activepassport, a verified online record of an individual's training, qualifications and personal and professional achievements, when approached in mid-2011.
Rachel says: “The activepassport appealed to us because it gives individuals the power to log their qualifications, and coaching and volunteering hours, and communicate them to us quickly and efficiently.”
The NGB trialled the technology with 11 coaches; they were provided with an activepassport to log their new and exiting qualifications and coaching hours after successfully completing their level 2 coaching qualification. The NGB was so impressed with the technology that, following the trial, it incorporated the activepassport into its volunteer recognition scheme.
British Waterski & Wakeboard adopts activepassport
British Water Ski & Wakeboard is using SkillsActive’s activepassport to maintain an accurate record of the hours coaches’ give to the sport, provide an extra incentive for volunteers and – eventually – report on its Sport England targets.
British Water Ski & Wakeboard is the National Governing Body for water skiing and wakeboarding in Great Britain and, as such, is responsible for developing the sport throughout Britain from grassroots level to elite for its 10,000 + members.
National Development Officer Rachel Tallon says the NGB is a strong advocate of providing CPD for staff, but recording and verifying this can be a challenge. It was therefore quick to join the trial for SkillsActive’s activepassport, a verified online record of an individual's training, qualifications and personal and professional achievements, when approached in mid-2011.
Rachel says: “The activepassport appealed to us because it gives individuals the power to log their qualifications, and coaching and volunteering hours, and communicate them to us quickly and efficiently.”
The NGB trialled the technology with 11 coaches; they were provided with an activepassport to log their new and exiting qualifications and coaching hours after successfully completing their level 2 coaching qualification. The NGB was so impressed with the technology that, following the trial, it incorporated the activepassport into its volunteer recognition scheme.
“Volunteers can be hard to attract and retain so offering something like this to record their volunteering hours is a huge benefit, and will be useful to them in their other careers as well.”
It is also considering extending the activepassport for officials, who are required to demonstrate they have officiated at a certain number of events to maintain their qualifications.
In future, Rachel hopes to use the technology to report on British Water Ski & Wakeboard’s Sport England volunteering targets.
“The main benefit I see is being able to use the activepassport to demonstrate to partners and funding bodies like Sport England and the Mayor’s Sports Legacy Fund that our coaches have completed the required number of volunteering hours, and the evidence is easily accessed online - not filed away in someone’s attic!”
Playwork qualifications offer now live
6/1/12
City College Norwich has been appointed the lead training provider for SkillsActive’s Joint Investment Programme in Playwork.
SkillsActive, the sector skills council for active leisure, learning and well-being, has secured £230,000 of Government funding from the Growth and Innovation Fund, which is jointly administered by The Department for Business Innovation and Skills, the Skills Funding Agency and the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES).
The Fund matches employer funding with Government funding to help meet skills gaps in economically important sectors. The Joint Investment Programme in Playwork focuses on the skills gaps identified to SkillsActive by playwork employers.
Lesli Godfrey, Strategic Lead for Playwork at SkillsActive, says: “We are really pleased that our bid for this funding has been successful and that employers will now have this opportunity to access a Playwork qualification for their staff from an early years background.”
Playworkers provide spaces and resources for children and young people to come together and play in their free time, at out of school clubs, adventure playgrounds, parks and community centres across the country. The subsidised qualification equips staff who have gained early years qualifications with the principles, knowledge and understanding of Playwork that they need in order to facilitate play opportunities for children and young people.
SkillsActive is looking for playworkers in England to take advantage of the offer of 50pc matched funding towards the Level 3 Award in Transition to Playwork (from early years).
SkillsActive is now working with City College Norwich and a network of partner training providers to deliver the programme across all counties of England. It is intended that the programme will be completed by the end of July 2013.
To be eligible for funding, learners must hold a full level 3 early years qualification, based on the children’s care learning and development or early years and education standards. This does not include the new level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce at present. Employers will need to pledge at least 50pc of the cost of the qualification i.e. £229 to enable this to be matched by Government.
All learners will also receive their own SkillsActive activepassport, an on-line tool to record their qualifications, training and experience.
Dick Palmer, Principal, City College Norwich, says: “We are delighted to be working with SkillsActive and partners to deliver the Level 3 Award in Transition to Playwork nationwide which will help extend the opportunities available to those already trained in early years.”
Details of the training available and the process by which both employers and playworkers can register their interest can be found at http://www.ccn.ac.uk/form/playworktransition
Training and Qualifications
SkillsActive works on behalf of the active leisure, learning and wellbeing sector to develop a framework of qualifications and training that meets employer needs, ensuring the workforce is properly trained and qualified.
Our National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure works with the best training providers in our sector to deliver cost-effective, quality assured training solutions.
