Date: 16 July 2009
Working Links, specialist providers of
skills and employment services for disadvantaged people and
communities, is delighted to announce that its
Consultant Diagnostic Programme (CDP) has been accredited by City
& Guilds. This means that anyone who takes the course will
receive a joint branded certificate, with an official City &
Guilds accredited logo for the study and application of Client
Diagnostic tools.
The programme comprises of four client
diagnostic tools - Personal Style
Indicator, Attitude Indicator,
Connect Tool and Values
cards. The course, which
has been running for over a year, is a practical, interactive,
modular-based programme that introduces the four client
diagnostic tools to consultants to help them identify our
clients' challenges to work and possible solutions.
“The main thing I learnt was how to take steps
in asking clients to open up” said Paul Williams, Working Links
consultant from Plymouth “We talked about asking them to talk about
things that you might not normally see, particularly the more deep
rooted problems.
I thought it was essential learning for people
who were both new to the business and who have been with the
company for a while. It was a good chance to refresh. The cards and
word choice exercise are great to get people talking, and the
trainers showed us how to help clients to get to the root of a
problem without them really realising.”
The City & Guilds accreditors looked at
the CDP materials; programme content; the course objectives and how
they are met; how the course is assessed; and how it is delivered.
The Working Links CDP meets City & Guilds’ criteria for all
these points, and the accreditation is a mark of quality. It shows
how well what people have learnt transfers into the workplace.
Nick Garrod, from Working Links Learning and
Development team said “We have also looked at how the programme
compares to other qualifications and NVQs, and it is equivalent of
a level 3. The programme also gives you the underpinning knowledge
and evidence equivalent to an Advice, Information and Guidance NVQ
at level 3, but it doesn’t give you the full qualification just
yet!
“To look at this further, we’re working with
Harrow College to see if we can use the CDP as a fast track to
getting the actual NVQ level 3 qualification. We’re looking at the
things we need to add to the programme, like work based assessments
from a Train to Gain point of view, in partnership with the
College”.