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Training verification
Regular training is a vital component of working in the active leisure, learning and wellbeing sector.
Keep track of your training or that of your staff or learners with activepassport™ - a verified online record of an individual’s training, volunteering, CPD, qualifications, and achievements.
Over 20,000 people in the UK currently have an activepassport™, and more than 40 UK sport and leisure CEOs representing 70% of the workforce have now signed a skills protocol, committing they will work towards their employees holding and maintaining an activepassport™ as standard.
Manage your training
SkillsActive can offer you a number of tools to help you manage your staff training simply and effectively.
Whether you are looking for a simple way to monitor staff training online or a full package of personal support, SkillsActive can help ensure that you make the most of the money you invest in training.
activepassport
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Apprenticeships are usually delivered through a partnership between an employer and a training provider, although some larger employers may also operate as the training provider for themselves and others.
SkillsActive issues Apprenticeship frameworks, which outline the minimum requirements needed to complete the Apprenticeship at each level and for each occupation. We also provide certification for apprentices in England and Wales.
Access funding for Apprenticeships
If you are a training provider in England or Wales and you would like to deliver government funded Apprenticeships, you need to hold a contract with the Skills Funding Agency.
Training providers in Scotland need to hold a contract with Skills Development Scotland. Training providers in Northern Ireland need to hold a contract with the Department for Employment and Learning.
To gain a contract, you must meet certain requirements, such as minimum contracting value. If you do not meet the minimum contracting value, you can enter into a subcontracting arrangement with a larger training provider. If you are a training provider in England, one way to do this is by joining SkillsActive’s Group Training Association.
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Registration
Only training providers in Scotland need to register with SkillsActive to deliver Apprenticeships.
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Types of Apprenticeships
There’s a wide variety of Apprenticeships available in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Select a country below to learn more about the types of Apprenticeships available in your area.
Frameworks and guidance
SkillsActive has worked with employers and training providers to develop a set of Apprenticeship frameworks. These outline the minimum requirements apprentices need to complete the apprenticeship at each level and for each occupation. You can then work with your employer and apprentice to identify the most suitable framework for their needs.
Learn more about the Apprenticeship frameworks available in your country by viewing Frameworks and Guidance.
Certification
At the end of their Apprenticeship, all apprentices need a certificate to show they have fulfilled the Apprenticeship requirements.
In England, Wales and Scotland, certificates are issued by SkillsActive. In Northern Ireland, they are issued by the Department for Employment and Learning.
Apprentices can apply for their own certificate or authorise their training provider to apply for one on their behalf.
Download the Apprenticeship certification request forms for England and Wales below.
- Certification Request Form England
This certificate is for apprentices completing their programme in England. - Apprentice Authorization Form England (mandatory to complete for all framework claims via the ACE system)
- Certification Request Form Wales
This certificate is for apprentices completing their programme in Wales.
To request a certificate in Scotland, email
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Verify apprentice training
Keep track of your apprentice’s training with an activepassport™
activepassportTM is an auditable online tool that will help you track and record an individual’s Guided Learning Hours - a statutory requirement of the new frameworks in England and Wales.
If you’re a training provider, activepassport™ can:
- Give you an overview of your client’s skills, qualifications and competencies
- Identify missing mandatory CPD and compliance requirements
- Help you target individuals with specific courses
- Let you access an extensive captive market, increasing sales and reducing marketing costs
- Enable you to offer clients a powerful tool for maintaining their own records.
Learn more about activepassport™ >
Consultancy
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Updates
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SkillsActive for individuals
SkillsActive wants to help people become active at work and in their careers, and to lead active lifestyles!
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Volunteer management
We know that the work of many organisations involved with active leisure and learning is made possible through a dedicated number of volunteers. Because we feel volunteers should not miss out on opportunities to develop and improve their skills, SkillsActive has worked on a number of ways to provide support and training opportunities.
e-learning packages
To support those with low budgets or little time, SkillsActive offers a range of discounted packages featuring online courses tailored to specific roles. Each package includes a combination of bite-sized e-learning courses covering key skills, pre-selected to take the hassle out of choosing training for your volunteers.
Purchasing packages can help you save over 20% on e-learning courses.
Find the right package for your organisation 
Mayor’s Sports Legacy Fund
If your volunteers live or work in London, they could be entitled to up to 75% off courses to support their volunteering in sport and physical activity. They simply apply for funding in advance of their course, then commit to a set number of hours of volunteering in return for their subsidised training.
Discover more about the programme and how it could help your volunteers>
activepassport
activepassport is a verified online record of an individual’s training, volunteering, CPD, qualifications, and achievements. This can be a great tool for managing your volunteers, as you can track their hours and monitor what training they have taken.
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